Then you can plan your meals around what you bought. First, buy items on sale and in season, and then start researching what you can cook. Buying items that look appealing and that are in season will make your cooking so much more joyful and appetizing.
What I like to do is take a few hours on the weekend (or whatever works for you) and create the building blocks of a few meals. I don’t need to decide in advance what dishes I will be making- I just prepare ingredients that I may need to use.
There is always something to eat in the fridge! You always have part of a meal started, so all you need is a side or topping to make it into a full meal. You are also much less tempted to buy take-out when most of the work is already done.
You can buy and even splurge fun and yummy foods that will make your dishes delicious. Chances are, you will STILL save money, and you will probably end up being healthier as well.