This starts by accepting that you, alone, are absolutely worthy of the time and (often minimal) effort it takes to eat proper meals. Even if that is just a couple of times a week to begin with. And then perhaps try to get into the habit of properly laying the table for yourself. Complete with your best china, candles and a sneaky glass of wine if you wish. You’re having dinner with the most important person in your world, afterall.
And if you’d like a little more inspiration or ideas, do take a look at the tips below. I’ve also included an example shopping list and a handful of meal ideas (there are hundreds of recipes available online for each of these meals, if a recipe is needed at all) using the ingredients. It’s not a meal plan to follow, but rather a selection of ways to make simple meals for one, without endless leftovers, and a few ideas that flowed from my imagination to hopefully inspire yours.
1. Don’t cook in silence, if you don’t like it
Find an engaging podcast series, put the radio on, play some great music or download some cheery audiobooks. You could even use hands-free or video calling to chat to a loved one while you potter about the kitchen. You don’t have to be having a constant conversation, but it means you can cook ‘together’, apart if you’d like.
2. Similarly, don’t always eat alone, if you don’t like it
Start a supper club (I love the idea of a soup club – you simply take it in turns to provide soup, bread and cheese, so the cost and preparation is minimal, leaving everyone free to focus on the conversation), eat with your friends once a week, eat lunch with your co-workers, find local meet-ups, or simply eat in a café or restaurant occasionally (there is something rather romantic about a table for one, I’ve always felt). If you have housemates, arrange to take it in turns to cook once a week for everyone. If this is tricky for any reason, then perhaps arrange a group video call, so you can enjoy a virtual dinner party once in a while.
3. Meal planning
I’m a big fan of meal planning. It helps reduce food waste (as your plan can also include leftovers), makes shopping easier (you know exactly what you need, buying ingredients for actual meals, rather than a motley collection of ‘things that were on offer / looked nice’) and reduces the mental dialogue of ‘should I bother to cook tonight, or just have cheese on toast again?’, because there is a clear plan to follow. Try it for a week with this free printable planner.
4. Get a small freezer, if at all possible
Minimising food waste and making speedy meals is much easier with a small freezer and some nifty containers. Frozen fruit and veg is no less nutritious than fresh, and means you can use exactly the right amount for one portion at a time. It’s also a good idea to keep an odds-and-ends tub of leftover vegetables. Once your tub gets filled, defrost it, add some decent stock and make it into a thick soup. You can then use this as a base for stews, sauces and casseroles as well as a hearty soup. You could do the same with fruit, and turn it into a delicious mixed-fruit compote.
5. Buy meat, fish or cheese from independent shops, or the counter
That way, you can get single portions (as packaged produce always seem to come in multiple quantities), saving both money and potential waste.
6. Don’t worry about eating simply
Good, nutritious food doesn’t have to be fancy. A simple omelette with some mushrooms, tomatoes and a side salad is wonderfully filling and nutrient dense. Steamed fish, grains and greens is both delicious and speedy. Also try my ‘Hero Toppings’ section in Simply Good For You for a whole load of ideas on ways to transform basic toast into a more nourishing meal.
7. Set goals
Have a think about what you feel your ‘baseline’ nutrition or self-care goals might be each day. Perhaps that might be cooking one proper meal a day from scratch, having three portions of vegetables, or always having a portion of protein with breakfast. It could also be non-foodie, such as getting outside for 10 minutes, having a conversation with a friend, or doing 5 press-ups.
It doesn’t really matter exactly what these goals are, so long as they are sensible and achievable, but they offer us a framework to ensure we are taking proper care of ourselves, without worrying about being ‘perfect’.
FAQs
One of the keys to successfully cooking for one is planning ahead. Having a meal plan in place before your weekly grocery shopping trip will keep you on track with buying just what you need, and keeping wasted food to a minimum. This is especially helpful when it comes to perishable items, like produce and dairy.
How to enjoy cooking for one? ›
One of the keys to successfully cooking for one is planning ahead. Having a meal plan in place before your weekly grocery shopping trip will keep you on track with buying just what you need, and keeping wasted food to a minimum. This is especially helpful when it comes to perishable items, like produce and dairy.
