The John Muir Trail section last year taught me the same lesson... I carried an extra liter through Evolution Valley because the map showed a creek dried up that the paper guide still listed as reliable. That call saved me from a rough afternoon of dehydration, but honestly the bigger thing was using those reports to plan my water carries around camp instead of just lunch stops. I still keep the paper guide as backup, but I'm checking the online map every other day when I'm near town now.

That "curry I didn't even need" part got me because I've done the exact same thing. One time I blew $50 on ingredients for a big pot of chili and it fed me for like five days. The trick is to make sure whatever you're cooking freezes well, so you can stretch it out over the week when you don't feel like cooking. Also, spice blends are cheap and make the same leftover feel totally different each night. Sounds like you accidentally found a solid hack there, honestly.