Cooking for one

This is a question I get a lot in clinic.  And I get it, I understand, cooking for yourself is a drag at times.  You get home from work and have to decide what you feel like for dinner, have to prepare that dinner, and then you’re left with the clean-up.  Day in-day out.

I have been struggling to find the motivation and inspiration to cook for myself lately.  With a partner that works away most of the time, I am home alone most evenings trying to drum up a bit of energy to cook a nutritious meal.  These are some of the things that I tell my clients to keep in mind when they want to easily cook for just one person when we all know it is so much easier to ring the local takeaway.

GET ORGANISED

The more organised you are the easier it is.

-        Having a clean kitchen and having at least a bit of a plan of your weekly menu is key

-        When you get home from the supermarket, wash your vegetables (even cut and store them in containers) to save time when you’re cooking

-        Preparation helps.  Boil 6 eggs at a time. Roast a big batch of vegetables for use during the week (see my meal ideas for using roast vegetables here)

-        Stock your kitchen with appliances that make things easy.  Slow cooker, air fryer, pressure cooker, food storage containers, are all very helpful

STOCK THE PANTRY

Make sure you have the ingredients on hand to create delicious and nutritious meals

-        Tins of beans, corn, vegetables, tomatoes, tuna

-        Pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa

-        Jars of crushed garlic and ginger

-        Herbs and spices

-        There are some really good convenience meals available these days (most of them need a boost of protein, so use them as a bit of a base for a meal)

DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS

Find what you like to eat.  This is an opportunity to please yourself, to experiment with different foods and flavours, and to satisfy your own unique tastes.

FREEZE YOUR LEFTOVERS

This is why it is so important to have good quality food storage containers.  Sometimes you can’t just cook one portion and you inevitably end up with leftovers.  The best thing about this is having a freezer full of meals ready to go when you just don’t want to cook, don’t have the energy to cook, or you don’t have the time to cook. 

REPURPOSE MEALS

Sometimes I’ll make a big pan of chilli beans and have it on a baked potato one night, rice the next, in a wrap with salad another.  You can do the same with a bolognese, it doesn’t have to be just with spaghetti.  Try it like this….put a serving in an ovenproof dish, make a well in the top and crack an egg into it, cover with grated cheese and bake.  It’s ready when the egg is cooked to your liking and the cheese is melted, add a dollop of sour cream, enjoy.  Delicious. 

FOOD SAFETY

Remember, when saving and re-heating foods there are some recommendations to keep you safe from getting sick

-        Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours

-        Eat leftovers within 2 days, otherwise they go in the freezer

-        Freeze meals in portions so you only defrost the amount you need for one meal

Cooking for one means that you get to eat what you want!  Explore, experiment, find what works for you, and enjoy!

I am working on a selection of recipes to help guide and inspire you, however, in the meantime if you need help to make these ideas specific to your needs get in touch, we can make it work for your particular tastes and preferences, available time, budget, and nutritional requirements.  Contact me.  I have a printable free file on my website here.