High Value Cooking

The system

High-Value Meal =

  1. Flavor (more is better)
  2. Fuel (more is better)
  3. Cost (less is better)
  4. Time (less is better)
  5. Effort (less is better)
A finished High Value dish on the table

The process

How High-Value Cooking Works

  1. 01

    I cook and test the meal.

  2. 02

    I score it across what actually matters.

  3. 03

    I show you the results.

  4. 04

    You decide if it's worth cooking.

The Fuel Score

Real food in. Real fuel out.

Every dish gets a Fuel Score from 0 to 100: half for how close its ingredients are to whole food, half for what it actually gives you. How you cook it can nudge the score a little either way.

50%

Source

How close each ingredient is to whole food, weighted by how much of it is in the dish. Fresh food scores highest, everyday staples stay safe, and anything you make from scratch gets credit.

50%

Density

What the dish gives you per serving: protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, plant variety, omega-3s and anything fermented. Lots of added sugar takes points off.

±8

Craft

How you cook it. Grilling, searing, roasting and pan-frying are neutral. Small bonuses for things like marinades, gentle cooking and raw veg; small dings for heavy char or reused fryer oil.

Fuel Score = 50% Source + 50% Density + Craft

  1. 93–100Obsidian
  2. 85–92Platinum
  3. 77–84Gold
  4. 68–76Green
  5. 58–67Yellow
  6. 45–57Orange
  7. 0–44Red

The full guide

Score your own kitchen.

Get the complete HVC scoring guide as a PDF, free.