Cooking for one

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  • caronc
    caronc Posts: 8,049
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    meg72 wrote: »
    Sorry to disagree but I feel this is a mindset to be avoided. Food is not only for sharing it is to keep me healthy, physically and mentally.

    Ready meals are out for me due to high salt, sugar and fat. I do have soup for lunch sometimes but its HM.

    I feel its often the case when newly alone to fall into the trap of thinking its not worth cooking "just for me" that just makes me feel sad, like I am not worth a nice home cooked meal. Nice food is only for company?

    No I am worth the same love and care that I would put into making a family meal and doing so makes me feel good about myself.

    Theres nothing better than sharing a meal but theres a lot worse
    things than eating on my own.
    Absolutely :)
  • Thanks to LW for the nut loaf link . I've seen it mentioned across various threads and have now finally bookmarked it :)
    Another one who didn't get on with the Delia book . Mine was in the charity shop shortly after buying .
    I agree with the posters on eating well and healthily . It's easy to rustle up something when you don't feel liking making a lot of effort and there are healthy easy options to do so . After all if we don't look after ourselves who will ?
    For the book lovers among us Sam Stern is worth a look . His Too Good To Share is a good buy . Each recipe makes two different meals in one cooking session . His Eat Vegetarian is one of my most used books and I've lost count of how many copies I've bought for family and friends . The recipes are for different portions and many have a vegan choice . Simple , uncomplicated and the sort of food you want to cook . The Student book also is suitable for one upwards . If perish the thought I could only keep 100 books those three books would be on the list . He co-wrote a couple of earlier ones with his mum which although not aimed at solo eating are brilliant and one actually features Betty's Fat Rascals loved by us northeners and quite expensive in The Tea Rooms . Finally he introduced his readers to Hendersons Sauce which is a vegetarian version of Lea and Perrins Worcester Sauce but nicer and livens up soups and stews etc .
    Apologies to those who aren't book fans but in my life Home is where the books are :)
    polly
    It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.

    There but for fortune go you and I.
  • She's back - I got the email from Mortgage Free in Three a couple of days ago, the first one for ages.
    Keeping three cats, the car and myself on a small budget, and enjoying life while we're at it!
  • pollyanna_26
    pollyanna_26 Posts: 4,839
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    Winchelsea Thank you so much for the news of Elaine's return , made my day . I was caught up in the great Yahoo debacle a couple of months ago and voted with my feet . Never thought Elaine would be back so need to alter my email details on her site to get my daily fix .
    polly
    It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.

    There but for fortune go you and I.
  • LameWolf
    LameWolf Posts: 11,234
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    edited 16 January 2017 at 2:41PM
    melanzana wrote: »
    There is nothing worse than making up a lovely meal and then eating it alone.
    Obviously we're never all going to agree on this - but for me personally I have to agree with Melanzana. And I think the sticking point is that I dislike cooking so much.

    I don't mind making a meal for my DH because I love him to bits, and he loves his food. Whereas I see cooking AND eating as blimmin' chores that I have to perform in order to keep body and soul together.

    When my little Penny-Dog was alive, I used to have my dins at the same time she had hers, just so that I didn't have to eat alone.

    As with so many things, it's "horses for courses". :o

    Btw, I have just finished making a lemon cheesecake and a cheese, tomato, onion and Qu0rn quiche....... :D
    If your dog thinks you're the best, don't seek a second opinion.;)
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698
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    There are many ways in which cooking for one is entirely different to cooking for two or more. Catering for yourself for a week or two, or couple of months, isn't the same as always cooking for one.

    Cooking involves the problems of shopping/quantities and use by dates, making sure you use it all. You can't freeze everything; while a family might choose to freeze this or that, they'd struggle if everything they cooked also required putting 4-5 portions into the freezer and then having to eat it to free up the space.

    Then there's the "driver". Alone you have to decide and work out what to cook - there's nobody saying "ooh cook me this, cook me that" or "can we have ... please, please, let's have that". You have to sit and think and decide.

