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Picture the inside of your fridge — stuffed or bare, messy or clean. Without actually looking inside, name three foods that you know are in there. (Off the top of my head: eggs, Little Gem

lettuce, and pre-shredded cheddar cheese.)

Think about how much of each item you have. (A dozen plus three, about half a head, one unopened bag.) Think about when they were purchased, and how soon you'll need to use them before they

go bad. (The eggs are all right — I bought them a couple weeks ago. The lettuce needs to get used before the weekend, for sure. The cheese … it's unopened, but I don't remember when I bought

it. What's the sell-by date?)

Think about what meals you might be able to make with each of those ingredients. Think about how many portions those meals will make, and how long the leftovers will keep. Think about what

other ingredients you'd need to acquire in order to make those meals. Think about how much those ingredients cost, and how much money you have available to buy them. Think about who else

will be eating with you, and what they do or don't like, and what they can or can't eat. Think about how long it'll take to cook. (How long until mealtime? How hungry am I? How hungry is

everyone else?) Think about the inevitable sink full of dishes, and who will do them, and how long after the meal they'll get done. Think about doing this all over again every time you cook.

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Zoe Fenson is a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her writing has appeared in Longreads, Narratively, The New Republic, and elsewhere. When she's not writing, you'll find

her doing crossword puzzles in cocktail bars or playing fetch with her cat.