Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Homemade Meals for One

Cooking for one or two people can be a challenge, with many recipes resulting in much more food than necessary.  Because of this, many find it difficult to prepare fresh, homemade meals and resort to other resources, such as frozen meals, fast food, or takeout.  These habits can be both expensive and physiologically unfavorable.  However, creating fresh meals for one or two doesn’t have to be difficult or disheartening! Check out the tips and strategies below to make the most of your mealtime.

Become a freezer fanatic.  Freezing individual portions of meat, veggies, soups, and whole grains helps to diminish food waste and get the most bang for your buck.  Meats are typically sold in bulk for less per pound, so go ahead and take advantage of a good deal!  Frozen fruits and veggies are also a convenient way to enjoy these nutrient-rich foods, as they can be just as nutritious as fresh and are much less likely to spoil before they are used.  Be sure to choose options with no added salt, sugar, or sauce as these can alter their nutritional value.

Plan ahead.  At the beginning of the week, make a list of all the groceries you’ll need and try to coordinate late-week meals to use leftovers from those in the beginning of the week.  For instance, left over chicken breast from Monday can be kept and used for a chicken and rice soup on Wednesday.  Doing so wastes less of your food, time, and money.  Cooking can also be done ahead of time.  Take time out of your weekend to prepare a soup you’ll eat later in the week.  Then, freeze this soup in individual portions to be enjoyed another time.

Become friends with dried beans.  Dried beans are amazingly affordable and can add a little variety and versatility into your weekly diet.  They can be roasted and used as a side dish, cooked and mashed to make refried beans, or added to a soup or chowder for an extra element of texture and taste.

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