Cooking for one is an important skill, especially in the year of 2020. As we have made adjustments to our lives due to the pandemic, many of us have spent more time alone at home than ever...and more time in our kitchens feeding ourselves. If you live alone or have different food preferences than those you live with, it can be challenging to navigate making food for only yourself. Dirtying several dishes for one meal or ending up with more leftovers than you can eat is frustrating! But we’ve got your back. Life is already hard enough, cooking doesn’t have to be. Here are some helpful tips to make cooking for one feel a bit more simple.
1. Plan ahead.
Start planning meals based on a single set of ingredients and choose recipes with overlapping ingredients. Plan to buy a smaller variety of vegetables that can be used in multiple recipes. For example, plan to buy tomatoes, onions, and spinach all of which can be used in an omelet, quesadilla, pasta dish, or soup.
2. Shop smart.
Keep staple items on hand, especially non-perishables and frozen foods. Make sure to have a variety of grains, pasta, and canned beans in your pantry at all times. The freezer is your friend! Frozen vegetables are an important staple for the lone chef because you can use just what you need and save the rest for another time. I also recommend freezing your bread so it doesn’t mold on you before you can get through the whole loaf. Just take it out of the freezer and pop it in the toaster; it tastes just as good as fresh bread!
3. Take it easy.
Familiarize yourself with easy recipes. Sandwiches, omelets, quesadillas, and pastas can be simple to prepare and offer opportunities for variety by using different spices or sauces. You may want to consider making two-serving recipes and enjoy just the right amount of leftovers (plus not having to cook every night). Making a family-sized meal for one person can mean you’ll be eating leftovers of the same dish all week, which can get old and lead to waste.
4. Store your leftovers like a pro.
Speaking of food waste, throwing out food is an awful feeling! When you realize you might have gone overboard in purchasing vegetables or you made too many servings of your favorite recipe, simply store the extras in the freezer. You can also try reinventing your leftovers. Just as it’s smart to mix things up with spices and seasonings, you might also find new ways to turn your leftover ingredients into a brand new meal by mixing and matching. Get creative!
Below you can find our recipe for simple quesadillas. The perfect meal for one! Lots of opportunity for variety and quick to prepare. Enjoy!
Simple Quesadillas
Ingredients:
Large flour tortillas
Grated cheese - cheddar or Monterey Jack work well!
Olive oil or butter
Optional:
Sliced mushrooms
Green onions
Sliced black olives
Fresh tomatoes
Cooked chicken
Black beans
Sliced bell peppers
Avocado
Cilantro
Steps:
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add a bit of oil or butter and spread it around the bottom of the pan with a spatula.
Take one large flour tortilla and place it in the pan. Heat until air pockets begin to form, flipping it over a few times.
Sprinkle a handful of grated cheese over the top of the tortilla and then add desired toppings. Lower heat and cover pan, letting the cheese melt.
Once the cheese is melted, use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip it over the other side.
Remove quesadilla from the pan, let cool for a few minutes, and then cut into wedges.
Serve with a side of sour cream and chips with salsa. Enjoy!