Single Cooking

[sophiz]

i just recently moved into my own home, and to be honest, i don't cook much. sometimes i just eat frozen meals, totino pizzas, and things like that. there are some things that i can cook that make a single meal or two. a little while ago, i had gotten a gift certificate for a free turkey. so, i bought one, cut it up in parts, and froze them individually. most nights, though, i just don't feel like cooking. i prefer something that i can just stick in the microwave or oven.

same here. :/ student life.. i don't even know how to cook :(

[potatosmasher]

Bachelor cooking is the best! You can always eat whatever you want :)

Agreed that most food is very costly when bought in small amounts. Some strategies i find helpful:

-Look at the fridge and try to figure out what you need to buy in order to get a complete dish of something. You end up in getting a rolling producion. For instance, eggs are needed for baking, but they go bad sooner than most ingredients. They are, on the other hand, good for omelettes, but you might want to add some ham and cheese to it, which go well in pizza... and so on... Discovering these 'food chains' can be very creative and fun! :D

- Bread is IMO tricky, it goes bad so fast and they sell it in huge packages. If you can't live without it, freezer might come handy or you could bake your own bread.

- Fresh markets, where price/quantity is fixed

- Dumpster diving. :D Most of the time you get plenty of food to share with your neighbours as well.

One thing i've fancied for some time is getting some of those edible insects that feed on left overs, such as bread or vegetables. Would be cool to have an ant colony eat the stuff i don't want and then eat them in return. :D I am not an expert on this topic but sounds tempting to me.

I also eat out often, but i kinda enjoy cooking as well.

[Tanwen]

In the UK, they sell 'half' loaves (Hovis, I think) full sized slices but half the number. We don't use much bread so I do as potatosmasher suggests. I'll split the loaf when I get home and put it in the freezer...even if I forget to take it out in time, sandwiches aren't a problem. Make them up with frozen bread and by the time they want to eat them, it's defrosted.

[Ziffler]

In the UK, they sell 'half' loaves (Hovis, I think) full sized slices but half the number. We don't use much bread so I do as potatosmasher suggests. I'll split the loaf when I get home and put it in the freezer...even if I forget to take it out in time, sandwiches aren't a problem. Make them up with frozen bread and by the time they want to eat them, it's defrosted.

I freeze the whole loaf of bread and when I need a slice of bread I break off a slice, stick it in the toaster and instantly its thawed out. I do not eat much bread anymore so a loaf lasts me for months. LOL.

[NevadaWolf]

Only a month dead, i'll resurrect this.

I usually wake up to late for breakfast, so that ends up being a smoothie bought at work.

Lunches are typically the single serve ready made salads and a single rice serving with the bottled tea.

Dinner depending on the day will be non existent, a quick fast food dinner, a single piece of meat (steak, chicken breast, pork chop, fish fillet), frozen dinner, or cereal.

Shopping I actually found a great set of guidelines:

1) if it don't rot, don't buy it

2) if it has more than five ingrediants and you can't pronounce them, don't buy it.

3) shop only on the perimeter of the store.

I pick up my salads and one bag of fruit, then a selection of meat to toss in the freezer (putting them in ziplocs once frozen to avoid raw meat), juice and soy milk, and then some bagels.

Done!

Yeah my cooking skillz are lame. :D

[LaughingWolf]

Only a month dead, i'll resurrect this.

I usually wake up to late for breakfast, so that ends up being a smoothie bought at work.

Lunches are typically the single serve ready made salads and a single rice serving with the bottled tea.

Dinner depending on the day will be non existent, a quick fast food dinner, a single piece of meat (steak, chicken breast, pork chop, fish fillet), frozen dinner, or cereal.

Shopping I actually found a great set of guidelines:

1) if it don't rot, don't buy it

2) if it has more than five ingrediants and you can't pronounce them, don't buy it.

3) shop only on the perimeter of the store.

I pick up my salads and one bag of fruit, then a selection of meat to toss in the freezer (putting them in ziplocs once frozen to avoid raw meat), juice and soy milk, and then some bagels.

Done!

