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Cooking for Singles and Couples

It is often frustrating to attempt to plan meals that are designed for one when recipes are traditionally created for four or six or even more serves.
 
Despite this fact, we are seeing more and more recipe books and websites that are dedicated to the act of cooking for one or two.  Children leaving home, divorce and the death of  are all reasons that someone accustomed to cooking for more than one would suddenly need to learn how to adjust all the cooking practices utilized for years before into a streamlined plan of cooking that is more efficient for one person creating less waste. 
 
The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make cooking for one or two a challenge rather than a trial. Use this opportunity to try new and exciting cuisines. Perhaps one of the greatest things about cooking for one is the fact that it isn't quite as expensive as cooking for two and cooking for two is a lot cheaper than cooking for four or more. This means that you might have a little more money in the grocery budget with which to plan and prepare your meals. 
 
One thing you may want to keep in mind when cooking for one or two, if you prepare foods that are freezer friendly. It may save more time (and in the end money) if you cook the full 4  - 6 servings that most recipes call for and freeze the leftovers in single serving portions for a later point in time. This leaves you with a freezer full of foods for those nights when the thought of cooking just seems beyond your capabilities. It also leaves you with doing the work once and enjoying the fruits of your efforts many times over. This is a great position to be in if you ask me. 
 
We are finding more and more recipes and cookbooks that are designed around the concept of cooking for one or two. No matter what situation placed you in the position of cooking for one or two, there is no reason that you shouldn't enjoy great food that is exciting and pleasant simply because you are dining alone. There is no harm in enjoying a fabulous meal with a nice drink and great music whether you are cooking for one, two or one hundred. 
 
Remember you are what you eat and if you relegate yourself to boring meals that lack excitement and spice that is what you will become. However if you decide to reach out and try new and exciting dishes with every meal you prepare when cooking for one, it will show in the way you embrace life in other areas as well. While we should not live to eat, we should also not limit ourselves to eating to live. Enjoy the foods you prepare whether the portions are large or small in size. 
 
If you do not want to invest heavily in cookbooks that relate to cooking for one, it is quite possible that your local public library will have a few from which you can find some excellent recipes tips and resources. While you are there be sure to check out their selection of exotic food cookbooks in order to spice things up a bit. You never know what treasures you may discover on the shelves or your local library. You may even find local resources on classes that center on the idea of cooking for one. If the library proves to be a bust as far as resources goes, the Internet is full of recipes, tips, and hints for those who are cooking for one. 
 
A Pantry Designed for Cooking for One or Two
 
Whether you are cooking or one or two or four or six or twelve, you need some basic pantry items. The only difference between pantries will be the quantities you have stored. 
 
Pantry:
SR Flour
Sugar
Jarred pasta sauce
Tomato paste
Dried pasta
Rice
Stock cubes
Peanut butter
Canned beans (such as chickpeas, cannellinis, kidneys) 
Dry breadcrumbs
Extra-virgin olive oil
Dried herbs and spices
Onions

Refrigerator: 
Fresh herbs
Eggs
Butter
Plain yogurt
Milk
Cheeses (such as cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella) 
Lemons
Condiments (such as Dijon mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, and soy sauce) 
Jams (such as strawberry, raspberry, and apricot) 
Salad greens (lettuce, cucumber, capsicum)

Freezer: 
Bacon (divide into individual servings) 
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I like to leave some whole and cut some into strips and others cubed for easy use.) 
Minced beef (divided into 500g portions) 
Frozen vegetables (such as spinach, broccoli florets, peas, beans and mixed vegetables) 
Pizza dough (MOO or buy the small, fresh pizza bases and freeze them)
Frozen fruits (such as strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and mango) 
Ice cream

So what can you make with your pantry stocks?

Frozen fruit + yogurt + milk = Fruit Smoothie

Pizza dough + pasta sauce + diced onion + herbs + grated cheese = Margarita pizza

Mince +  pasta sauce + grated cheese + cooked spaghetti = Spag bol

Minced beef or chicken + onion + breadcrumbs + eggs + tomato sauce + herbs = Meatloaf

Chicken breasts + eggs + breadcrumbs + Parmesan + tomato sauce + mozzarella = Chicken Parmesan

Chicken breast + onion + mixed vegetables + cheese + milk + pizza dough = Chicken and Vegetable Pie

Eggs + fresh herbs + cheese + salad =  Omelette with Green Salad