Suggestions for dieting as a single girl??

^^^ Agree. If I can't cut my recipe down to just one or two servings I save the rest in a storage container for later. It comes in handy the next day so I don't have to cook or put too much thought into planning for that meal.

I'm a single girl, but I never buy ready meals. I batch cook everything from fresh and then portion it up and freeze the rest. It is great as it means that you build up a stock of different meals which only need re-heating. I then just cook fresh veg/rice/potatoes to go with the main meals.

Good luck!!

I almost never cooked when I was single, and I've never been healthier. It's a lot easier than accommodating a family in many ways. Cottage cheese, chicken breasts, eggs, yogurt, oatmeal: those were my staples.

I have eaten lean cusines before..but what I find are so much better? Trader Joe's Reduced Mac 'N cheese.. 270 calories and so yummy. Their Chicken Tiki Masla 300 calories..and pizza primavera reduced guilt... 250. must tastier than Lean Cuisine.

The freezer is your best friend, whether you are single or with someone. I will cook a large meal and then use my tupper ware to store it. Also I will buy the family pack of meat and portion it out into servings and freeze them.

I did all of this when I was single and now that I am married

cook for four, and portion out the meals for the rest of the week. i used to do this all the time. i would make like, two big meals a week. that is if you don't mind eating the same things over the course of a week or ten days.

Meats - portion raw pork chops, chicken breasts, or fish fillets in ziplock bags. Add marinade & freeze. I take a lemon chicken breast out of the freezer before I go to work. When I get home I have marinated meat for stir fry, the grill, a casserole, whatever. Lots of marinades you can make yourself.

I also grill up several chicken breasts ahead of time & portion them out into ziplock bags. That way I have them ready for salads, sandwiches, whatever.

I do use Lean Cuisine once and awhile ....but I typically end up adding extra veggies. There are some "recipes" ....ie: alfredo ...I just have not found a good "diet" alternative (yet).

Oh my gosh, it's frustrating trying to cook for one. What I did in college was buy a big bag of frozen chicken breasts and one of salmon and just did those up in fun ways nightly. They're individually frozen so it's easy to pull out one and make a sauce or crust or whatever. I used frozen vegetables so I could just grab a (very cold) handful and cook them, and they make individual containers of rice now or I'd throw in some pasta. If I made or bought bread, I'd leave out half and freeze the other half for later.

I am single, I cook all the time. I usually make a dish to serve four and freeze the extras for those nights I just don't feel like cooking, or the days where I over sleep and I can grab something as I run out the door.

I feel like I waste so much food when I try to cook for just one?? Does anyone have any suggestions or are lean cuisines it?!?

Do you not eat leftovers?

I try to make things that work easy for leftovers, or come up with meals that easily make one serving. I also cook for friends when I'm feeling like trying a new recipe, that way there's more of it to get eaten. (I also cook for my four-year-old most nights, though he rarely eats what I make.)

It's mostly the leftovers thing, though. That was a hard thing for me to teach myself, and sometimes my food still gets wasted, which drives me nuts.

Cook... less?

I find it easier to keep slim as a single girl, as you don't have to worry about feeding anyone diet food, or someone feeding you things that you know will pile on the pounds. (not to mention less eating out, booze and chocolate - shame about missing out on sex calorie-burning though :-/)

I am subsequently a constant snacker and grazer. I keep food in which is great to eat in small quantities and then don't really bother about making meals (nuts, fruit, seeds and dried fruit, yoghurt, eggs, cooked meats, rice cakes and salad items etc)

Then when I have friends over for dinner or I go out to eat, I relax and have a meal, but just have a dainty portion or choose something healthy. Don't buy ready meals, I know they are convenient and easy to diet with because of their information, but it really is better to keep real good fresh food to hand.

I normally don't use the lean cuisine or ready meals but it 's only because I like to cook. This week I actually bought a lot of the Weight Watchers smart ones because I was low on money and it was on sale.... seriously tho why should I not eat these? I see everyone frowning on them and it has me concerned

I was the same way for a long time, eating all lean cuisine / frozen pre-packaged foods. I've worked mostly out of that mode though, and only eat them maybe 1 or 2 times a week (or less). It's all about planning ahead of time. Like several people have said, make a recipe for 2-4 people (I personally rarely do more than 2, because I don't want to see the same meal 3 or 4 times in a row... LOL), and freeze or refrigerate the extra. I've also gotten to making items that require minimal to zero cooking, and make more than one serving at a time. Lately, I've been addicted to spaghetti squash. I use it as my 'base' probably 3 or 4 times a week. Pretty much any spaghetti based recipe, just sub spaghetti squash and cut the calories and carbs by probably 60-70%. And it's really good, makes me feel like I'm 'cheating". Another regular on my rotation is my hack of the Jimmy John's (sandwich shop) #12 Beach Club 'unwich' (lettuce wrap). Super simple... just iceburg or romaine for the wrap, turkey, provolone, avocado, cucumber, and tomato (I sub out the mayo for mustard). I'll make 2 or 3 of those at a time and toss the extras in the fridge... there is no bread, so it doesn't get mushy, and the avocado actually keeps really well as long as you eat within 2-3 days. My other favorite thing right now is my morning 'green smoothies'. It is a concoction I came up with, a mixture of several recipes I found on Pinterest. It's 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (cooked and refrigerated the night before so it's cold), 1 frozen, cut up banana, 2 cups spinach or mixed greens, 1 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk, and 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter. Blend it all up, and voila! This is my breakfast several days a week, and you can make and freeze these (works out to apx 3 cups). It ends up being about 500 Healthy calories, but it is yummy (tastes just like peanut butter banana milkshake to me) and SO filling. Plus, for me... now that I'm eating heathier and working out a lot, I'm finding it difficult getting in my calories for the day so this one is really helpful.

Hope this helps... great post, I'm always looking for new 'single girl' meal ideas to mix things up!