Ingredient Household, a new-found online phenomenon went viral on TikTok. People share their viewpoints on household ingredients, and some are pretty hilarious.  

Recently, the topic has been all over the “for you” page on TikTok. Trust me! I am having a good time reading people’s opinions on it. Because, to some extent, I can relate to them.   

Being from an Asian family, my ingredient household was terrific. I always complain to my mum about why she never buys good snacks. She never even bought a ready-to-eat cup of ramen.  

I was just not very fond of such a lifestyle. Honestly, my sister and I often felt like we had nothing to eat. But now that I think of it, I realize we always had food in our house!  

From rolled-up homemade mango jelly or peanut butter jelly on crackers were perfect for snacking.   

Now, at the age of 27, I realize that I am an ingredient household, too. I should apologize to her for showing so many tantrums.   

In this blog, I will share more about my experience of being from an ingredient household. I know the Internet might have confused you about ingredient household, but I’m here at your rescue; I will explain everything easily and comprehensively for you to understand better.  

What Is An Ingredient Household?

Growing up in an Asian household, snacking was not a part of our daily lives. When my friends had chips, ready-to-eat small pies, or fruity jelly lollipops, my mother ensured we had a total stock of rice, oats, or beans.  

My mum believes that her pantry should always be ready for healthy meal preparation. She even made pasta from scratch instead of buying ready-made ones.  

The Internet has termed such households as ingredient households. But what exactly is an ingredient household? Let’s learn.  

So, in December 2022, a TikTok trend just started to emerge, and many users participated in sharing their opinions about the phenomenon called ingredient household.  

The ingredient household is a home that stocks various ingredients to prepare a meal instead of having ready-to-eat meals or snacks. The hashtag “ingredient household’ itself received a total of 44 million views. Moreover, a thousand users shared their stories on such households.  

The only funny part to me is that many of us have been living in such households for a long time, and finally, people on the Internet have found a trendy name for it.  

Ingredient Household Or Snack Household

One of many reasons why people still prefer to prepare their meals instead of buying a ready-made dish from Trader Joe’s is the price. The prepared meals, canned foods, and snacks are getting pricier daily.  

So, preparing meals or making your snacks is not only budget-friendly, but there are a lot of healthy options that you can consider.   

I still live with my family, and my sister and I are the biggest snackers in the house. I can still remember my sister making me a unique snack with seaweed, rice, paper crackers, smoked tofu, and other veggies (the seasoning was the best part!).  

It did not just satisfy my cravings, but it was also a healthy option for snacking.  

We always try to make the best out of that kitchen pantry snacks. I think this goes on in full circle, something that we took from our mother.  

The scenario wasn’t the same for all. I remember watching a video on TikTok where the user had difficulty relating the ingredients of household snacks or meals.   

Her parents barely took any time to cook for her. Thus, she had to rely on ready-to-eat meals such as ramen or frozen pizza for quite a long time.  

Snacking Household Exists.

Yes! They do exist as well. At some point, snack households can be considered luxurious living because people find enough to cook their meals or make their evening snacks. 

Suppose you are a full-time worker, and barely have time to cook for yourself. So, it is evident that you will start piling up some pre-processed food in your pantry.   

In Terms Of Healthy Food And Budget-friendliness- Which One Is The Best? 

 many TikTok users made fun of ingredient households or the choices that were available to them. But they are not bad at all. 

Ready-to-eat food is often made with high preservatives, which might not be suitable for your health. Having two or three teaspoonfuls of peanut butter is healthier than having a whole packet of crunchy Cheetos.  

Generally, it is cheaper to buy raw ingredients than pre-processed snacks and meals. You can just make a simple snack using whatever you have in your refrigerator.  

Don’t worry! I will provide a few budget-friendly recipes that you can have in ingredient household practices.  

So, Are You Living In A Budget-Friendly Ingredient Household?

After watching so many TikTok videos, you, too, have started thinking about whether you live in an ingredient household. Well, there are a few snacks or kitchen pantry ingredients that include:  

• Cheese  

• Olives  

• A spoonful of peanut butter 

• Pickles  

• Croutons  

• Rolled-up lunch meat  

• Microwaved nachos and melted cheese on top  

• Handful of almonds, etc.  

If you have every time you feel like snacking, then you are probably living in an ingredient household. No doubt!  

Or you could ask yourself whether you prefer making quiche from scratch instead of buying it from the store. If yes! Then you are living ingredient a household for the entire lifestyle. 

If you are an ingredient household, you cook every dish from scratch. This also means that you are capable of:  

• Living a budget-friendly lifestyle.  

• Take control of the ingredients you are using in your food 

• Participating in a shorter food chain  

• Cooking healthy meals satisfies your cravings as well.  

Now, if you are not an ingredient household and trying to adapt to the lifestyle, then in the next section, I will help you with some valuable tips.  

Things To Consider When Living In An Ingredient Household  

After reading so much about ingredient households, you may plan to adopt such a lifestyle. Well, if that’s the case, then you can consider the following:  

• Remove all kinds of highly processed foods.  

• Try to switch from pre-processed nuts and oils to organic ones.  

• Minimize munching on unhealthy snacks (this isn’t easy, but we can all try) 

• Prioritize more importance on making family meals to adopt such a lifestyle 

You should avoid snacking household or buying processed meals. In today’s world, when everyone is busy with their 9 to 7, it is impossible to invest so much time in making meals.  

But we just must find the right balance for it.  

Things You Can Eat As Ingredient Household Snack 

Living in an ingredient household, I am always making “something new” when snacking. On top of that, these are all budget-friendly. You can use whatever is available in your pantry.  

Many ideas include toast combos, yogurt with delicious toppings, cheese and crackers, and many more!  

Here, in the following, I will share some of my ideas that can satisfy your munchies and be healthy, too!

• Cinnamon banana toast: Just toast the bread and spread peanut butter on top. Then you can slice up some bananas and top the bread. You can also add honey, chia seeds, or chocolate syrup; that choice is yours!   

• Raspberry yogurt Jar: add some yogurt and chocolate chips in a jar and then mix it well. Once you are done mixing them, add your raspberry and give it a little mix again. Lastly, top it with some raspberries and whipped cream. (Trust me! It tastes magical)  

• Delicious turkey roll-ups: Start by slicing some cucumber into thin strips and cut four long strips of cheese. Now, take some deli turkeys and place them on your counter.  

Divide all your veggies, cucumber, cheese, and favorite foods into your turkey. From the edge, start rolling the turkey tightly.  

• Cheese and crackers: Sandwich the pieces of cheese in between the crackers and enjoy them with some berries on the side.  

• Fruit salad: This is the healthiest snack I have ever had. You can find whatever fruits are available in your refrigerator. You can use strawberries, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, and kiwi.  

Once you dice them into small pieces, place them in a bowl and give it a good mix. You can add some lime and honey to the dressing.  

I hope you enjoy it!  

Wrapping It Up!

People might have different opinions about ingredient household vs snack household. But we have been an ingredient household all along.  

There are perks in both styles. However, household ingredients can be a staple for your budget-friendly and healthy living.  

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