Cooking for one

[Sohcahtoa]

I live alone, working 35-40 hours a week while also being a half-time college student.  Money can be pretty tight, so I have to watch what I spend on food.

The way I see it, food can have several qualities:

-Delicious
-Inexpensive
-Easy to prepare
-Healthy

But...you only get to pick 3, and some foods only qualify for 2.  For example, eating out is delicious and easy to prepare (You don't have to prepare it at all!) but it gets to be expensive, and is usually unhealthy.  Meanwhile, a salad can be delicious and healthy, but unless you plan on making a trip to the grocery store often, its difficult to prepare since a salad won't last long if you make a big salad to eat over the course of a couple days.  There are lots of frozen entrees out there like Hungry Man TV dinners and the like, which are pretty cheap, easy to prepare, and taste OK, but the sodium content is obscene, and they're often pretty high in fat too.

If you plan on making a full meal with small portions of several dishes, you end up with lots of leftovers which can go bad.

So...I need suggestions for foods that I can easily prepare in small batches (Because I hate re-heating leftovers, its never as good the second time) that are still inexpensive and easy to prepare (because I'm lazy) and at least taste decent.

[mommagoes]

check out this website

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Publication/Cooking-For-Two-Magazine?keycode=Z2S020209A

now, it is listed as cooking for two but most of the recipes can be cut in half. good luck!

p.s. the chicken monterey is delicious!!!

[jkhanson]

check out this website

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Publication/Cooking-For-Two-Magazine?keycode=Z2S020209A

now, it is listed as cooking for two but most of the recipes can be cut in half. good luck!

p.s. the chicken monterey is delicious!!!

Thank you for the recipe link.  We are down to two at home again after 30 years of kids in the house.  Almost forgot how to cook for just 2.

[rogery]

Just about anything works on a tortilla. And of course, check out the daily recipes on the ptc offer.

[jusu]

I always have boneless skinless chicken breast in the freezer. The possibilities are endless...grilled/breaded chicken sandwich, chicken with rice, chicken and noodles, chicken salad, fettuccine, nachos...You can get them individually wrapped and just use what you need...always have some canned veggies around when you know you won't have fresh.
Chili too...one pot= Chili dogs, chili mac, chili cheese fries, nachos...

[Nightnaiad]

I like experiemnting with eggs.

[dogdiva]

I have lived alone for a long time and the quickest cheap meals are tortillas and stir fry

[ancmetro]

   I agree with you: Inexpensive, delicious, easy to prepare and heathly...it is the only way to go! Stay away from frozen TV dinners...They are terrible- too much fat, too much salt, too many calories...'simply not good for you'. Here are some suggestions: If you have a good food bank in your community: Go there to get your free food.  Many food banks have dietitians and nurses who recommend the best foods for cliets. If you have a Carrs/Safeway in your area, go shopping there. There are two brand names: Eating well...right and Organics. They are excellent and well priced...you can even buy them on sale. Stay away from all yunk foods, including TV dinners. Also, visit the frozen foods area: Shop for frozen fresh veggies and fruits. Prepare your portion and store the rest to be used at a later day. I hope this works for you...
it has worked for me ...for years!

[Valerie1979]

  I agree with you: Inexpensive, delicious, easy to prepare and heathly...it is the only way to go! Stay away from frozen TV dinners...They are terrible- too much fat, too much salt, too many calories...'simply not good for you'. Here are some suggestions: If you have a good food bank in your community: Go there to get your free food.  Many food banks have dietitians and nurses who recommend the best foods for cliets. If you have a Carrs/Safeway in your area, go shopping there. There are two brand names: Eating well...right and Organics. They are excellent and well priced...you can even buy them on sale. Stay away from all yunk foods, including TV dinners. Also, visit the frozen foods area: Shop for frozen fresh veggies and fruits. Prepare your portion and store the rest to be used at a later day. I hope this works for you...
it has worked for me ...for years!

As a Registered Dietitian I agree with most of what is listed above.  Not all TV dinners are bad, but generally you should check out how much sodium they contain.  Also some "health" foods are decieving because they actually write the food label for a smaller than average serving.

You will want to stock up on fruits/vegetables.  Try frozen vegetables, can last longer and you can use part of a bag and keep the remaining part in the freezer for another meal.  (avoid those with cheese/butter sauces).  Fruits - dried fruit can be a good alternative if fresh foods don't last as long. 

For main meals - the chicken ideas and the link listed above look like a good idea.  I am a big fan of making a little extra for lunch the next day or freezing for a meal at a later time.  I have a cookbook for "make ahead/freeze recipes"  -- it emphasizes cooking 2 of something so that the 2nd can be frozen for a later meal.  This helps with the work/dishes related to prep.