I spent many frustrated evenings trying to convert recipes from four serves to one. I would shop and end up with food not all used and getting thrown out at the end of the week. Such a waste of money. I researched the library and book shops to buy a book of recipes for one and there are not many on the market or a huge variety. I decided I had to find a way to save money, time, waste and still have delicious meals. Now I find recipes I really like that are four serves and I shop and cook for four. I have one meal that night and freeze the other three for the next three weeks. Now I have no food wastage, I have a collection of different meals in the freezer which can be rotated and a choice of what I feel like that night. My shopping bill has lowered because of no waste and my meal choice has increased up to a month at a time. I am collecting favourite recipes to add to my collection to give me a variety of choices so I don't get sick of the same meal two nights in a row, just to use up ingredients and I have no dollars going into the bin. My shopping list is now food that is all used and I save about $25 a week sometimes more by not throwing things out. I also spend much less time in the kitchen cooking. When I have a day where I am completely exhausted I go to the freezer and choose a meal from my collection and use my precious extra time having a soak in the bath or reading a good book. Multi cooking is definitely the way to go for singles.
Contributed by Emma Price
That's the only way to cook for one.
ReplyDeleteWhen my sons came home for a few months (more than six) I really resented that because of them eating the other two serves at diner each night, I no longer had leftovers to freeze and have as no cook nights.
Do not get me wrong. I loved having my boys home. But I so missed not having to cook every night as a result. I had to rethink and find meals that were for 6 people so that I had some in the freezer, at least for lunches.
Pat
Pat, you've made me smile. I just hate missing out on putting a meal into the freezer for a cooking-free night. I love my boys too, but if I'm not quick then food just vanishes in the blink of an eye, so I understand how you feel.
DeleteI do a lot of batch-cooking too, but I always feel a bit bad if I use the frozen meals for a home dinner. I keep them for work or uni days (which sometimes need two meals if I have an evening commitment that I go directly to). My idea of a lazy home dinner is boiling some frozen veg, possibly without bothering to add anything else - just lots of veg!
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