Cooking Solo? Simple Tricks to Save Time and Cash on Single-Serving Meals
Living solo poses its own peculiarities, and it’s no different when it comes to meal planning. A solid strategy for your daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner can make the difference. If you cultivate the habit of meal prep and batch cooking, you’ll find it’s a breeze to cut down on mealtime hassle, boost your nutritional intake, minimize food waste, and maintain a healthier bank balance. Here are some approachable tips for planning meals for one.
Embrace What’s in the Kitchen When Cooking for One Person
Making meals for one doesn’t mean eating leftover spaghetti till the fifth day. Ingenious thinking can help you deviate from monotonous food choices. Keep the freshness and variety alive by planning an entire week’s meals using a blend of mains and sides. Go on an inventory expedition in your kitchen to find foods that can work together in multiple ways. Leverage surplus past-meal ingredients in newer dishes and ward off food rot and unnecessary expenses.
Once you know what you can work with, putting together a weekly plan on a calendar or an app will give you step-by-step guidance on daily meals. Not only does it streamline your budget, but it also curbs overspending. For those bent on frugality, starting a new bank account with online budgeting tools for tracking food expenses is worth considering.
Smart Shopping for One-Person Meals
Want to shop smart? Ditch the generic strategies and go for these tips tailored for solo shoppers. After you’ve scanned your kitchen and listed your needs, consider our suggestions for single-serving shopping.
Focus on Smaller Portions: While the market caters more to families, don’t let it deter you. Grab smaller portions when possible, albeit for an extra dollar. Local vendors offer you this freedom, letting you buy the exact quantity you need, and avoiding food spoilage. If small portions aren’t an option, freezing helps extend the shelf life. For fresh produce, opt for manageable quantities or freezable options.
Spot the Deals: Your starting point could be the weekly sales flyer of your local grocery store, available online or via apps. Pay attention to versatile ingredients that can star in multiple meals. Can that cauliflower double-up as a side for chicken and pork alike? Can green beans feature in a stew and as a side dish? Perhaps leftover asparagus can jazz up an omelette?
Benefit from Your Freezer: Batch-cooked meals like chili, taco meat, or a whole chicken can be a lifesaver. Reserve the week’s portion in the fridge while freezing the rest to avoid diet monotony. Also, raw meats can be portioned and stored in the freezer to allow a wider variety of meals from a single ingredient.
Stock Up on Non-perishables: For the days when cooking feels like a chore, keep your pantry equipped with quick fixes such as canned soup, pasta, or frozen meals. An ample stock of spices goes a long way in adding flavor to your dishes. While shopping, keep an eye on your budget using your mobile banking app.
Efficiency Tricks for One-Person Cooking
No one enjoys spending hours in the kitchen every day. Single-serving bulk cooking is one solution, while a slow-cooker might be a worthwhile investment if you don’t wish to devote much time cooking. It’s ideal for various meals, from stews and soups to desserts. You can prepare and freeze slow cooker meals ahead of time and simply pop them into the slow cooker when needed. These meals may need extra cooking time, and slow-cooker recipe books can provide fresh culinary inspirations.
Home-cooking and Budgeting for Solo Diners
Living alone can tempt you into a routine of take-out meals and restaurant dining. However, single-serving meal planning need not be a daunting task. Use it as an opportunity to channel your creativity and build new skills. Explore cookbooks, browse Pinterest for recipe inspiration, and gather the kitchen tools you need. You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to master solo cooking. Learn to create weekly meal plans and maximize staple foods for varied meals and improve health, nutrition, and finances.
Content sponsored by Citizens Financial Group.
