Cooking for one can be a real challenge. It’s no fun forgetting about the leftover spaghetti you’ve got in the fridge, making three times as much rice as you need or end up eating the same thing over and over. But ordering in every night just simply isn’t an option. Here are some tips on how to treat yourself to home-cooked meals for one, without creating too much waste.
Planning is key
There’s no point buying tons of food if you’re the only person who’s going to be eating it all. If you get too much, you’ll end up tossing some of it in the trash. Plan effectively by making sure you’ve got pantry essentials on hand: pasta, rice, canned veggies, legumes, spices and seasonings, condiments, canned seafood, etc.
Before you head out to the grocery store, take the time to plan some of your dinners and lunches for the coming week. When you can, buy individually portioned ingredients rather than family-size packages. For example, buy just one or two potatoes, instead of a whole bag that will turn to mush at the back of your pantry. For maximum freshness, buy your fruits and veggies from a local market.
Versatility
For more variety, use ingredients that can be prepared in a number of different ways. Pre-portioned frozen fish and ready to cook seasoned meat are also great for giving you more control over the amount of food you’re making.
Figure out if you want to cook individual portions or larger dishes that you’ll freeze for later. You can make a big batch of food at the start of the week and eat leftovers for the next few days, or use those leftovers as ingredients in other meals. For example, you can use roast chicken in a hearty salad, a protein-packed pizza or sandwiches for lunch.
Converting recipes
It goes without saying that it can be hard to find recipes designed for one. That’s why it’s important that you know exactly how to scale down the recipes you love for just one or two servings, so you don’t have to throw out all those extra leftovers.
In general, meat, carbs and veggies can be divided by four to make one serving. Spices and seasonings, however, should really be adjusted to taste. Start with a little and add more as needed.
Use smaller cooking vessels so that the food you’re cooking is the same depth in the pot or pan as the original recipe. Dishes will clearly take less time to cook, but be careful! Just because you’ve cut a recipe in half doesn’t mean you should cut the cooking time in half too. Instead, rely on your senses: sight, taste and smell are your best friends in the kitchen.
