Balanced eating for single people.
Discussion
I’ve never really lived on my own much. I moved in with my ex from my parents and even when we divorced I had my kids most days so they needed cooking for.
Then the present Mrs D moved in.
The last few days she’s been ill with a severe tummy bug and hasn’t eaten much at all.
The thing is I really can’t be bothered cooking for just myself. I’m living off cereal and sandwiches and whatever snacks I can find in the fridge/cupboards. I think I’ve lost about 2lbs in weight (not that I couldn’t do with it).
Presumably single people have to have some kind of regime where they either cook or eat out on a regular basis. I have a terrible feeling I’d just neglect myself long term. It’s not that I can’t cook as I do my fair share normally it’s just that it seems a lot of work just for yourself.
There are bound to be long term singletons on here. How do you ensure you’re properly fed?
Batch cook. If you have an afternoon free, just batch up big pots of soups and sauces. Buy a box of the takeaway plastic tubs from your nearest Costco / wholesale place. Make loads and then just freeze everything. I do this when I'm at home, then when i travel for work the missus just works her way through the freezer as she's not a cook and can't be bothered just for herself.
At least doing it that way you know you're getting some veg and decent food in to you.
At least doing it that way you know you're getting some veg and decent food in to you.
Not single - yet !
But I get Food prep. Delivered twice a week.
It’s 4 meals a day and snacks . Calorie controlled etc etc.
Lions prep is the company I use.
I don’t always have time to cook, so looked at where my time is best spent (job, business ) and it’s more beneficial for me to pay someone else to do it.
But I get Food prep. Delivered twice a week.
It’s 4 meals a day and snacks . Calorie controlled etc etc.
Lions prep is the company I use.
I don’t always have time to cook, so looked at where my time is best spent (job, business ) and it’s more beneficial for me to pay someone else to do it.
I used to love living on my own and cooking for myself, my diet was great, I used to online shop so have a rotation of meals every few weeks, no waste at all, cost effective and nutritious.
Cook a big spag bol one night and then have the other half the night after. So I'd be cooking every other night, music on, 20 mins in the kitchen after work, bliss.
Cook a big spag bol one night and then have the other half the night after. So I'd be cooking every other night, music on, 20 mins in the kitchen after work, bliss.
Been single for a year now and I also cook from scratch using online recipes. I meal prep my breakfasts and lunches (get 4-5 days worth) and cook my evening meals every other day. When I cook an evening meal I usually make 2 portions so that I can plate a spare one up and stick it in the fridge. I’ll always have a pizza one day a week for a quick and easy evening meal.
Getting the balance of veg etc was a pain for me as a lot of faff will multiple pans & stuff for 1. Until I started using frozen veg.
An alternative to batch cooking is little & interesting with same ingredients or a well planned shop
Sounds daft but get a smaller pan, I use mostly a small wok.
I eat a lot of eggs so often have different omelettes & things which can be infinitely varied & quite substantial. Spinach I eat a lot of, comes in frozen plugs & I spin round the microwave for a minute to defrost (add soy sauce too l).
A Steamer pan is also pretty good for one pan stuff, & I think is healthier & easier to clean. Today I’ll have white fish, mushrooms & frozen spinach up top & maybe some rice in the water, (sometimes a spoon of turmeric & garam masala in with rice). 10mins no effort.
Play with spices & flavours. I’ll prob coat then fish with paste from grated ginger/chili/soy maybe some brown sugar like a teriyaki depending how I feel. (I eat a lot of ginger & a ginger omelette is lovely)
Buy a good bag of salad leaves with a decent life & once open stick a bit of kitchen roll in the bag & keep in fridge (lasts longer). Discipline yourself to take a portion whatever else your having.
An alternative to batch cooking is little & interesting with same ingredients or a well planned shop
Sounds daft but get a smaller pan, I use mostly a small wok.
I eat a lot of eggs so often have different omelettes & things which can be infinitely varied & quite substantial. Spinach I eat a lot of, comes in frozen plugs & I spin round the microwave for a minute to defrost (add soy sauce too l).
A Steamer pan is also pretty good for one pan stuff, & I think is healthier & easier to clean. Today I’ll have white fish, mushrooms & frozen spinach up top & maybe some rice in the water, (sometimes a spoon of turmeric & garam masala in with rice). 10mins no effort.
Play with spices & flavours. I’ll prob coat then fish with paste from grated ginger/chili/soy maybe some brown sugar like a teriyaki depending how I feel. (I eat a lot of ginger & a ginger omelette is lovely)
Buy a good bag of salad leaves with a decent life & once open stick a bit of kitchen roll in the bag & keep in fridge (lasts longer). Discipline yourself to take a portion whatever else your having.
Another vote for batch cooking, but rather than a specific day to batch cook, just cook meals normally but do enough for 4 and freeze the rest. Chilli, bolognaise, lasagna, stews and even pies all freeze well so you just need to cook some rice/pasta/potatoes/veg to go with it.
Also plenty of simple quick things that work well for one like grilled chicken, gammon steaks, chops etc.
Although I'll admit on the occasions when my mrs is out for the evening my default these days tends to be pizza and a couple of beers
Also plenty of simple quick things that work well for one like grilled chicken, gammon steaks, chops etc.
Although I'll admit on the occasions when my mrs is out for the evening my default these days tends to be pizza and a couple of beers
Echo all of the above as I've lived alone since 2014.
Also salads are easy. Packet of cold meat, tub of potato salad, packet of rocket, tomatoes, olives etc and you can have various salads for a few days for very little spent.
Only problem is if I have a salad I then think it's fine to snaffle crisps, choc, beer, gin and wine after, as I've been so good.
Polished off with a tub of ice-cream.
Also salads are easy. Packet of cold meat, tub of potato salad, packet of rocket, tomatoes, olives etc and you can have various salads for a few days for very little spent.
Only problem is if I have a salad I then think it's fine to snaffle crisps, choc, beer, gin and wine after, as I've been so good.
Polished off with a tub of ice-cream.
As others do, I just cook a 'normal' sized meal, split it into 4 or 6 portions, eat one portion that evening, stick one or two portions in the fridge for the next day or two, the rest in the freezer (with a label!).
Fish something random out of the freezer in the morning on days you've got nothing planned to cook.
In the olden days when going into work was a thing, I'd stick things in the slow cooker before work and come home to a curry/chilli/stew/etc ready to go.
As for eating 'balanced', the two tricks I find are:
1) to pre-plan so you don't go to the shops half a dozen times a week and buy snacks/treats each time.
2) don't try and cook a single portion of something as you end up with more than you want and end up eating 'seconds' rather than waste it.
Fish something random out of the freezer in the morning on days you've got nothing planned to cook.
In the olden days when going into work was a thing, I'd stick things in the slow cooker before work and come home to a curry/chilli/stew/etc ready to go.
As for eating 'balanced', the two tricks I find are:
1) to pre-plan so you don't go to the shops half a dozen times a week and buy snacks/treats each time.
2) don't try and cook a single portion of something as you end up with more than you want and end up eating 'seconds' rather than waste it.
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