Many recipes serve four or six, and grocery stores sell food in family-size packages. After years of cooking for a household, cooking for one or two people can feel like a chore, and it is tempting to skip meals or rely on snacks. With a little planning, it can be simple, affordable and enjoyable.
Plan a little each week
- Pick three or four main meals for the week. Other days can be leftovers or easy meals such as eggs and toast, soup or a sandwich.
- Plan for planned leftovers. Roast a chicken on Sunday, use the leftovers in a wrap on Monday and a soup on Wednesday.
- Write a shopping list from your plan, and check what you already have.
Shop smart for small households
- Buy loose produce so you can take just one or two pieces.
- Use the salad bar or deli counter for small amounts of chopped vegetables or cooked grains.
- Choose frozen vegetables and fruit, which you can use a handful at a time.
- Ask the butcher or fish counter to split packages or sell smaller portions.
- Stock pantry staples such as canned beans, tuna, tomatoes, low-sodium broth, oats, rice and pasta.
Cook once, eat twice
- Make a full recipe and freeze the rest in single portions. Soups, stews, chili, casseroles and cooked grains freeze well. See freezer-friendly meals.
- Halve recipes when freezing is not an option. Most recipes divide easily.
- Repurpose leftovers. Roasted vegetables can go into an omelet, pasta or grain bowl.
Easy meals for one or two
- Sheet-pan dinner: a chicken thigh or salmon fillet with chopped vegetables, tossed in olive oil and roasted together.
- Omelet or frittata with leftover vegetables and a little cheese.
- Grain bowl: rice or barley with beans, vegetables and a simple dressing.
- Bean soup made from canned beans, broth, frozen vegetables and herbs.
- Baked potato topped with beans, broccoli and yogurt.
Make mealtime pleasant
Eating alone can make it easy to rush or skip meals. Set the table, put on music or eat by a window. Invite a friend or neighbor to share a meal now and then, or take turns cooking for each other.
Many communities offer group meals for older adults at senior centers and community sites, often for a small voluntary donation. They are a good way to enjoy a balanced meal with company. Read home-delivered meals and community dining programs.
Kitchen tools that help
- A small slow cooker or multi-cooker for one-pot meals.
- Freezer-safe containers in single-serving sizes, plus labels and a marker.
- A good, sharp knife, which is safer than a dull one.
- Easy-grip utensils and jar openers if you have arthritis.
