Sunny Anderson's Simple Trick For Making Budget Meals Feel Gourmet

Just because you're on a tight budget doesn't mean your meals can't be beautiful and delicious. Celebrity chef Sunny Anderson is here to encourage us to look for smart ways to bring a touch of elegance to our homemade recipes, regardless of the cost of the ingredients involved. As told to Business Insider, Anderson looks to boost meals with not only flavor but also texture. 

Anderson strategically uses ingredient add-ins like chopped nuts and fried onions to create layers of taste and texture in dishes. A quick sprinkle of nuts on top of rice or mixed into a homemade marinade can turn an average presentation into something that looks professional. French-fried onions can be used to elevate servings of mashed potatoes, main dishes, and salads. This easy plating principle can be used to boost quickly made meals, like adding garnishes to bowls of soup or sprinkling a handful of chopped garden herbs on top of a meal-prepped dish that has been re-heated.

If you're not a fan of nuts, other crunchy additions can add interest to recipes, like toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top of salads or crunchy pieces of potato chips tossed on top of bowls of chili or pasta. For crunchier, crispy platings, consider using creamy ingredients to elevate the dish, like topping fried pieces of chicken with a dollop of homemade compound butter or seasoned Greek yogurt.

For morning meals, chopped dried fruits or toasted coconut flakes can bring texture to servings of oatmeal and yogurt. When preparing your own soups and sauces, leave a few ingredients off to the side to add interest to the finished plating. A simple serving of homemade tomato soup can take on a new appeal when garnished with a few chopped pieces of onion or garlic cloves that have been cooked in oil. Instead of pureeing all of the vegetables, leave a broccoli floret to add as a garnish or a few slices of carrots to sprinkle on top of your plated meal before you start eating. This intentional effort won't poke a hole in your wallet but will certainly add to the overall dining experience.