Cooking for one is a drag, any advice?

Question

I live alone.... and I'm trying to live economically. I Hate cooking for for myself though. Can anyone give me any advice/ ideas/ pointers on cooking for one?

Answer 1

if you eat meat, buy the family size portions,(say chicken breasts) place each one in its own ziplock baggie and freeze, that way you dont have to thaw all of them just for one or two, just take out one or two baggies and thaw. same way with any other meat......no leftovers.

something i like to make for myself:
boil spaghetti noodles
when done, add a little butter or olive oil
add parmasean or ramono chz
a little basil, oregeno, or italian seasoning
add slivered flavored almonds ( found at krogers)
ENJOY!!!

a good salad:
fresh spinach leaves
chopped carrots
grilled chicken, chunked
almond slivers
sliced strawberries( i know, sounds gross, but absolutely delicious on this salad)
add spinach dressing, or my fav, italian dressing.

Answer 2

Not very expensive, and you can freeze some for later eating.

This is a recipe that I worked on for years, to size it down and make it fit for family consumption. Prepared the originial recipe for fishing and hunting trips. Never had anybody not come back for seconds, even kids.




David's Chili Con Carne Y Frijolies (half recipe)

1 Cups Small Red Beans (Washed and Picked Over)

1 Lbs. Lean Ground Beef (1 1/2 Lbs. If Pork Is Omitted)

1/2 Lbs. Lean Ground Pork

1/2 Whole Green Bell Pepper

1/8 Cup Peeled Garlic (Coarsely Chopped and Slightly Crushed)

1 Large Peeled White or Cooking Onions (Coarsely Chopped)

4 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder

1 Tbls. Ground Oregano (Increase By 1/2 tsp. If Whole Crushed Seeds Are Used.)

1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin (Increase By 1/2 tsp. If Whole Crushed Seeds Are Used.)

1 1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander (Increase By 1/2 tsp. If Whole Crushed Seeds Are Used.)

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1/2 tsp. Ground Rosemary (Increase By 1/4 tsp. If Whole Crushed Leaf Is Used.)

1/2 tsp. Ground Sweet Basil (Increase By 1/4 tsp. If Whole Crushed Leaf Is Used)

1/2 /tsp. Ground Chia Seed (Increase By 1/4 tsp. If Whole Crushed Seeds Are Used.)

(Note) Sage May Be Substituted For Chia Seed.

1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp. Ground Bay Leaf (Increase To 1/2 tsp. If Whole Crushed Leaf Is Used.)

1/8-1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Salt To Taste (1/2 tsp. Is A Good Starting Point)

3/4 Cups Tomatoe Puree or Paste (Tomatoe Sauce Makes The Chili Too Runny)

3/4 Quarts Bean Stock (From Cooked Beans)

(If Only Whole Herb Ingredients Are Available, They May Be Run In A Blender For Smoother Consistancy.)

In A Large Pot, Cover Beans With At Least 3 to 4 Cups Of Water. Bring To A Boil and Then Simmer Until Beans Are Soft, But Not Mushy. Drain Beans and Retain The Stock For Use In The Chili.

In A 2 Inch Deep Iron Skillet, Brown The Meat At A Medium High Heat. After Browning, Add Onions, Garlic, Bell Peppers, and All The Herbs. Stir and Toss This Dryish Mixture For About 15 Minutes. Add Tomatoe Puree or Paste and Mix Well. To This Add 1/3 Of The Bean Stock (More Can Be Added For Consistancy.) Reduce Heat and Simmer 12 Hours Or So, Adding Bean Stock As Necessary.

In A Large Pot (Bean Pot Is Good), Mix The Chili and The Beans and Simmer For At Least 2 Hours Before Serving.

Left Over Chili and Beans Can Be Frozen and Reheated For Later Use.

Serves 4 to 5 People

Answer 3

I agree with the leftovers thing. It's hard to cook for yourself and not have to eat leftovers. But the freezing idea is good.

Maybe you could get the instant rice or instant mashed potatoes. I make those often for myself and my daughter, you can make small portions in hardly any time at all. Or more, if you would like more for later. And just microwave some frozen veggies, so you can just make what you will eat.

Some other things are hot dogs, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, basically things frozen that you can take out a little at a time and cook just what you want.

Answer 4

One idea is to find some other singles and form a cooking club where everyone can make a dish and freeze portions for the others in the club. Then you can stash it in the freezer and reheat at any time in the microwave.

Also, Amazon has a lot of cookbooks that specialize in recipes for one or two. You might one to check your local library as well because if you don't want to invest in a cookbook you can make some copies of recipes you like or just look at the recipes as techniques and guidelines.

Answer 5

YANKEE POT ROAST
Pot roast using the slow cooker/crock pot is the only way to go!
Start it when you wake up, so by the time you get home, its ready! Plus leftovers are great!
I modified the ingredients for 1 + some leftover

1 lb chuck roast
1/2 pkg onion soup mix, dry
1 cream mushroom soup, campbells
2 stalk celery, diced
1/2 onion chopped
1 whole carrot, peeled and cut
2 potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2
1 crushed garlic clove
3 tbsp flour

In the crock pot, add cream mushroom soup, 1 can of water, the lipton dry soup, flour and mix the ingredients well.

Add the roast and the garlic. Mix around til covered with soup mix. Add the onions and veggies. Add water to barely cover the veggies (remember the water level may go up during cooking!).

Cover and turn crock pot to medium/high.
Cook 6-8 hours and it will be so tender!

Answer 6

I live alone as well and I agree with some of the other posters.

I either make enough for two people and eat the leftovers the following night or make enough so that I can freeze the leftovers in single-sized portions.

I've also found that sandwiches and wraps don't have to be boring. If you vary the breads and the stuff you put in them, they can be interesting, inexpensive and very healthy. And its usually the right size for one person.


good luck

Answer 7

I have bought a good many divided plates that I can put into the freezer with leftovers. I take these to my grandfather so that I can ensure his eating good, nutritious meals. I also save some for me for when I'm working night shifts to have a quick meal. This is alot less cooking for me.

Answer 8

Hi Martha! I'm single, and love cooking! I just started to get into it this year. I suggest going to www.rachaelraymag.com, and looking at her receipies. Especially the ones in her 30 minute meals section. So easy to prepare, and very few ingredients. I'm going to make my first cake that I found in a magazine (cooking light) this weekend. Have fun with it....i've only had one receipie not turn out right in all the one's i've tried on Rachael's site. :)

Answer 9

I find it cheaper to buy TV dinners than to buy food to prepare. If I'm in the mood for home-cooked, I make something I really like, and make enough for 5 servings and pack it for lunches for the week.

Answer 10

What you should have asked was good ideas for one without leftovers, haha I am in the same situation and clicked on here to get the ideas, and I was disappointed with the freeze suggestion, I absolutely cannot eat leftovers, so this wouldnt be an option for me :(