Meals for One
Cooking for one can be challenging, because the modern food system is not built for small households. But with a few adjustments eating alone can be affordable and satisfying.
Key points
- The best meals-for-one are built from flexible ingredients
- One-pan dishes are easy to scale, with little washing up to do
- Batch-cooking base ingredients offers flexible meal options
- Freezing individual portions or leftovers creates future “take-out’ meals
The solo cook gets fleeced at the grocery store. Most food packaging is designed for average-sized households, and bulk purchases offer the lowest price per unit. Compare that to the higher price for smaller packages, or the premium charged for single-serve items.
In the kitchen, cost per serving, energy used, time invested all favour cooking larger quantities. A single person must think differently about how they shop, what they cook, and how they use what they buy to limit waste or overspending.
Step 1: Build a pantry around a small set of flexible staples that are inexpensive, have a long shelf-life, and can be combined in enough different ways to prevent monotony. Eggs,canned chickpeas, or a bag of red lentils fit that bill.
Step 2: Identify a list of quick meals. One-pan meals are perfect. A single frying pan or saucepan make it easier to cook in small quantities. And there is less washing up to do. Scrambled eggs, stir-fries, or pasta can all be made in just one pan.
Step 3: Plan ahead for when there is no time or energy to cook from scratch. A supply of frozen individual portions can foil the temptation to order take-out or just settle for some junk food. One afternoon spent making and freezing a large batch of something pays dividends down the road. Ingredients like cooked rice, beans, pasta, and ground meat freeze well. Meals like soups, chilis, and curries all make great 'take-out' meals. When freezer space is at a premium, Ambitious cooks might actually can some meals.
Meal ideas that are quick and affordable:
- Egg fried rice: One of the fastest and cheapest solo meals available. A cup of leftover rice, two eggs, and whatever vegetables are in the fridge, ready in under ten minutes.
- Red lentil dal: A single portion costs almost nothing to make, reheats perfectly, and tastes better the next day as the spices deepen. Ideal for batch cooking and freezing.
- Omelette: Two or three eggs, a handful of whatever is available, cheese, leftover vegetables, herbs, and five minutes in a pan. One of the most versatile solo meals.
- Pasta with tomato sauce: A single portion of pasta with a quick sauce of canned tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil costs pennies and takes fifteen minutes from start to finish.
- Baked potato: A large potato costs almost nothing, requires no preparation beyond scrubbing, and can be topped with beans, cheese, or leftover stew for a complete and filling meal.
- Chickpea and vegetable stir-fry: A can of chickpeas, whatever vegetables need using up, and a splash of soy sauce or spices. A complete protein-rich meal in one pan in under fifteen minutes.
- Soup from scraps: Whatever vegetables are approaching the end of their life, simmered with an onion, garlic, and a stock cube into something warming and nourishing.
Sources of information and inspiration:**
- Tips for canning safely by the Government of Canada
- Kitchen Essentials for One by One Dish Kitchen]
- 9 Easy Tips to Master Single-Serve Meals Without Waste by A Weekend Cook
- Cooking for One Made Easy by one dish kitchen
- Small Batch Cooking by One Girl. One Kitchen
- Delicious Meals for the Single Diner by Cooking 4 One