Yeah my cooking skillz are lame. :D

I like and wholly agree with your three guidelines lol. I especially like the "if it don't rot, don't buy it" haha

[phoenixvillian]

I wish I could help you here. If I had a TV show on The Food Network it would be called "Microwaving with the Bachelor".

[TaDa]

I'm curious how other adults that live ALONE manage their cooking and buying of food. Please do not reply if you do not live ALONE or have never lived ALONE for any signicant amount of time.

My previous strategy was to cook a marathon pot of something and eat that almost exclusively for 3-5 days until it was gone. There are a number of boring reasons why I did that, but it's just not healthy to eat the same thing every day, especially if you make the same thing several times in a row (yes, I can easily go a month or more eating the same damn thing at almost every meal).

I'm just not sure how people do variety. Things like buying 1 pound of meat to cook with is A LOT for a single person. I mean, even for very, very meaty spaghetti, that's still about 10 meals worth! Buying at the counter so you buy less can be more expensive per pound, because you don't catch the specials. A loaf of bread is hard to eat before it turns bad. It's possible to buy a half gallon of milk, though it's more costly per ounce, but you understand where I'm going with all this?

Also, I'm not fond of freezing things. I tend to forget about them and/or I think they look or smell "funny" when they thaw, get weirded out, and toss them away. The last time I tried to freeze portions of what I cooked (and only two or three different options), my freezer was more full than the fridge and I ended up getting very weirded out and so confused by all of it that I ended up throwing it all out one afternoon (and feeling really guilty about how much food I wasted). :(

Surely there has to be a better way? I'm looking for tips and tricks so I don't end up wasting all that food again. I really can't afford it.

My thing is that we make time for the things that are important for us. I usually take some time to fix my self something good. But that happens now primarily on the weekends. I think I am one of the few people who dont mind eating the same thing day in and day out, which I do for the better part of Monday-Thursday.

[Damaris]

For breakfast I usually go with cereal, bagel and cream cheese, or something similarly quick and simple. Lunch is usually just heavy snacking - fruit, cheese, crackers, maybe a quick turkey sandwich or something. So the only meal I really cook is dinner, and I tend to cook mini-marathons - meals that I can eat heartily from at least twice but which can also sit in the fridge a week so I don't have to eat the same thing every day. I use a lot of rice and frozen veggies plus long shelf-life veggies like potatoes and onions, which can sit around unused for a month without any trouble. For protein I often go with beans (dried or canned) or eggs. When I get the urge for something meatier, I tend to buy ground pork or turkey and cook the whole pack, then freeze about half (I know you said you don't like freezing, but it has its place). The other half, once cooked, has a great fridge shelf-life and can be used in almost anything. I also keep a stock of ready-made stuff, like potato salad and cottage cheese, which can extend meals or help fill out a snacking meal. Sometimes on weekends I get all inspired and bake some bread or brownies or something ... but not usually. ^_^

[liljedi35]

I can't talk too much. I pretty much live on easy mac, Hot Pockets, turkey sandwiches, and the occasional tv dinner. and cheez-its. If I had more than a small fridge and a microwave I'd probably do a lot of portion-sizing recipes to one or two servings.

[Running_on_coffee]

I moved out with my little sister a little over 5 months ago. Since I have the most experience, I get to do pretty much all the cooking. Her boyfriend eats with us every night as well, but can't cook ANYTHING. So I do all the shopping and cooking just so dinner is edible. To be fair, I like this arrangement. They clean, I cook. I'd rather cook.

Easy stuff on our college budgets include: Soups (Taco Soup is a big hit), Chili (white and traditional), eggs, eggs, and more eggs, and pasta in every flavour imaginable. Alfredo, marinara, vinegrette.., don't forget those potatoes either, baked, roasted, skins, all of it is cheap and easy! Buying bags of dried beans and planning ahead so you soak them yourself is also cheaper than buying canned beans.

Great place to go for recipes is cooks.com or allrecipes.com. I live on these sites. They have tons of recipes and many variations on the same recipes so you can look for one that really appeals to you.

Taco soup: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1648,134185-255193,00.html Remember, buy dried beans, and be prepared to freeze your leftovers! There will be plenty! Probably going to need a large crock pot for this....