    Then there's the "point", what is the point.... often the act of cooking will put you off feeling like food. It's a lonely existence, standing there in the kitchen waiting for something to cook.... so you can eat it, then do the washing up ... then stare at the debris everywhere that needs cleaning up.

    Nobody to feed but yourself.

    Toast, crumpets and muffins fill a hole :)

    So long as you're managing to eat something, that's kind of "a good start".

    :)

    Cooking for one isn't just today, or this week, or this month, or until the end of the year.... it's decade after decade after decade of mindless having to go through the motions, just to put something hot onto a plate, to be eaten in 2-3 minutes flat.

    There's no "joy" in that unless you're really into your cooking, love your kitchen, have the gadgets you want and can afford the more exciting ingredients that go into "nicer/better food".

    All this against a backdrop of celebs on the telly with their "crowdpleasing" "it's all about family and friends" dishes and their glorious houses filled with food and friends and the sun shining in from outside. Except Nigel, who always looks like he wishes he still had town gas connected.... so he didn't have to open his HUUUUUUGE fridge and pull out another block of parmesan.

    Today's breakfast was: skipped it
    Today's lunch was: One cheese triangle.
    Today's tea will be: God only knows, what's quickest/easiest?
  • Nelski
    Nelski Posts: 15,197
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    I think its really sad that people see food in this way ...Pastures New I cant believe you manage to live off the stuff you do and its no surprise that there no pleasure in it.

    Certain things about cooking for one I hate like making too much so that my freezer is always overflowing or having to eat the same meal twice in a row ...sometimes theres only so many ways you can dress up meat and veg :D

    Having said that lets look at the positives, you never need to cook or eat something you don't like to please a bloke or anyone come to think of it, you can have strange combinations of foods you love without anyone thinking you are loopy, when you do have friends for dinner you can really enjoy being over the top and treating everyone to chef type food :) , its cheap and even if you eat well its difficult to spend lots on just your food and my favourite there are no rules such as we eat dinner at 7 or whatever you make your own rules :D

    I guess I am lucky I love cooking and I love cooking for me so I am sad for those who see it as a chore and I would really worry about PNs diet :( come on over to my house matey and ill cook you up a feast

    So having said all the above waffle tonight is a repeat of last night..meats from Christmas veg and roasts
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698
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    edited 9 March 2017 at 9:07AM
    Nelski wrote: »
    you never need to cook or eat something you don't like to please a bloke or anyone come to think of it,
    That's a choice some choose to make. I'd not do it. If they want it they can get it themselves.
    Nelski wrote: »
    you can have strange combinations of foods you love without anyone thinking you are loopy,
    I've never cared what people think about strange combinations - indeed, I post my food on MSE to bring "those who cannot be 4rsed" into the fold, by letting them know that others "eat cr4p and still live" and you don't get run off the site for doing so.
    Nelski wrote: »
    when you do have friends for dinner you can really enjoy being over the top and treating everyone to chef type food
    With no table, no chairs, no dinner set and a fear of ovens ... plus, no mates ... that's really never going to happen. :)
    Nelski wrote: »
    there are no rules such as we eat dinner at 7 or whatever you make your own rules
    It's the gnawing pain from my stomach that drags me towards the kitchen ... not a desire to eat any food in there.
    Nelski wrote: »

    come on over to my house matey and ill cook you up a feast
    I'm funny about food ... I'd need a full menu rundown before I'll say "yes" as you might try to feed me "funny stuff" - and I don't eat things I don't like :)
  • monnagran
    monnagran Posts: 5,284
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    Pollyanna: "my life home is where the books are." Me too.

    My idea of heaven is a bed in the corner of the library, next to the coffee machine.
    What else could you want?

    x
    I believe that friends are quiet angels
    Who lift us to our feet when our wings
    Have trouble remembering how to fly.
  • meg72
    meg72 Posts: 5,164
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    monnagran wrote: »
    Pollyanna: "my life home is where the books are." Me too.

    My idea of heaven is a bed in the corner of the library, next to the coffee machine.
    What else could you want?

    x

    A pack of Jaffa Cakes lol.
    Slimming World at target
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