OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

melanzana

redbette wrote: »

newbie here hello x

Hello Redbette, and welcome!

debtfreefuture

Good evening everyone!
Blimey, it's windy out there....
I know there are many thing we all love/hate about being single, but one thing I can't get my head around (after nearly 6 years) is cooking for one.
What do you all eat. I get so fed up with ready meals. I have good intentions when I go shopping to eat loads of veg, but when I get in from a long day at work I really can't be bothered to cook them. I'm feeling so lethargic and yucky at the moment and I know it's all do to with what I'm eating.
So singlies, what's on your menu's?

singlestep

debtfreefuture, I do go through stages of buying too many ready meals too. When I have more than a couple of days off, though, I batch cook every day. Last weekend, I cooked chicken chasseur and braised beef with cranberries, both from the goodfood site, and also chilli con carne and vegetable lasagna (to not a particularly authentic recipe). I made six portions of each, five of which went in to an individual-sized container and will be used for those nights I really can't be bothered before my next holidays (which will be common). I also cooked 12 portions of tomato sauce which can be used on its own or with added meatballs and/or vegetables.

I have some variation of vegetable stirfry at least once a week and a small portion of celery or radishes or carrot batons to either have during morning break or when I arrive home if I have to wait for dinner to be ready. However, I do go through stages of not being inclined to really cook. Then, I don't force myself to do anything other than a huge batch of soup on Sunday. If I have nothing else, it is fine for the first four days of the working week, a couple of portions go in the fridge and a couple of portions go to my mum. I use a food flask and, five hours later at lunchtime, it's still really warm. Every few weeks I can have a break and use up some of what's in the freezer. That way I know I've probably had at least three portions of veg as well as my fruit before dinner.

melanzana, I'm sorry to hear that you've been through such a lot. You still just need to take things day by day at this relatively early stage. Through time, I'm sure you'll learn how to live with it and everything will seem less raw. (I still have a good cry now and then about my own bereavements which all took place over 15 years ago but most of the time can look back and mainly remember the happier times). Take care x

grousescot

I'm with you on the yucky weather, and I'm nowhere near all the chaos what I'd refer to as "down south".

I'd say that batch cooking (with and without a slow cooker) and a proper freezer are the single person's best tools. I don't bother to scale down any recipe I make so one cooking session yields at least two meals-worth and frequently more. I have the same evening meal two days in a row at the most then if there's enough left, it goes in the freezer. Tonight it was lentil and veg curry and rice - I find this can do four meals very easily.

I used to have ready meals (pasta 'n' sauce, stuff in tins) a lot but I've built up a repertoire of one pot/pan recipes which can be put together in half an hour or so. Slow cooker is good for making stews - I've never been any good at making them on the hob and it makes a nice aroma to come home to.

spirit

debtfreefuture wrote: »

Good evening everyone!
Blimey, it's windy out there....
I know there are many thing we all love/hate about being single, but one thing I can't get my head around (after nearly 6 years) is cooking for one.
What do you all eat. I get so fed up with ready meals. I have good intentions when I go shopping to eat loads of veg, but when I get in from a long day at work I really can't be bothered to cook them. I'm feeling so lethargic and yucky at the moment and I know it's all do to with what I'm eating.
So singlies, what's on your menu's?

At first I found it difficult and was still shopping and cooking for 2/4. Now, i buy smaller packs of things like minced beef, but make 2 of chilli/bolognese and freeze the other portion.

I've been doing the 5.2 since May so 2 or 3 days a week I only have 500 cals (normally less) so that only leaves 4 days meals to think about. A jacket spud with chilli or if I roast a chicken on sunday, thai red curry either with rice or a jacket spud.

Stir fry is another favourite. or bacon/sausage cooked in the frying pan and half a tin of chopped tomatoes, few frozen peas or whatever you like bunged in. cook some pasta then bung it altogether - yum

moneyistooshorttomention

Singlie meals = I'm very prone to halving recipes and having the same thing for dinner two days in a row (that way I only have to think about it every other day). Now I've got a huge freezer that has translated up into "Any time I make soup I'll do the full recipe, ie 4 portions worth, and stick the extra in the freezer". Those Y&o Valley large yogurt containers are about the right size and shape for 2 portions worth of soup.

I must admit pasta with summat is a frequent meal (just for the quickness/ease of it). Frittatas are useful and a good way of using up leftovers.

Stirfries are useful. Summat with couscous sometimes (as couscous only takes 4 minutes to cook).

A meal when I really REALLY haven't thought about it will be bread (I have nice bread), some cheese, some tomatoes, some black olives and anything else that seems like a good idea with it.

Hummus (made with canned chickpeas) with some vegetable crudit!s and bread or cold cooked potatoes (of the baked potato type).

boddy

Morning everyone.

Having a catch up. I don't know where the time goes theses days.
LavenderBees Sorry to hear about your Mam. Hugs.
melanzana Hugs.

Well kitchen guy has been back with the plans and I'm pleased with them and the price he has quoted. It excludes electric and plumbing. Maybe a couple of hiccups because of where the old piping is. A rough start date is 4 to 6 weeks. I'm still busy emptying kitchen. It's amazing how much carp you collect.

I only have a small freezer in the fridge but can get about 4 portions of a meal in there. This week I've made broth so a couple of them in. I sometimes have a main meal at my voluntary job then something light in the evening. Saturdays I usually make a chow mein or a curry. Sundays I pick up a lunch from the cafe over the road. Much cheaper and delicious. I'm thinking about meals when they are busy putting the kitchen in. Will have the microwave and kettle in the living room. Maybe eating out a bit more.

I usually go into town on a Saturday but just feel like hibernating this weekend. Got stuff to catch up with on tv and some reading maybe.

calicocat

Morning singlies,


Just finished my shifts so will be in some kind of sleep/coma for the next 10hrs with a bit of luck.

After that, plans for rest of weekend and next couple of days are.............Nothing....thank god. i'm going to potter and slob about, unless I get some energy surge and decide to do something (unlikely and not planning on it).

Hope all are well and enjoy your weekend everyone.

Catching up on tv sounds like a good plan Boddy...i may well be doing the same.

groatie_queen

Good morning friends,

It's coffee club for me this morning, then a visit to a garden centre to buy gardening gift tokens for two lots of people. I'm increasingly doing this for known garden lovers rather than risking a stab in the dark as to what gift might be acceptable. It's a nice time of year to be planning things for the garden, too.

Foodwise, I do what Grousescot, MITSTM, & Co do re batch cooking - the freezer is the singlie's friend. It's so nice to know that there's something there to be quickly heated up. I use tinfoil containers, and reheat in my Remoska. Even if I've forgotten to take something out of the freezer, it cooks quite quickly from frozen.

I had rather a restless night, but feel quite bright, so when I get home I'll make a start on what has become a hugely procrastinated amount of paperwork filing. I also need to locate my birth cert, which isn't in its normal file. It's a niggle which I'll be glad to resolve!

Frugalsod

redbette wrote: »

newbie here hello x

Hello and welcome.