Looking for some new ideas for some meals for one. I'm a single mum (with one child) and I'm bored of the usual mac cheese, salad and chicken, pasta and sauce, baked potatoes. I'm also struggling dearly with portions. I know how much I'm suppose to be eating, but sometimes dividing a recipe into 2 or even 4 is hard. I also need them to be quick and cheap.
So, what are your tried and trusted meal for one ideas? Thanks :)
waswoods,
Feb 17, 1:44am
What about making a lasagna and then cutting it up into portions and freezing it? In fact, you could make different meals and freeze them so you would have lots of variety and it would be quick to heat up and eat
thelmalouise,
Feb 17, 1:48am
Cook bulk and freeze.
theanimal1,
Feb 17, 1:54am
I have some recipes for 4-6 people, all you would have to do is container the other portions and freeze, would you be interested?
saltness,
Feb 17, 2:11am
Yes please, I'd love some new recipes. I've tried the bulk cooking thing, and its great for the first few portions, but I tend to find the last one or two at the bottom of the freezer months later :(
I do also make recipes for 2 and take half to work.
thumbelina22,
Feb 17, 1:01pm
I make mini roasts (for two) and then freeze one.
510,
Feb 17, 1:12pm
Sorry I can't findany recipes for one, I have bought several recipes books for one, as presents, how about trying the libraryas I have seen some good ones there.
darlingmole,
Feb 17, 1:54pm
I make a lovely red lentil and vegetable dhal. This can thick like a stew or a runnier consistency is more like soup. I also make large pots of homemade soup (pumpkin when it's cheap, or bacon bone and kings soup mix with vege, tomato is cheap right now) and freeze individual portions. Same with chili mince or bolognese or curried or savoury (you can add red lentil to any mince mixture as it has the same texture and very cheaply bulks up a meal). Do you ever make calzone? That's basically scone dough but you stuff it with things like:ham, tomato, cheese, onion etc. As previous posters have said it would ideal if you made family size portions and then froze meal portions up for later on. In fact I went to a $2. 00 shop and got containers for just the same purpose only yesterday!
indy95,
Feb 17, 2:45pm
Saltness, firstly, checking out your local library would be worthwhile.
There are books in theAustralian Womens Weekly cookbook series on meals for one or two people and cooking on a budget. Their books are excellent and the recipes always reliable without being in any way boring. I can't remember the price of these but I know they are not expensive. You could also have a look at Sophie Gray's Destitute Gourmet series and I believe she has a new book coming out shortly titled " 100+ Meals for $10 " or something close to that. There is also a " Destitute Gourmet " website.
Alison and Simon Holst have published several books which are packed with great recipes.
I should add it is amazing what you can sometimes find in the book sections of secondhand shops run by charities such as the Salvation Army.
I hope these ideas will be some help to you.
ruby19,
Feb 18, 2:24pm
What about risottos. My kids like this, I make the simon Holst pumpkin, mushroom & pea one. I am sure this would freeze well, and will definitely keep for lunch the next day. Fish pie would be another one that both of you may eat. Chilli is a good one for the freezer and can be used in enchiladas, over rice, jacket potatoes or cous cous, or even over toast with cheese. Make a special chicken breast by slitting and adding cream cheese & pesto then wrapping in bacon.
duckmoon,
Feb 18, 3:25pm
I have purchased "takeaway containers" from Moore Wilson (a local wholesaler). I got rectangular ones and ones which stack in the freezer.
I have started "once a month" cooking. which means that I try and cook 20 meals and put them in the freezer. Since I have started doing this, our takeaways have dropped to nearly zero. If you want more information about "once a month cooking", google is your friend.
Currently, my freezer is nearly empty, and I had planned Tuesday night and Wednesday night's ingredients were in the fridge. Once i had started Tuesday's nights meal, and it was cooking away, I then started to cooked Wednesdays. And by the time they had their cooking times, they were both finished at the same time.
So "quick" cooking, can about quickly prepared meals, but if you can also spend the same amount of time in the kitchen, and get more than one meal ready.
And it is a dish which serves four, then you can have three in the freeze for the next three weeks.
