Ree Drummond hopes new show will help ease the ‘everyday grind’ of at-home cooking

We’re all sticking to our budgets a little more closely these days with inflation hiking grocery prices to eye-widening levels.

So the timing couldn’t be better for a show about how to cook on a budget. That’s exactly the premise of “Big Bad Budget Battle,” a six-episode cooking competition hosted by Food Network star Ree Drummond, known as “The Pioneer Woman,” where home cooks turn affordable ingredients into interesting meals.

“I think it’s something that people can watch and come away with — not just great shopping tips that are more budget friendly — but also just inspiration about being resourceful in the kitchen and using leftovers,” Drummond says.

The new show, which premiered on Food Network Aug. 9 and streams on Discovery+, follows three at-home cooks tasked with making meals from a “small stash of cash” in Flavortown Market (the show is executive produced by Guy Fieri), according to a release from Discovery.

A panel of judges including Eddie Jackson, Beau MacMillan, Justin Warner, Catherine McCord, Darnell Ferguson and Damaris Phillips, along with Drummond, will determine the victor. The “best cook and thriftiest shopper” will walk away with a trophy and a year’s worth of groceries.

Drummond says she thinks the competition could continue on to additional seasons because of the way the show can provide insight and inspiration to home cooking.

“I feel like there’s a never ending need for inspiration when it comes to everyday cooking,” she says. “Entertaining is great holiday cooking is great, but it’s really the everyday grind that home cooks struggle with.”

Drummond says the creativity shown by contestants blew her away.

“You know, sometimes when you throw on sweats and go shopping at nice clothing stores, you think ‘Oh my gosh, I I feel so frumpy,’” she says. “I sort of felt that way as a cook. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to step up my game.’”

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