A fat kitchen, a lean will.

Lavish spending on food and household pleasures can consume resources that might otherwise remain in an estate. The contrast warns that indulgent living may leave little to pass on after death.

Here “will” refers chiefly to a legal testament, not to determination or self-control. The saying frames domestic extravagance as financially self-defeating and may carry moral criticism of another person’s household habits or spending.

Use it as a concise warning about excessive household consumption when savings, debts, or an inheritance are at stake. It suits discussion of thrift and estate planning, but can sound judgmental, especially if directed at someone’s personal spending or domestic habits.