Whether you’re the only vegetarian or vegan in your household or, you’re living single, it can be tough to resist the temptation of processed foods, fast foods, or cereal for dinner!
You can listen to us talk about tips for cooking for one here or read on for a summary!
Before we get into some tips for cooking for one, let’s talk about a few benefits.
Benefits of Cooking for One
You Get to Customize EVERYTHING!
When you have to cook for more than one person, you need to consider not only differences in tastes but also, dietary preferences such as gluten-free.
When you’re flying solo, you get to customize your dish EXACTLY to your liking!
It’s Emotionally Gratifying
There is something that feels really good from an emotional perspective about taking care of yourself. When I make myself a healthy meal that is something I really enjoy, which brings me a lot of happiness knowing that I am doing something special just for me. It’s extremely EMPOWERING!
Tips for Vegetarian Cooking For One
Make a Plan
Meal planning is always a good idea whether you’re flying solo or have a group at home to feed.
It’s especially important when it’s just you because you might be tempted to deviate from a healthy diet to something that isn’t in alignment with your goals. It’s soooo easy to order a pizza when you’re tired and don’t already have a plan in place for dinner.
We’ve used Plan To Eat Meal Planning, Shopping, and Recipe Management app for a few years now and LOVE it! If you’re not interested in an app, a simple calendar will do!
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Batch Cook for the Week
Get into the habit of picking a day where you cook several meal components at once so that you can use them throughout the week for various meals.
Foods like rice, pasta, and quinoa are great to keep in your refrigerator ready to go.
Certain meals such as casseroles, soups, stews, chili, and lasagna can even be frozen and reheated as needed.
One tool that is very useful for us when it comes to batch cooking is our instant pot which allows you to create several different types of meals quickly. Here is the exact make and model we have. We love our instant pot!
Mealtime made easy! A weekly action plan to get you to the dinner table more often - with healthier food and in less time.
- Best selling model: America’s most loved multi cooker, built with the latest 3rd generation technology, the microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, keeps time, and adjusts heating intensity and duration to achieve desired results every time
- Cooks fast and saves time: The Instant Pot Duo multi-cooker combines 7 appliances in one: Pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, saute pan, yogurt maker and warmer – and cooks up to 70% faster
Be careful Not to Overbuy!
One of the challenges with shopping for one is that it’s sometimes hard to buy food that is packaged just for one.
Luckily, most stores have a bulk bin area where you select just the amount you need for your dishes.
Additionally, if you have a farmer’s market in your city, this is a great place to shop for smaller quantities of produce.
Find Other Singles Who May Want to Share
If you find yourself needing to buy something that is packaged well beyond the amount you need, consider finding friends and family members who may want to share or split some items with you.
I have a family member who LOVES visiting Costco for the savings but often finds themselves with waaay too much food. I am happy to split the cost with him since it’s definitely a win-win!
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Quotes of the Week
Cooking is not difficult. Everyone has taste, even if they don’t realize it. Even if you’re not a great chef, there’s nothing to stop you understanding the difference between what tastes good and what doesn’t.
— Gerard Depardieu
Thanks for listening!
Peace and Veggies,
Vickie and Larissa