If you are single, you have the advantage of exploring flavors and creating whatever dishes you choose, says cookbook editor and author Judith Jones. Creating a healthy dish for one can be just as easy as making one for two or four. Simple planning will help you figure out the right portions, create healthier meals and reduce waste.
Size
Jones suggests buying produce at farmers' markets instead of supermarkets. She explains that supermarkets usually offer large quantities of many fruits and vegetables, whereas farmers' markets will let you choose the amount you want to purchase. Farmers' markets offer smaller varieties of large fruits and vegetables, such as melon and squash. You can also buys single-serving meats at regular supermarkets by asking the butcher for one piece instead of purchasing prepackaged meats with two or more pieces.
Planning Ahead
Jones recommends planning ahead for the week, instead of just one recipe at a time. She uses one ingredient for numerous meals over the course of days. She suggests roasting extra vegetables and tossing them into various dishes throughout the week, to create healthier meals. In the same vein, she often chooses ingredients that will last, instead of going bad in a couple of days, such as smoked salmon.
Recipes
If you are discouraged when the serving size of a recipe says two, four or six, change your thinking. You can use all the same ingredients and cooking methods; simply adjust the recipe to reflect the serving size. If the recipe makes enough for two, split the measurement for each ingredient in half to make the perfect amount for one.
Freezing
By cooking in bulk, the Ellen's Kitchen website says you can eat much healthier and cut down on waste. This website says this method can increase the amount of vegetables you eat by three times, help you avoid eating out and keep portions small. It suggests getting all the time-consuming peeling, chopping and cooking out of the way on one day, freezing it all in preportioned meal sizes and heating one up as you are ready to eat it. The website explains that when you are tired during weeknights and would normally resort to quick, unhealthy choices, instead take combinations like frozen vegetables, turkey and tofu out of the freezer, boil some pasta or rice to go with them and you have a quick, healthy meal.
Sharing Meals
Another tactic the Ellen's Kitchen website suggests is to share meals with a friend. If you need extra motivation to cook sometimes, cooking for friends, family or coworkers can be just the right kick. Make an agreement with a single friend for you to cook for her one night and she will cook for you another.
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