Grist to the mill

[JPablo]

What would be the best translation for this expression into Spanish?

[Glen]

I have heard it said as "Grist for the mill," as in Leña para el fuego or Agua para el molino, but your example "to the mill" may have a different meaning entirely, which I don't know.

[wrholt]

I'm with Glen: the usual expression is "grist for the mill".

Originally "grist" referred to grain that would be ground into flour in a mill. The expression is intended to identify something as a basic or raw material that will be (or can be) thoroughly worked over in order to produce a something else that might be useful.

[Profesoradeespañol]

Hello,
I don't know the expression for "Grist to the mill", but I know that it means "todo es útil"
For example:
He is a grist to the mill in this work. Es muy útil en este trabajo.

[Perikles]

Hello,
I don't know the expression for "Grist to the mill", but I know that it means "todo es útil"
For example:
He is a:bad: grist to the mill in this work. Es muy útil en este trabajo.Grist is uncountable: he is grist to the mill. :)

[Profesoradeespañol]

Thanks Perikles :)))

[JPablo]

Well, thank you all... after all it "all grist to the mill", 'todo ayuda, todo es útil", as I found in the Oxford dictionary (which I couldn't check when I asked my original question...)

I found a good explanation at this link (the phrase finder) http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/grist-to-the-mill.html

I thought of "llevar el agua a su molino" "acercar el ascua a su sardina".
But probably in some context one could even say "lo que no mata, engorda"...

Further ideas for the Spanish would be appreciated.

[Glen]

How about Todo tiene su uso, y está donde Dios lo puso?

[JPablo]

Me gusta "Todo tiene su uso"...
Aunque lo de "Está donde Dios lo puso" también funcionará en algunos contexto...
¡Gracias, Glen!