Chili! http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1712,132189-251192,00.html Don't forget that soup/chili recipes can be very forgiving of experimentation. Don't like cumin? Don't add it. Prefer a certain type of hot sauce instead of tabasco? Substitute. Jalapenos too spicy? Leave'em out!

Pancakes: http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1741,147184-244203,00.html

Don't be afraid to experiment in the kitchen and enjoy! :D

[Lavendar_Lattes_Laughter]

Well Cooking is a pasion of mine, its even meditation and relaxing to me. I always make my meals from scratch. In my begining time yeah it was eating same portion or menu item for 3-5 days. But being single pretty much all my life and Alone. Well youhave o place your interests, passion, crearive side and think multi-meals. I read some mentioning they just eat cereal or TV dinners? It's bad to be alone especially that being alone today its embarrssing to even go out to eat if you choose that. First off to start be sure to have plenty of seasonings, marinades, varied sauces and combo create you meals. it keeps variety and spice of life and well like me you may impress or find fun in the challenge of your creativity. Being alone and yes costs creares well i may be eaing chicken all week or pork or beef, or vegetarin meals. As I buy large family pack of the meets.

On a week end or non busy day i make variuos varieties of sauces, broths marinades what ever with my meal planning of what i am buying and wanting to eat. Example I have family pack of chicken breats. well I will take half and cut up in small pieces. season the pieces in portions to the meal i planned. the rest I bread up bake or fry. and seasoning or basted in marinade or bbq sause a few breasts as well. then for my varieties i can make even more than a weeks worth and place in glass storage containers with freezer bags as well and label them. on breaded breast well chicken fried or baked, chicken parmesean, chicken romano which is same as chicken parm just a slice of ham on top then cheese. the cut up portions I would make chicken fettucinne, or a chicken pasta or with rice and various seasonings. now each meal is different not the same and yes i am doing a good time in the kitchen for one day. But over time it gets faster and easier and your explore more. to create more varieties its like a challenge then and i find it fun.

See being alone still I have a 27 cubit ft refrigerator/freezer and plenty of space for long marinading, containers for broths, sauces, gravys, etc. You'll find many recipes that longer after made it sets in fridge flavor and taste is dramatically better! Plus be creative with your meats and fish and shellfish. pasta is always well alot even when you have seporate containers to store but you can still place variety of sauces and added veggies or other portions to them. Eventually you can enjoy all your great meals crearing ahead that lunch becomes even better even if it is sandwiches. sliders, soups or stews. the possiilities are endless.

Of all the comments and original poster i read the negative sides of one being alone, the leftovers, and well constantly earing same thing? Why? or why just buy TV dinners or just cereals? its bad enough to be alone, asexual and never knowing will you find a person to complete you and you complet them. Why ad the negative of repetitive or same meals all week? What are you doing with your down times? Why suffer your taste buds and eat in the fashion you been doing? make funtime, test kitchen time plann out your wishfulmeals you can make while same one pasta or rice, or type of meat? Im sure you have plenty of room in the fridge constantly. explore read cookbooks be experimental. its fun and well if your alone and mess up who will critisize you? only you! So use your kitchen, gather spices, seasonings, cookbooks good storage containers. Soon you may find friends who well may want to join for dinner or ask you can you share or tell me how to mke that?

I'm 44 well Dec 3rd I will be. alone single, and well when alone I do not sit in front of boob tube, or play video games. I make sure my taste buds and variety of pice of life is enjoying myself and hing fun doing ir. I never throw out leftovers anymore as there is none. I do not eat same thing twice in a week. and well placing ll my regular sauces and marinades and seasonings It takes me three to 4 hours to make not one but two weeks of meals including lunches. then reheat or microwave or oven reheat my meals.

Due to sauces and stews and such glass containers is my sorage containers yes a bit pricey but no stains and last forever! Large jars for my white and red sauces. and tones of extra virgin olive oil socked to healp no hardening on reheats and frying or to add to stew. as well the cooking wines, some good brandy, vodka for vodka sauce. And There is hardly any spices or seasoning I have not got. Alot are fresh as I have in little hanging pot or in the kitchen window. Being alone I do not go out that often and going out to eat is boring and embarassing when others have crowds with them but I will tell you what I fix now at home is 1,000 times better than the top restaurants in my state.

