Even home cooks who do their best to prevent food waste often throw out chicken bones, whether they come from a whole roast chicken or a pile of wings. It turns out that you can kill two birds with one stone and create an awesome chicken stock out of the bones from your last meal.

Store-bought chicken stock can't compare to the homemade stuff, and all you need to do is dump bones, vegetables, and water in a pot and let them simmer away. You need the rich collagen found in bones to make the best stock, so put your leftovers to use, especially bones with lots of joints and connective tissue.

Bon Appétit cautions that bones alone do not carry much flavor, so it is essential to use bones with meat and cartilage still attached. Better yet, use a whole chicken carcass from a roast chicken for the most flavor and texture in your thrifty stock.