Cooking for One: A Guide to Healthy Eating on a Budget
Living alone can be challenging, especially when it comes to cooking. Often, people buy too much food and overspend, or worse, throw away perfectly good food. But fear not; here are some tips and tricks for cooking healthy without breaking the bank.
1. Make a Plan: To avoid overspending and food waste, it’s essential to plan out your meals for the week. Start by checking what you already have at home and list the groceries you need. Stick to your list and your budget.
2. Utilize Your Freezer: Buying in bulk can be a great way to save money, but it can be overwhelming for someone cooking for one. Luckily, a freezer can help extend the shelf life of perishable foods. So, don’t be afraid to buy in bulk or make meals in larger quantities and freeze the leftovers for future use.
3. Have Recipes and Use Leftovers: Recipes are typically geared towards larger households, leaving those cooking for one with excess leftovers. Instead of wasting food, learn to half the recipe or divide it by three. This might take some culinary math, but the leftovers can be used for future meals or substituted in future recipes.
4. Go Plant-Based: Plant-based meals are often cheaper and healthier than meat-based meals. Beans, lentils, whole grains, and eggs are excellent sources of protein that can be stored in the pantry for long periods. Even cutting back on meat a few nights a week can significantly affect your budget.
5. Kitchen Sink Recipes: When ingredients are running low, and a trip to the grocery store isn’t feasible, turn to these versatile and easy-to-make dishes. Shakshuka, stir-fry, frittatas, pantry pasta, veggie and bean stews, tacos, and rice bowls are all great options that can be made with pantry staples or leftover ingredients.
Cooking healthy for one on a budget takes some planning and creativity, but it’s achievable. With these tips and tricks, you can stock up on ingredients, avoid food waste, and enjoy healthy and delicious meals even when living alone. Do you have any favorite dishes to make for one? Let us know in the comments.
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Source Description
Cooking, for one, is a surprisingly tricky craft to master… So many recipes are meant for a household of four to six, and the mental math required to cut a recipe in half can be intimidating. Luckily, registered dietitian Jessica Ball is here to break down how to cook healthy meals for one person while minimizing food waste and switching it up so you’re not just eating the same leftovers all week. She explains how to stock your fridge and utilize your freezer while saving money at the grocery store by opting for plant-based protein options. Plus, she shares her go-to “kitchen-sink” recipes for using up produce with everyday pantry ingredients.
Read the article here: https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7828600/dietitian-living-alone-cooking-for-one/
#Cooking #Food #Meals #HowTo #Tips #EatingWell
0:00 Introduction
0:22 Make a Plan
1:05 Utilize Your Freezer
1:42 Halve Recipes & Use Leftovers
2:28 Go Plant-Based
2:59 Try “Kitchen-Sink” Recipes
An EatingWell registered dietitian answers the internet’s burning questions about the hottest topics in nutrition, diet, and health.
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How to Cook Healthy Meals for One | Cooking for One Tip & Tricks | Dietitian Q&A | EatingWell
