Life Changes and how to adjust cooking habits...

[mseaglecook]

I need advice on how to cook for fewer people. I am really struggling with this issue. All of my recipes are for anywhere between 4 to 8 people. I am having a hard time adjusting. Our family went from 4 to 3 people. I can't really half my recipes because that is not enough servings. Any advice all of you learned chefs would be appreciated.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I have been faced with similar circumstances. Cooking for two was pretty easy. Cooking for three is a bigger challenge. My granddaughter is with us now.
All my frozen meats were portioned for 2 people or 2 meals. I buy at Costco and vacuum and freeze the meats.
I will follow this thread along as I also want to hear suggestions.

Oh...She likes vegetables better than meat.

 

[pictonguy]

What recipes are you referring to? I'll assume your not cooking 4 steaks for 3 people for example or making 4 sides to go with that steak. Most larger batch cooking can be reduced by percentage or frozen for later.

 

[taxlady]

I am following this thread too. I am adjusting from cooking for two to cooking for one.

 

[Badjak]

I am following this thread too. I am adjusting from cooking for two to cooking for one.

Cook as you usually do and put a portion in the freezer....
Cooking for 1 is boring as you can hardly use any ingredients

But other than that, I don't really see the problem.
You just cook a bit less.
From 4 to 3, multiply everything by 0.75, although you may have to adjust liquid. Cooking time stays the same.
Or just leave out a side dish or so.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I’m still learning to cook for one.

The short videos from Jacques Pepin have been a big help for me. He posts them on his FB page and on his foundation website.

Jacques Pépin Cooking Technique Videos - Jacques Pépin Foundation

Join Jacques in the kitchen as he shares tasty recipes and teaches new skills and techniques to make you confident in the kitchen. Our extensive archives include new videos of Jacques Cooking at Home as well as recipes from past series of Julia and Jacques and lots more.

jp.foundation

These days I only cook a couple times each week with a few planned leftovers. I fill in with frozen entrees and grab ‘n’ go convenience foods.

More and more often a can of soup, bowl of cereal, or deli cold cuts on whole grain bread make a meal with a piece of fruit or a vegetable.

The weeks fly by and there has been no sign of significant weight loss.

 

[pepperhead212]

Cook as you usually do and put a portion in the freezer....

Or eat leftovers! Sometimes I cook a lot of some things, that I just can't cook a small amount of, and both freeze some, and eat leftovers.

Cooking for 1 is boring as you can hardly use any ingredients

How does cooking for one mean you have to use fewer ingredients? If anything, I can use more - when cooking for several people, one doesn't like this, another doesn't like that, and after a while, there are a lot of things you won't be using!

 

[taxlady]

Cook as you usually do and put a portion in the freezer....
Cooking for 1 is boring as you can hardly use any ingredients

The problem with that is an overstuffed freezer.

 

[taxlady]

Eating the leftovers/planned overs later in the week sounds like an excellent solution. I just needed to be reminded.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Eating the leftovers/planned overs later in the week sounds like an excellent solution. I just needed to be reminded.

It’s ok to eat the stuff in the freezer too.

 

[taxlady]

It’s ok to eat the stuff in the freezer too.

I'm working on the overstuffed freezer. But, almost all of that requires cooking it.

 

[pepperhead212]

I've been eating a lot of the leftovers from my freezer lately, due to being so busy with garden things. Often, I even think about it far enough in advance that I remove it from the freezer, and thaw it overnight in the fridge, and by the time I reheat it, it needs much less time in the MW. And, while I freeze things in plastic, I don't reheat in plastic.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I am following this thread too. I am adjusting from cooking for two to cooking for one.

That one's easy. Just place one complete meal in a divided container, wrap it in plastic wrap or stick it in a zipper bag and refrigerate or freeze it to eat at a later date.

 

[Andy M.]

As we age, SO and I have smaller appetites. As a result, there are often more leftovers. If there's enough for another meal for two, it gets refrigerated and is gone in 2 or 3 days. If there is less leftover, it's my lunch.

Some recipes are for larger quantities such as soups, stews, pasta sauces, pizza sauce, casseroles, etc. They get packaged in meal-sized containers and frozen for a future date.

Of course, if you don't want or care for leftovers, you'll have to learn how to cook smaller quantities. If halving a recipe doesn't work, reduce it by a smaller amount, say ⅓. Inevitably, some experimentation will be necessary.

 

[GotGarlic]

I often eat dinner leftovers for breakfast or lunch.

 

[Kathleen]

I've been pulling a page from my grandmother and pressure canning some things such as beef stew, pot pie fillings (just add a biscuit,) pot roast, chili, meatballs in sauces, etc. There are so many things one can make with a pressure canner, and no freezer needed.

There are also a lot of websites for people cooking for one or two.

 

[Badjak]

@pepperhead212
I probably didn't explain proper.
What I tried to say is if I make a stir fry or something I prob want to use bell pepper (red and green) onion, tomato, maybe a leek and some meat
Now we are already talking about enough food for 2-3 people maybe 4
But if I would want to cook for 1 only with no left overs, I can only use 1 type bell pepper and some meat and it is already enough.
Which is why I cook for 3-4 even though I live alone.

 

[mseaglecook]

Thank you all for the great advice. I am loving all of your ideas. I see now where we will have to have a leftover day at my house now and make some meals for one with the leftovers. Great Advice Everybody.

 

[caseydog]

It’s ok to eat the stuff in the freezer too.

Im my house, the freezer is where leftovers go to die. Once leftovers get into my freezer, they stay there until I clean out the freezer, and toss the leftovers. Don't ask me why, because I don't know.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

Cooking for 3 - I would still do my recipes for 4 and have tomorrows lunch for one (or breakfast, like GG). Or as many suggested freeze the meal.
The same goes for recipes for 1 or 2 - there are many many sites for them. A recipe for 2 can easily be for 3 - just increase your vegies by one serving, eyeball it. For meat add the extra chop, etc.

Don't think you need make drastic changes. If you have a large recipe for a sauce or gravy but only 2 or 3 people... go ahead and make it because it is a whole site easier than to try and reduce. After a while you will might get used to it.

taxy Onedishkitchen.com is an excellent source. Many sites, ATK, Serious Eats and others have recipes for one or two.

When buying groceries I have to seriously look at how much I buy as I am cooking just for me but also storage is at a premium. So for eg Brussels, I stand there and count how many go in the bag, visualize how they will look on my plate. Am I going to cook them all up entirely for a 2nd meal? or just cook enough for 1 meal?
mseagle this applies to you too.

LOL, once on the farm 3 or 4 dropped by (to watch a hocky game because I had a generator and there was a power failure)
I stood in front of the freezer and said.. Who wants spaghetti? Who wants meat pie? Who wants.... can't remember them all. But we each had a different meal of single serving frozen dinners. LOL they claimed it was better than a restaurant! Personally I think they just liked the free meal - but they did bring the beer and chips!