Table for One

Kerri_is_so_very

Looking for suggestions on meals for 1. I'm a single parent and my kids rarely eat what I do, so it's just me. I find it difficult to cook for one and then tend to get sick of eating the same thing for 4 or 5 meals because I cook enough for 4. Suggestions for easy freeze or easy prep for one would be appreciated!

HardcorePork

Buy in bulk, pre-package the bulk items into single servings and freeze. When you cook a meal, portion out some servings and freeze them. I typically spend sunday doing prep work and making 2-3 soups that I can freeze for the future. Then you can reheat your meals. It may take a little time to develop a freezer full of options, but itll work.

chrisb75

Veggie Pizza:

1 Whole Wheat Pita bread (I use Orlandos)
1/4 Cup Mozzeralla Cheese
1/4 -1/2 Cup pizza sauce
LOADS of veggies of your choice
1 tsp Olive Oil
Spices

Drizzle and spread Olive Oil on pita and cover with spices. Bake at 425 3-5 minutes until slighlty crispy. Remove from oven Chop up veggies (I use variety of peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and avacado), mix in cheese. Put sauce on pita, put veggie mix on top. Bake at 425 4-6 minutes until hot and cheese melted:

405 Calories 16g fat 20g protein

HardcorePork

You also need to learn to reuse items in new and interesting ways.

For example, I made a big spanish tapas meal on Sunday. Part of the meal was patatas bravas, which is fried (or roasted) potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce. I made enough for 4 people, but we are only 2. I kept the sauce and potatoes separate until serving. The remaining potatoes, I used in a breakfast burrito the next morning. The remaining saucy tomatoes were combined with black beans and chicken stock to make a nice soup for later in the week.

Kerri_is_so_very

Thanks everyone, very helpful suggestions!

BrianSharpe

Please don't take this as a criticism of your parenting skills but why aren't your kids eating the same as you? Are they just picky eaters?

As a single mother I'm inclined to think that you're already busy enough without having to cook 2 separate menus every day; there were 5 kids in my family and my mother always gave us 2 choices for dinner.......take it or leave it!

Kerri_is_so_very

Please don't take this as a criticism of your parenting skills but why aren't your kids eating the same as you? Are they just picky eaters?

As a single mother I'm inclined to think that you're already busy enough without having to cook 2 separate menus every day; there were 5 kids in my family and my mother always gave us 2 choices for dinner.......take it or leave it!

One is VERY picky and always has been. She gets what I have or she has to make her own alternative (though when she was younger I catered to her and I shouldn't have)....my 3 year old eats most everything (and at times the same as what I eat), but her portions are VERY small. Other times they eat at the Y while I am working out and then I eat when I get home. So it just depends on our busy day. And trust me, as a single mom I don't cook daily...usually once or twice a week (hence so many leftovers readily available). So typically it's just a re-heat no matter who I'm prepping for. And they aren't super unhealthy foods that they are eating, just not all the crazy salads and some times spicy foods that I eat.
Your mother was a very wise woman!!!

wolfchild59

I'm the opposite. My husband and I had mis-matched schedules for so long that I only know how to cook for myself. When I have to try to cook for both of us I usually end up messing something up along the way. I make all of my daily lunches and breakfasts, along with dinner almost every night. And I make every single meal one at a time. That whole cook ahead for a week thing totally doesn't exist in my kitchen. Lol

Kerri_is_so_very

Please don't take this as a criticism of your parenting skills but why aren't your kids eating the same as you? Are they just picky eaters?

As a single mother I'm inclined to think that you're already busy enough without having to cook 2 separate menus every day; there were 5 kids in my family and my mother always gave us 2 choices for dinner.......take it or leave it!

One is VERY picky and always has been. She gets what I have or she has to make her own alternative (though when she was younger I catered to her and I shouldn't have)....my 3 year old eats most everything (and at times the same as what I eat), but her portions are VERY small. Other times they eat at the Y while I am working out and then I eat when I get home. So it just depends on our busy day. And trust me, as a single mom I don't cook daily...usually once or twice a week (hence so many leftovers readily available). So typically it's just a re-heat no matter who I'm prepping for. And they aren't super unhealthy foods that they are eating, just not all the crazy salads and some times spicy foods that I eat.
Your mother was a very wise woman!!!

The other reasons I eat different meals then my children is I work 40+ hours a week and they are in daycare or school during that time. I bring my breakfast, lunch and all snacks with me. On weekends we are some times on the same page