If you need tips on how to cook for one person, you’ve landed on the right blog post. Preparing yourself a nourishing meal is a form of self-care, and with a husband who travels a lot for work, I’ve learned a thing or two about living alone. With a little effort, you’ll enjoy delicious, affordable meals while saving money in no time!
Healthy cooking for one begins with planning. Without a plan, things can get out of control quickly. You can easily buy too much food, resulting in a lot of waste, which is your hard-earned money going in the trash. With the tips below, I hope to help you streamline the process and make it less stressful.
Continue reading to learn my strategies for saving money at the grocery store, repurposing leftovers, batch cooking, and preparing healthy meals for one on a budget!
Learning how to cook for one person can take time and effort. With a husband who travels for work and is gone a lot, I completely change how I plan and prepare my meals when he’s gone. With the right strategies and tips, you can create delicious meals tailored to your needs and wants without breaking the bank.
How To Cook For One Person
Before we dive in, I genuinely believe this is self-care. If you can shift your mindset, it won’t feel like a chore.
- Cooking for yourself saves money and is healthier than grabbing takeout.
- Pour some wine, play some music, and try to enjoy the process. Don’t rush it.
- You are in control of the ingredients, making it easier to tailor dietary restrictions.
- Enjoy the satisfaction of creating something delicious and nourishing for yourself.
- Experiment with different flavors and cuisines without having to please anyone else.
“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” – Harriet Van Horne.
Meal Planning For One
Meal planning is an integral part of the process. It keeps you on track and saves money by making the most of your ingredients. Don’t overcomplicate it. Here are some tips!
- Step One: Look at your weekly schedule to determine how many meals you need. Consider any commitments, such as work lunches or dinner plans with friends.
- Step Two: Based on step one, create a simple meal plan template that includes your favorite foods and snacks. If you’re craving tacos, build a simple plan around those flavors.
- Step Three: Look for recipe inspiration online and jot down some ideas that use similar ingredients. For example, ground beef, cheese, and salsa for tacos can also be used in rice bowls and egg scrambles.
- Step Four: Once you have chosen your recipes, make a detailed shopping list based on the ingredients needed for each meal. Before going to the store, check what you already have in your pantry and fridge to avoid buying things you don’t need.
I have a separate blog post with more tips on how to meal plan on a budget!
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Cooking For One On A Budget
Now that you have a plan, it’s time to shop. We have many articles on ways to save money at the grocery store, so be sure to go back and check those out.
- Taking advantage of sales is one of the easiest ways to save money on food. I like to review the sales flyer before making my meal plan to find lower prices on the ingredients I need.
- Shopping in the bulk bins or at the deli counter allows you to buy smaller portions of ingredients, which is perfect for single-serving meals. This way, you can get just the amount you need, saving money and preventing leftover ingredients from going to waste.
- Protein is the most expensive part of a meal. Choose affordable protein sources like eggs, canned tuna or salmon, or chicken thighs instead of breasts, lentils, and chickpeas. These ingredients are incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes.
- To save on produce, buy frozen and seasonal. Frozen produce saves money and waste. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are more abundant and, therefore, cheaper.
- Learn to love store brands. Being a brand snob is a money suck. Opting for store-branded products can save you significant money without compromising quality.
I’m an advocate of not going to the grocery store. It eliminates impulse purchases, which can result in overspending and overbuying. I regularly get groceries delivered via Instacart and Amazon Fresh.
Prep Your Ingredients
Now that you have a plan and you’ve done your shopping, it’s time to do some prep. Prepping ingredients in advance will take some of the stress out of mealtime. You can see my weekly ingredient prep process here.
- Wash and cut produce. I use bell peppers, onions,and scallions almost daily, so I always have them prepped and ready to go in my fridge. I love these glass containers for keeping things organized.
- Cook grains in advance. My oven-baked rice is in regular rotation at our house. It can be used for quick meal bowls and even breakfast. Rice and eggs are a fast and easy breakfast, high in protein and filling. Quinoa, farro, and pasta can all be cooked in advance.
- Prep and cook your proteins. Cooked ground beef or turkey can be used for quick breakfast scrambles, protein bowls, and so much more. You can also freeze it into meal-size portions so there’s no chopping required when you’re ready to eat.
These are my favorite freezer containers for food prep. They come in various sizes, so you can mix and match them depending on your needs!
 | Silicone Freezer Containers Silicone Freezer Containers For Meal Prep | Oven & Dishwasher Safe | Available In 1/2 Cup To 2 Cup Sizes For Larger Families |
Repurpose Your Leftovers
When you cook for one person, you inevitably have leftovers, and many people only like eating the same meal once. Here are some ideas for turning those leftovers into something else.
- Make an omelet: Most leftover veggies and protein can easily be used in an omelet or egg scramble.
- Easy stir-fry: Leftover rice, noodles, protein, and veggies with store-bought sauce for a quick stir-fry.
- Love soup? Cooked veggies, cooked protein, and grains can be combined into a hearty soup. I used leftover chicken in the congee recipe above. You can find that recipe here.
How To Make Cooking For One Easier
For those who don’t enjoy cooking, let’s talk about ways to make that process a little more enjoyable.
- Keep it simple. Avoid complicated recipes with long ingredient lists. When looking for recipe inspiration, search “5 ingredient recipes” or “20-minute meals”.
- Use an air fryer or toaster oven for various cooking tasks, such as baking, broiling, toasting, and reheating. They’re perfect for cooking single servings without turning on the stove or washing multiple dishes. I have this air fryer and love it!
- Eat whatever you want! Don’t pressure yourself into thinking dinner has to be dinner food. The beauty of living alone and cooking for yourself is that you don’t have anyone else to please. Scrambled eggs and cottage cheese are on regular rotation in my house!
- If you don’t want to prep produce, buy it frozen! These days, you can find everything from onions to potatoes in the frozen section. It’s prepped and ready.
No one is giving anyone an award for doing it all from scratch. I buy prechopped, frozen, and ready-to-go ingredients all the time because sometimes you don’t want to chop an onion!
Batch Cooking For Quick Meals Later
Make larger meals that you can divide into smaller portions and save for later. This allows you to have a stockpile of ready-to-go meals. Here are some meals you can make in big batches and freeze for later.
- Soups are perfect for batch cooking because they hold up well and thaw easily. Avoid adding pasta, which can become overcooked and mushy.
- Mini casserole-style meals like a layered taco bake, shepherd’s pie, chicken and rice, and tater tot casseroles are affordable, filling, and freeze well.
- Hearty beef-and-bean chili is one of my favorite meals to batch-cook. It reheats beautifully and tastes even better!
I hope this post has given you inspiration and helpful tips for cooking for one person. If you have any suggestions, please share them in the comments below!
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