Meals for One
- Thread starter earnie
- Start date
I hope you might have a freezer--even a small one. You could
cook meals for two and freeze one. Hearty soups, stew.
make a "batch" and freeze for another meal.
How about making spaghetti sauce or chili. Freeze in plastic bag.
Twice baked potatoes with chopped ham or sausage and broccoli added.
Chicken breasts make quick meals--sauté some onion, then brown the breast, remove, add some mushrooms and sauté, return the breast and add a little broth and simmer.
For summer, there is a recipe on this site for Acropolis salad--a make ahead, put in the fridge Greek salad. You could add a grilled chicken or salmon piece to that--or even tuna.
And really, there are some excellent frozen meals in the supermarket case now.
cook meals for two and freeze one. Hearty soups, stew.
make a "batch" and freeze for another meal.
How about making spaghetti sauce or chili. Freeze in plastic bag.
Twice baked potatoes with chopped ham or sausage and broccoli added.
Chicken breasts make quick meals--sauté some onion, then brown the breast, remove, add some mushrooms and sauté, return the breast and add a little broth and simmer.
For summer, there is a recipe on this site for Acropolis salad--a make ahead, put in the fridge Greek salad. You could add a grilled chicken or salmon piece to that--or even tuna.
And really, there are some excellent frozen meals in the supermarket case now.
It is really easy cooking for one...the trick is to find a local meat cutting shop
from which you can buy just the amount you need such as, one pork chop, one chicken breast, one small steak. But really, if you are cooking for one, you may as well cook two and have it the next night or freeze for another meal. Potatoes and rice are great, because again, you can make just enough for you. Add a lot of fresh veggies and fruits to your rotation and summer is the perfect time to start practicing. Salads that include protein rich beans are good too and you can buy small cans of beans such as kidney, garbanzo, etc, for your salads or bean dishes. One chicken breast , or thigh mixed with kidney beans, lettuce, avocado and fresh tomatoes, and salsa makes great tacos, or burritos.
You can pretty much eat what you want since you are not worrying about another person....eat what you feel like eating, breakfast for dinner, dinner for breakfast! Keep lunches simple....fresh peaches over cottage cheese, or a great fruit salad. A plate of cheese and crackers with assorted fruit, that type of thing. Keep it simple to start with and as your progress, you will get more creative.
Pasta is really easy for one, also. Rao's Marinara sauce is an excellent prepared red sauce to use on pasta, chicken, and veggies. I add it to scrambled eggs for a really special dish and put it over a good slice of crusty bread that is toasted and buttered. A sprinkle of parmesan and it makes a great dish. You can add it to browned chicken and onions and cook slowly, put over noodles, or other pastas for a quick dish.
Do you have a good Farmer's Market where you live? Many have prepared frozen food made in their own homes. We have an Italian guy who brings his home made sausages which have no chemicals, just real food and they are to die for. He also has prepared (for two) lasagna, chicken alfredo, meatballs and spaghetti that are excellent. I keep a few in my freezer for lazy days when I don't want to cook. Check out Trader Joe's if you have one, they have some excellent products too, but you have to experiment to find them. Their eggplant parmesan in the prepared foods section is excellent. Their frozen beef tamales are decent, with a favorite hot sauce. I understand their fried rice options are good.
from which you can buy just the amount you need such as, one pork chop, one chicken breast, one small steak. But really, if you are cooking for one, you may as well cook two and have it the next night or freeze for another meal. Potatoes and rice are great, because again, you can make just enough for you. Add a lot of fresh veggies and fruits to your rotation and summer is the perfect time to start practicing. Salads that include protein rich beans are good too and you can buy small cans of beans such as kidney, garbanzo, etc, for your salads or bean dishes. One chicken breast , or thigh mixed with kidney beans, lettuce, avocado and fresh tomatoes, and salsa makes great tacos, or burritos.
You can pretty much eat what you want since you are not worrying about another person....eat what you feel like eating, breakfast for dinner, dinner for breakfast! Keep lunches simple....fresh peaches over cottage cheese, or a great fruit salad. A plate of cheese and crackers with assorted fruit, that type of thing. Keep it simple to start with and as your progress, you will get more creative.
Pasta is really easy for one, also. Rao's Marinara sauce is an excellent prepared red sauce to use on pasta, chicken, and veggies. I add it to scrambled eggs for a really special dish and put it over a good slice of crusty bread that is toasted and buttered. A sprinkle of parmesan and it makes a great dish. You can add it to browned chicken and onions and cook slowly, put over noodles, or other pastas for a quick dish.
Do you have a good Farmer's Market where you live? Many have prepared frozen food made in their own homes. We have an Italian guy who brings his home made sausages which have no chemicals, just real food and they are to die for. He also has prepared (for two) lasagna, chicken alfredo, meatballs and spaghetti that are excellent. I keep a few in my freezer for lazy days when I don't want to cook. Check out Trader Joe's if you have one, they have some excellent products too, but you have to experiment to find them. Their eggplant parmesan in the prepared foods section is excellent. Their frozen beef tamales are decent, with a favorite hot sauce. I understand their fried rice options are good.
earnie
Well-known member
Charlie and Karen, thanks for
all the wonderful ideas and getting my brain in gear. Yes, I have a freezer and just need to invest in a few more freezable containers, make a few meal plans and set aside a few times to cook and package. I tend to get bored easily so need a variety of dishes in the freezer so that I don’t have to have the same thing twice in the same week. I enjoy cooking so just need to plan ahead. My farmer’s market is a order ahead of time, on-line, and usually in quantities that are too large for one. I will put in a request to them to offer smaller options and ask my local butcher to give me single portions. Thanks for all the good suggestions.
all the wonderful ideas and getting my brain in gear. Yes, I have a freezer and just need to invest in a few more freezable containers, make a few meal plans and set aside a few times to cook and package. I tend to get bored easily so need a variety of dishes in the freezer so that I don’t have to have the same thing twice in the same week. I enjoy cooking so just need to plan ahead. My farmer’s market is a order ahead of time, on-line, and usually in quantities that are too large for one. I will put in a request to them to offer smaller options and ask my local butcher to give me single portions. Thanks for all the good suggestions.
luisa_calif
Well-known member
Is it possible to share with others on the bulk purchases?
