Cooking for one or two can be challenging. If you have never been known for your culinary expertise it can be even more challenging. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of cooking. I have even toyed with the idea of subscribing to one of those weight loss programs because they promise to have delicious low calorie foods delivered to the door. That really seems like cheating though.
You have to eat though, and eating properly is just as important as exercising if a healthy lifestyle is important to you. I keep meaning to buy some of the Cooking for One or Two cookbooks. If I could find one recipe that I really liked I would hop on board. It is much too easy to call for take out, buy already prepared entrées, or nuke a TV dinner. Why bother with anything else?
It isn’t easy finding grocery items packaged for one or two. Supermarkets encourage overspending and push ready made products instead. Single portions cost two or three times more than family packages. Nobody needs 10 chicken breasts unless they are cooking for a family of five, and unless you rent locker space your little freezer isn’t going to be big enough to hold multiple servings of anything.
So, it is just you. You are alone for dinner? Judith Jones, author of “The Pleasures of Cooking for One,” knows how to make you feel guilty if you don’t cook. She looks down her nose and asks if you are going to take the easy way out, or are you going to prepare yourself a delicious little meal, because “you are worth it.”?
Well okay, you say, but what do you do to get into a cooking mindset? You may have to ease into it gradually. Let’s think of some ways to make sure that you aren’t eating microwave noodles and television dinners every day of the week. Personal preferences enter into the picture too. Some people care more about food than others. Personally, I could make a pan of tuna casserole and eat it every day for a week, but that is just me. I still wouldn’t mind learning how to cook, especially now that dietary restrictions have entered the picture.
Learn how to cook small. Get rid of your kings sized pots and pans. The rule of thumb when cooking for one is to use recipes that serve two. If cooking for two, use recipes that serve four. Purchase a lot of single-sized serving containers, label everything and store in the freezer or at least in plain sight in the refrigerator. Buy individual casserole dishes and consider using a toaster oven. The right tools can make things much less overwhelming.
Purchase single sized servings of food and consider splitting (put a sign up at the senior center) the cost of certain grocery items with someone else. It would be nice to buy an egg or two or a half loaf of bread, but it isn’t going to happen.
A healthy meal plan is important and living alone is no reason to deny yourself the pleasure of a home cooked meal. Buy the right books, splurge on the right tools and treat yourself to the nutritious and delicious meals that you deserve. If you really are too busy or are preparing for a one man showing at an art gallery it is okay to eat out. Take a few minutes to visit your local senior center and share good company and a healthy meal with your friends.
l
Comments