It isn't that I live alone, it's just that my husband doesn't always eat the same things I do. And when it comes to healthy food, our tastes differ greatly.
It's hard to know just how much to buy for myself. I'm so frusterated when I have to throw away produce or fat free lunchmeat that has gone bad. That stuff is expensive for me!
I know the feeling, I live alone. One of my big failings in the past has been the 2 portion ready meal. Particularly if it's from one of the low calorie/low fat ranges I have half, it doesn't fill me up and start picking at the other half...
So I now try to cook everything for myself, I'm finding recipes that just serve one or that can easily be adapted. Or I freeze stuff for another time. As I get better at planning what I'm going to eat in advance I find that I have less stuff sitting in my fridge going off.
The freezer is your friend! Even things like lunch meat, cheese, etc. usually freeze with little to no impact on their quality. As for produce, I always buy less than I expect to need since I can always stop by the store and pick up more if I need to. I'd rather make a second trip than throw the money away.
More often than not the rest of my family eats what I fix. It took a little trial and error to narrow my menu down to a handful of things that everybody likes but it wasn't hard to do. I try to keep "extra" dinner stuff on hand (hot dogs, boca burgers, pasta, etc.) for those nights that I make something that I know the kids won't go near (or my DH for that matter). And, I keep a couple of lean cuisine dinners on hand and my pantry well stocked for those nights that they want me to make one of their old favorites that no longer appeals to me.
Also, I've found that most of my "old" recipes can be made healthier with just a few minor changes that nobody even notices as long as I don't tell them. Again, it just took a little trial and error to get them just right.
I dont live alone as such, I live in residence (or on college I think its called over there), and my Hall is self catered. That means i'm always cooking for one. I have to agree the freezer is definitly a friend indeed. However I usually take one day of the week (mostly saturdays or sundays) and have a big cook-up. I tend to make a big batch of soup and another main, this week it was individual serves of shepards pie made in those little ramekin dishes. I have just recently addicted myself to a new favorite lunch too...just a tub of no-fat yoplait yoghurt (80 cals) and 1/2 of kellogg's bodysmart fruit 'n oat cereal (150 cal). Mix them together and leave for a couple hours...yes, i know its just a take on bircher muesli but its so much like a big yummy pudding it satisfies everything without any guilt whatsoever!
My DH is constantly trying to gain weight! He has trouble keeping his weight up to 135! (Totally not fair! ) Our kitchen reflects our two distinct eating styles: ff yogurt side-by-side with full fat; a freezer with premium ice cream; skim milk alongside half-and-half, you get the picture. I try to cook main dishes that I can eat yet easily supplement for him, so when he's away, I actually find it easier to eat right - I'm not constantly looking at those full-fat, calorie laden goodies.
I never knew you could freeze lunchmeat either! If you were using the kind that came in a container like the Deli Selects, would you take them out of the container?
yes, the mini shepards pies do hold well through the week. I can leave them just in the fridge and they are fine for up to 5 days. But they can be frozen as well so they will last a lot longer. (I just tend to eat them alot more quickly than that lol)
And yup, I used to have yoghurt and cereal for breakfast too...but I never let it stand, just ate it straight away. Which is nice. But when it turns into yoghurt pudding...Ooo...there is no comparison lol. *munches away*
I freeze luncheon meat a lot - whenever I find it on sale. I put it inside a freezer bag and press/suck all the air out. (A vacumn sealer would work great, but I don't have one.) Just remeber it takes awhile to thaw enough to get the slices apart.
You can freeze the luncheon meat however you need to. So, if you are having trouble consuming it all before it goes bad just put half of it in a freezer ziplock, get as much air out of it as you can (I use a straw), and that's it. Put the rest in the fridge for the week.
There really are very few things that you can't freeze as long as you do it properly. Mayo, sour cream, eggs, etc. don't freeze well - they lose their consistency in the process. You can even freeze milk you just have to shake it up after it has thawed. And the best part is that with a little planning you can save yourself a TON of time and money. There are lots of books and websites if you are interested in learning more.
Know exactly what was said about easier to cook alone. When I am alone I just don't think about food as often, and don't feel the need to structure large meals into my day, just eat when I am hungry and make small portions. Together with the bf I am more often going out or cooking large meals as his eyes are continually bigger than his stomach.
I never knew you could freeze lunchmeat either! If you were using the kind that came in a container like the Deli Selects, would you take them out of the container?
Nickie
Those are like GladWare, right? Too much air, the other girls are right. Take a freezer bag or ziploc & squeeze out all the air.
If it's a package like the Buddig meats, we always put the whole packet into the freezer.
Eating right alone is tough!