Earnie, my experience with CSA boxes, which I tried for one winter, is that they offer a small
and a large box. If your source can do that, that would be a great way to have your stock of healthy foods for the week (or maybe you can order every two weeks, as that produce keeps well) then, what you cannot use up can go into soups or simple casseroles and frozen. Hey, and don't forget that you are feeding just one, so a few stops at a healthy food bar during the week, are a real treat!
and a large box. If your source can do that, that would be a great way to have your stock of healthy foods for the week (or maybe you can order every two weeks, as that produce keeps well) then, what you cannot use up can go into soups or simple casseroles and frozen. Hey, and don't forget that you are feeding just one, so a few stops at a healthy food bar during the week, are a real treat!
I also suggest the freezer - my mom makes batches of baked pastas, chicken casseroles,
etc and freezes in individual portions. That way you still get to cook and have the flavors of your favorites, but in a single serving size.
She also makes crockpot meals and freezes them - a Food Saver is really great for these tasks, it keeps the food fresh and protects from freezer burn.
It's also nice to be able to just pull out and heat without all the prep work each day.
etc and freezes in individual portions. That way you still get to cook and have the flavors of your favorites, but in a single serving size.
She also makes crockpot meals and freezes them - a Food Saver is really great for these tasks, it keeps the food fresh and protects from freezer burn.
It's also nice to be able to just pull out and heat without all the prep work each day.
heather_in_sf
Well-known member
I cook for one all the time - for moi!
I totally hear you about getting tired of leftovers. I tend to cook quantities for four people and then divided into four portions and put two in the freezer and have one for myself for dinner that night and one for another dinner or lunch the next day. The only time I get in trouble with cooking too much is when I make soup, for some reason my soup pot gets filled the top and then I have soup for days and I'm sick of it by day four. Costco has blister packs of Foster Farms chicken thighs packed in about two per pack. I like those. My fridge is pretty small, so I have been trying to make lunches to bring to work because that way I know the food is good for me and taste better than what I can buy. I tend to go overboard when shopping, so I find it really helps to make up a little meal plan and then figure out how much leftovers I am going to have. I don't like the term leftovers by the way, I like to call it precooking!
I often follow what is in this book, Suppers and Midnight Snacks. I know I've talked a lot about this book in the past but I really do love reading it and I love the old-fashioned recipes, and I love his whole section about cooking for one person. I hope you can pick up a used copy somewhere because I think he will find it delightful. Happy precooking Earnie!!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006C00MK?pc_redir=1400076025&robot_redir=1
I totally hear you about getting tired of leftovers. I tend to cook quantities for four people and then divided into four portions and put two in the freezer and have one for myself for dinner that night and one for another dinner or lunch the next day. The only time I get in trouble with cooking too much is when I make soup, for some reason my soup pot gets filled the top and then I have soup for days and I'm sick of it by day four. Costco has blister packs of Foster Farms chicken thighs packed in about two per pack. I like those. My fridge is pretty small, so I have been trying to make lunches to bring to work because that way I know the food is good for me and taste better than what I can buy. I tend to go overboard when shopping, so I find it really helps to make up a little meal plan and then figure out how much leftovers I am going to have. I don't like the term leftovers by the way, I like to call it precooking!
I often follow what is in this book, Suppers and Midnight Snacks. I know I've talked a lot about this book in the past but I really do love reading it and I love the old-fashioned recipes, and I love his whole section about cooking for one person. I hope you can pick up a used copy somewhere because I think he will find it delightful. Happy precooking Earnie!!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006C00MK?pc_redir=1400076025&robot_redir=1
My friend is a former caterer and her freezer looks something like this.
She had soups (minus the grain or pasta) in individual containers, a portion of stuffed chiles, etc. The chiles she made two per container and for a larger party, she pulled out another package. Great idea.
She also swears by her vacuum saver.
http://www.dinneralovestory.com/ode-to-an-italian-market/
She had soups (minus the grain or pasta) in individual containers, a portion of stuffed chiles, etc. The chiles she made two per container and for a larger party, she pulled out another package. Great idea.
She also swears by her vacuum saver.
http://www.dinneralovestory.com/ode-to-an-italian-market/
Also, check out Judith Jones book, "The Pleasures of Cooking for One." If you're not
familiar with Judith Jones, she was the editor on Mastering the Art of French Cooking and several other well known books. After her husband died, she figured out strategies for scaling down recipes, etc. I like her emphasis on the "pleasure" aspect & eating well on your own.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120578096
familiar with Judith Jones, she was the editor on Mastering the Art of French Cooking and several other well known books. After her husband died, she figured out strategies for scaling down recipes, etc. I like her emphasis on the "pleasure" aspect & eating well on your own.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120578096
I have this old Sunset Cooking for Two cookbook with much loved recipes.
http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Cooking-Two-Just-You/dp/0376023317/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400784340&sr=1-3&keywords=sunset+cooking+for+two
http://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Cooking-Two-Just-You/dp/0376023317/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400784340&sr=1-3&keywords=sunset+cooking+for+two