Good luck...
duckmoon,
Feb 18, 3:27pm
I know what this is like. Two tips: 1. Make sure that your containers are named with the recipe and dated. So you can use them in the right order. 2. Invest in a mini white board for the freezer door/lid, so you have list of what is in there, and can easily wipe off the meal when you eat it.
cathp1,
Feb 19, 3:37am
In the last "healthy food guide" that I have just received there is an article on cooking for one with a week's worth of recipes. Looks great.
lythande1,
Feb 19, 2:33pm
Meals - just make any normal meal but cut the ingredients down. Not hard. When you buy your meat, repackage it to one portion, then just cook.
bmwnz,
Feb 19, 3:37pm
http://blog. 23x.net/5/what-is-a-munchy-box.html
snapit,
Feb 19, 3:46pm
Self crusting quiches can be made in muffin tins and frozen for later use . When you have something like a roast or corned beef you can slice the rest and freeze in meal size portions, covered with a little of the gravy or sauce to go with it then for the next roast meal do your veges and heat the meat and gravy. Casserole type meals freeze well I always multiply a recipe then freeze the extra for in a hurry meals. So you don't loose meals in the freezer keep them together in one of the freezer baskets or keep in a box in the freezer or even supermarket bags put 1 inside the other for strength. I do this with our meat which is home kill them I know I just have to locate the bag of mince or steaks or stewing meat , mutton pork etc. I also keep baking and desserts in the freezer and each has its own place in an upright freezer. I keep topping up these cooked items so always have variety and don't have a special cook-up day just do extra when making for our normal use. There are 2 adults here but we do have different taste in some things so I am cooking for one often
ddd10,
Feb 19, 3:47pm
stir fries on rice. stir fry chicken or beef & add different herbs & sauces for variety. also making chow mein at home is very easy & really nice. experiment with some Thai & Indian dishes, etc, buy some low fat coconut cream for that or use yoghurt. a favourite for me if I'm pushed for time is to toast a bagel & spread pesto on it & top it with chopped tomato, it's so delicious!
Also bake some Turkish bread (low in fat & often on sale in the supermarket I notice, well at New World anyway) & drizzle some oil over it & just eat it like that, or put some feta cheese & olives on it & have a side of salad with it.
darlingmole,
Feb 19, 4:38pm
I just thought of another dinner you could make that's very quick and cheap to make ... home-made tortilla's
2 C flour 2 t baking powder 1/2 t salt 3/4 C warm water 2 T oil
Sift dry ingredients, add oil and then add water LITTLE BY LITTLE kneading and folding until tough dough mixture. Make into golf ball size, roll until thin. Dry fry for 30 second each side ... makes approximately 6 tortilla's
When I'm feeling particularly like not cooking (which is more frequent by the day! ) I just spread with mayo or hummus then put ham or tuna on top, some grated carrot, beetroot, lettuce and cheese. Healthy, cheap and tastes good
fetish,
Aug 24, 7:11pm
Hi poster #1, I live alone so I cook just for me, and I always cook in bulk and freeze, I never cut recipes down, just eat one serve and freeze the rest, the glad containers you can buy are really good as they stack well in the freezer, and are a good size for a single meal. I tend to do one bulk cook, where I have one thing going in my normal oven, one thing in my benchtop oven, one in the crockpot, and something in the electric frypan, a super easy way is to do 4 recipes that all suit say spuds and veges, mashed or otherwise, then you just bulk cook those and add to each dish, I usually do a bulk cook 4 or so times a year, then each weekend add one dish to the freezer menu, as I like to call it, then when I know its all been in there a while I let it run totally down, and do the next bulk cook. You can pretty much freeze anything, curries, casseroles, roasts, pasta dishes you name it, and it makes week day meals totally hassle free, just get out what you want for dinner the night before and let it defrost in the fridge, then heat and eat. I feel for all of those who have to cook every night, when all I have to do is chuck my tea in the microwave for a home cooked healthy meal that tastes good, and I know whats in it, unlike some of those frozen tv dinners ! Good luck with getting a system going for yourself :)
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