How do you cook efficiently for one? ›
Halve recipes and use leftovers.
This allows you to only make the amount of servings you want. For me, I usually make two servings of any recipe to either share with someone that night, or save for lunch leftovers the next day. This allows me to cook often without being overwhelmed with leftovers.
Why do people enjoy cooking for others? ›
Like most other charitable acts, cooking for others is a form of altruism, which bestows you with happiness and a sense of connection to others. There's also a sense of nurturing obtained from cooking, and ultimately providing sustenance, in the form of food, for someone else, whether they are family or otherwise.
How do you make cooking for one easier? ›
Here are our practical tips to make cooking for one easy, tasty and delicious!
- Get your staples sorted. ...
- Make a plan. ...
- Small steps. ...
- Cook once, eat twice (or more!) ...
- Try new cuisines and flavours. ...
- Use pre-prepared vegetables. ...
- Create an enjoyable atmosphere. ...
- Set a challenge.
Spending time in the kitchen can ease stress and restlessness, and enhance mindfulness, the study concluded. Not only does the process of cooking and baking improve moods, the feeling of satisfaction gained when seeing the end product naturally enhances happiness.
How to learn and enjoy cooking? ›
A Simple Guide to Enjoy Cooking
- Clear your kitchen counters. A clean, uncluttered kitchen counter is refreshing. ...
- Cook healthy foods. ...
- Use fresh ingredients. ...
- Own a sharp knife. ...
- Start with foods/recipes you enjoy. ...
- Be confident. ...
- Value presentation. ...
- Appreciate the eating.
Some advice that helped me enjoy cooking:
- Cook food that you actually want to eat. Childhood favourites, or dishes you often order at restaurants are a great place to start. ...
- Keep a clean kitchen. ...
- Get a decent knife, and keep it sharp. ...
- Take your time. ...
- Start mixing things up early.
1. Read the recipe. Of all the important advice out there about cooking, this by far has to be the number 1 rule of cooking: read your recipe completely before getting started. This may seem like a mundane task (especially when you're excited dive in!), but you'll be so thankful you took the time to do it!
How to cook for one person without wasting food? ›
Cooking for One with Zero Waste
- Keep a Food Waste Journal. ...
- Seek Out Single-Serve Recipes. ...
- Prep Once, Eat All Week. ...
- Make a 'Big Salad' ...
- Shop at Farmers Markets or CSAs. ...
- Get the Right Storage Containers. ...
- Learn the Truth About Food Date Labels. ...
- Find Your Favorite 'Kitchen Sink' Recipes.
Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables can work just as well as fresh in some recipes. Other great pantry staples include microwaveable rice packets, cans of tuna, legumes, wholegrain cereals, seeds and nuts. Fresh foods such as eggs and tofu have a reasonable shelf-life and can be turned into a meal without waste.
What does enjoying cooking say about you? ›
A deeper analysis in the report finds that people who say they enjoy cooking are 1.2 times more likely to be thriving in their life evaluation than those who either did not enjoy cooking or did not cook at all in the past week, even after controlling for other important information that may play a role in how somebody ...
Do you enjoy cooking or do you enjoy to cook? ›
Both can be used synonymously. The nuance may be that with “I love cooking" one expresses a permanent taste. Using the TO infinitive suggests performing the activity now and again. I like cooking.
How does cooking bring you joy? ›
Baking Can Boost Your Mood - The act of baking and creating something delicious can release endorphins, the "feel-good" chemicals in your brain. This can boost your mood and make you feel happier and more content.
Why do I not enjoy cooking? ›
For some people, cooking does not come naturally. Rather than it being a relaxing activity, cooking is stressful and tedious. These individuals also tend to second guess themselves, which also makes the process more stressful.
How can I get myself to love cooking? ›
Some advice that helped me enjoy cooking:
- Cook food that you actually want to eat. Childhood favourites, or dishes you often order at restaurants are a great place to start. ...
- Keep a clean kitchen. ...
- Get a decent knife, and keep it sharp. ...
- Take your time. ...
- Start mixing things up early.
