I save scraps and I stock up. I really enjoyed reading each of these posts. I don't buy food or fabric for specific meals or quilts. Rather the meals and quilts are determined by what I have on hand.
I garden (in my front yard, too) and forage and whatever we don't eat fresh gets preserved. Last year I went through my deep freeze to make room for turkeys and canned the contents. Chicken breasts are now ready in broth to be turned into whatever I am in the mood for. Beef roasts got turned into quarts and quarts of stew and chili. There's always lots of jam, jelly, fruit salad, dried fruits on the shelves and plenty of wine which I also make.
I shop for fabric at estate sales and have more tubs of fabric and thread than I know what to do with. But I will use them. I'm determined! I have an entire tub filled with bias cut strips that I got at an estate sale and am now working on a brilliant batik strip quilt. Not at all sure what it will turn out to be, but I'm thinking curves. I buy fabric at Joann, but never ever ever pay retail. NEVER! I also shop at Walmart. Last night I picked up lots of different old fashioned rose prints that will be turned into something wonderful. One batch in rose color and the other batch in purple and lavender. Quilted bags?
Some of my best meals come from fun combinations of food scraps and some of my best quilts come from combinations of fabric scraps.