How to Cook When You're Dining Alone
You don't need to pare down great recipes or live on takeout.
Here's how to make tasty, healthy meals when you're cooking for one.
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Shop smart when you're cooking for one.
- Shop with a friend; split perishables into individual amounts.
- Divide large cuts of meats & freeze into single-size portions.
- Buy fresh & frozen produce.
- It's easier to use in smaller portions than canned fruits &veggies.
- Stock up on staples like dried pasta, beans & rice.
Cook More, Not Less
- Healthy cooking for one doesn't have to mean paring down great recipes.
- If you like buying in bulk & the convenience of having meals on hand, cooking more
makes sense. - Make a crock of chili, a pan of lasagna, or a pot of soup.
- Eat one portion & freeze the rest.
Cut Prep & Cleanup Time
- One-pan meals like lasagna or a casserole make cleanup easy.
- But you can slash prep time, too.
- Chopping veggies or meat for tonight's dinner?
- Chop twice the amount & then use the rest tomorrow.
- Buy pre-cut produce for hectic days.
- Try cooking with a friend.
- Swap half your chili for half her meatloaf.
Plan Balanced Meals
- When you're planning to make balanced, healthy meals:
1. Make at least half of your grains whole (brown rice, oatmeal).
2. Eat lean meats & other proteins (beans, peas & fish).
3. Get lots of fruits & vegetables.
Use More Spice, Less Salt
- Most of us get more sodium than we need.
- Instead of salt, punch up the flavor of your kitchen creations with fresh lemon & lime juice,
a pinch of herbs & spices like dill, chives, rosemary, sage, ginger & dry mustard or splashes
of flavored vinegars & oils.
Reduce the Recipe
- Are you in the mood for leftovers?
- Cut the recipe in half.
- Read a recipe before you pare it down because some ingredients, like 1 egg, are ready
to divide. - When you reduce a recipe, you may have to change the size of the pan & alter the cooking time.
- Or skip the hassle by inviting friends for dinner & sending them home with leftovers.
Store Food Safely
- Keep left overs after safe & nutritious by dividing them into shallow containers while still hot.
- Then putting them in the fridge to cool.
- Leave room because cold air needs to circulate to keep food safe.
- Avoid storing leftovers in old containers.
- Traces of foods like margarine, yogurt, or cheese can still linger, leading to cross-
contamination
Re-heat Right
- When re-heating leftovers, stay safe by warming food to 165° Fahrenheit.
- Check the food in several places with a meat thermometer.
- For meat, be sure you check the temperature in the thickest part.
- A microwave can leave cold spots where bacteria can survive.
- So stir & rotate food a few times during reheating.
Experiment & Have Fun
- Don't get stuck in a rut.
- Try something new to spice up your menu.
- Buy new cookbooks & clip recipes from magazines.
- Buy new-to-you produce, sauces or condiments.
- Try breakfast for dinner, an ethnic cuisine, or grow your own fresh herbs or veggies.
Eat With Friends
- You don't have to cook & eat alone all the time.
- Have family, friends, or neighbors over once a week.
- Throw potluck suppers,join a community club, attend shul luncheons & Kiddishes, eat out
occasionally, or volunteer at Meals On Wheels or the local Kosher soup kitchen.
Like Your Meal
- When you are home alone for dinner, make it a treat.
- Set your table in a cozy nook or out on your porch.
- Put on music you love.
- Bring out the good dishes & fresh flowers.
- Relax, savor your food & admire your ability to cook a good, healthy meal for one.
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