Thats my statement I'm alone but dang it I will enjoy every meal i eat, and well not suffer my palette over being single and all alone!

[knine]

Even being alone, I cook/bake. I'll buy large packs of meat and freeze them in portions.

Somethings will keep for several days without refrigeration, others will keep in regridgerator and the rest in the freezer. I've found the slow cooker (US: hot crock?) to be extremely helpful for a quick hot meal on workdays. Throw everything in it in the morning, go to work and come home to a hot meal 8 hours later. The left overs can then be refridgerated and used as they are, or other ingredients added for yet another meal. They even make great fillings for chapatti style flatbreads or for calzones. I make my own bread and can vary the taste with what ingredients I add (fruit, nuts, seeds, spices, etc).

Being sensitive to dairy (sinus issues) I find cooking/baking for myself better and more tasteful than ready cooked meals. I've never had an issue cooking/baking for one. Just plan ahead and have some food available in the freezer for those days when you're under the weather and don't feel up to making anything.

Cooking/baking and being alone also has the added benefit of not having to worry if someone else likes what you're making 8)

Breakfast is usually oats with added millet flakes and flaxseed, takes about 3 minutes in total to put together and nuke in the microwave. As I start work at 7am it's ideal for me.

Don't be afraid to experiment (as others have said) and enjoy

[noysoffer]

Single cooking is the best!

I eat oatmeal with soy milk for breakfast, and make a salad with the cheapest vegetables (cabbage and carrots, and occasionally something else) and lentils for lunch. Dinner I don't eat, though I will sometimes drink a gin tonic after a very long day. I save money on food so that I can buy more coffee for my espresso machine.

Here's my refrigerator:

1. Coffee

2. Mustard

3. Balsamic Vinegar

4. Red Wine Vinegar

5. Lemons

6. Cabbage

7. Carrots

8. Lettuce

9. Tomatoes

10. Radish

11. Tonic

12. Gin

13. Soy milk

14. Oats

15. Flax seeds

16. Dry lentils

Wow! I eat a lot of food!

I've lost lots of weight like this. It's lovely.

[Opel the Old]

Cooking for one is hard, but I manage.

I advocate in cooking everything fresh everyday; but then occassionally, I just cook a big pot for a whole week.

Cous cous and Bulgar wheat are the best "invention" ever!

- Spiced cous cous (cous cous + whatever spices you like + water = done), then throw some grill meat on top

- Mushroom and/or bacon Bulgar wheat (fry the bacon and mushroom up + bulgar wheat + water = done)

[M.A.O.]

I'm kind of hesitant to post here, since I willfully spend most of my spare cash on food and making sure I eat well (I don't smoke, drink alcohol, drink coffee, or date, so I do believe I end up with more than others would!), but I will make one recommendation that should be wallet friendly:

Lentils and Eggs!

It's not something everyone might think of right away, and might sound odd at first, but trust me. They're a good pair. They'll fill you up and provide plenty of protein to boot. You can balance them by about 1/4 cup lentils to one egg, with 1/2 cup lentils and two eggs being okay for a meal, particularly if you include veggies.

Cook them with garlic, ginger, and garam masala! Cook them with saffron and paprika! Use onions, carrots, roasted peppers, and/or tomatoes to go with them! Puree the lentils and stuff them in an omelette, or keep the lentils whole and fry the eggs to lay over them! Add bacon and make it breakfasty!

When I run out of ideas or just don't want to work too hard, lentils and eggs always make a good fall back plan, and it's pretty easy to control how much portion you produce at once (not to mention that dry lentils can be obtained and kept in bulk pretty easily).

[Leit Að Lífi]

Save margarine tubs/yoghurt pots/any sort of plastic packaging that can nicely store one portion.

Make LOADS of meals at once and freeze them. I use smaller cream cheese pots for portions of bolognaise, chilli, curry, etc. and larger yoghurt pots for portions of soup. This is handy for when I am expecting a huge influx of work and won't have time to cook!

Plus it's better for the environment if you're using what you have as opposed to buying new tupperware :)