Cooking for one? Let’s make it fun!
What is more fun than making something EASY.
You go to school. You work. You exercise. You come home and it is already 7pm, but guess who needs to eat?
I am the first to admit that I understand the temptation of pulling out the Pop Tarts or PB&J. We all know this is not a nutritious option or a very fulfilling one, so here are some short but sweet tips to put the joy and ease back into cooking for one!
1. For the love of God, plan your meals.
When cooking for 1, producing leftovers every night is NOT an option. You have to strategically plan out your meals, so that you aren’t being wasteful with your food and money. Here are some free printables to start planning now! Fill out the information below, and they will automatically be emailed to you.
P.S. Please don’t feel intimidated! For breakfast, I sometimes just write down “apple”.
2. Cut down those recipes.
When you google recipes, it will tell you the number of servings the recipe produces. Make sure you are not cooking for 4 people when you live by yourself. Here is a conversion chart I put together that you can screenshot when trying to make a small meal:
3. Improvise!
I cannot count the number of times I have started a recipe and then found out I didn’t have an ingredient I needed. (I know, amateur move.) I always google substitutions and it turns out great in the end! Here are some random substitutions I have done in the past:
Tomato Paste –> Tomato Soup
Mayo or Sour Cream –> Yogurt
Breadcrumbs –> Crushed Crackers
Worcestershire Sauce –> Soy Sauce
Egg –> Applesauce
4. Use frozen veggies.
Frozen veggies are an amazing way to incorporate some nutrition super easy. Most of them can be put in the microwave for about 5 minutes. And guess what? It is cheap and cleaned for you! Here is the brand I buy and a simple method I use to doctor up my frozen veggies:
- 1-3 Tablespoons of butter (to your tasting)
- 1 teaspoon of Salt
- 2 teaspoons of Pepper
- 1 teaspoon of Paprika (if you want to spice things up)
- I microwave the veggies for about 5 minutes.
- When they are done, I dump them into a plastic container with a lid.
- I add the butter, salt, and pepper.
- I put the lid on and shake them around.
- I take off the lid and eat right out of the container.
5. Expand your grocery list!
- There are so many affordable groceries you can purchase that add variety to your meals. Here are just a few things that add variety to my cooking that I always must have:
- Canned Minced Garlic
- The flavor is so much richer than most garlic powders.
- Lemon and Lime Juice
- A squirt of this over chicken or fish can add some extra flavor.
- Chicken Broth
- You could cook your rice in chicken broth instead of water.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Add a teaspoon to your smoothie for an extra energy boost.
6. Purchase a spice rack. It is worth the money!!
This is the spice rack that I have:
https://www.samsclub.com/p/orii-rotating-20-jar-spice-rack/prod22410755
It comes with free spices for 5 years!
Spices and herbs are such an easy way to turn that same boring meal into a brand-new flavor in literally seconds. Don’t know what spices to use? Honey, don’t worry, that is what google is for. Here are some example categories:
- Commonly used Mexican Seasonings: Garlic, Oregano, Cumin, Chile Powder
- Commonly used Italian Seasonings: Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Parsley, Paprika, Bay Leaves
- Commonly used Indian Seasonings: Turmeric, Cumin, Ginger, Garlic, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves
- Commonly used Chinese Seasonings: Salt, Soy Sauce, Chili Powder, Cloves, Cumin
When in doubt, just throw in some of the above spices when cooking. Maybe something tasty will happen!
Don’t have the money to purchase an entire spice rack right now? No worries! Here are a few blended spices that I adore:
- Five Spice Powder
- Taco Seasoning Packets
- Italian Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Seasoned Salt
- Curry Powder
These can give you that extra pizazz for your food, while also being a simple alternative to 20 different seasonings that you might never use if you don’t cook often.
7. Use a slow cooker.
I cannot stress enough how easy it is to make dinner nowadays with these amazing tools. You can throw in some ingredients before class or work, and it will be done by the time you get home.
My favorite thing to make is chicken taco meat. I thaw out some frozen chicken and throw them in the slow cooker with some salsa, taco seasoning, corn, kidney beans, and green chilies. I cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
8. Make some smoothies.
Smoothies are my favorite thing to make when I have to eat a late dinner, but don’t want something heavy to sit in my stomach. They can be more filling than you think! Here is a recipe for a common smoothie that I make:
- 1 1/2 Cup of Mixed Frozen Fruit
- Handful of Spinach
- A squirt of Lemon Juice
- A squirt of Lime Juice
- 2 large spoonfuls of Yogurt
- 1/2 Tablespoon of Honey
- 1/2 Cup of Oats
- 1/4 Cup of Orange Juice
- 1 Cup of Milk (More or Less depending on how thick you want it)
I did not put specifics on the types of fruit and yogurt, because I switch it up all of the time! Also, sometimes I throw in random things like a carrot or some nuts. If you add a small amount, you are not going to taste those ingredients, which is why smoothies can be so nutritious for you!
Great tips! (:
Tried the veggies and was super easy and delicious ! Good info
very helpful tips!!