Cooking for One or Two

Carolina Cooking

Carolina Cooking

New member
so I will ask here. Move it to the right place if needed.

I am single (not looking lol) retired. I cook for myself for the most part.


I have for years & years always cooked big portions etc.

I don't know how to cook small :( I end up with wasted food. or I just bag tag & freeze.

I learn by mistakes too. Like a 4lb bag of salad mix is not for one person :D

I have almost stopped buying milk. I have dumped spoiled milk for the 4th time this month. $$$

I should have learned by now to buy small & cook small.

Is there a area around here for that ? I haven't seen it yet..

Thx..
 
Re: not sure where to ask

Hmmmm, maybe we could start a forum if there's enough interest and subject matter in "Cooking for 1 or 2".

I know Taste of Home has a magazine out that's "Cooking for Two".

Or, in the meantime, we could help each other out in this forum (I'm now just cooking for myself, too).

Carolina, I only use milk in my cereal, and have discovered that a small box of Almond Breeze almond milk lasts a long time, is much better tasting than fat-free milk (it's rich-tasting, like cream!), AND has fewer calories. And is good for me.

As for salads, I'm still in a quandry about what to do when I feel like having a salad maybe once a week, and don't want to buy all the stuff that will go bad. I occasionally make a salad at the salad bar in the supermarket, but that is pricey (and some people are horrified at the thought of germs in salad bars).

I think I'll try growing a little lettuce to go with my tomatoes, and buy a pickling cuke. I always have sweet and green onions on hand.

Lee
 
Re: not sure where to ask

P.S. Could I change the title of this thread to "Cooking for One"?

Lee
 
Re: not sure where to ask

when I buy a head of lettace , I better have plans for salad a few days in a row or put it on lots of sandwichs. Howeevr I don't do many sandwichs lol. due to carbs in the bread.
I do buy small bags of ready salad too. It goes to mush after a day. Same with spinach. around here you can't buy a handfull. Its like those mushrooms I bought , you can only get box's. Not loose.

a salad bar. No such thing here. Yes I am one food freak about Buffet's & salad bars. :ohmy::no::no:

I used to be able to buy those little bitty ones Like kids drink lol they are not in stores , well not in any I have been in. Qt is the smallest I can get. Then I throw most of it way.
I have dry milk for bread making , so not good for anything else.lol.

I buy bulk for lots of items, in the freezer it all goes.

I have learned to store onions & potato's so much better.I can get a couple weeks out of them.

Oh & plus I have a small kitchen with NO storage..


sure move it or change it ok by me.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

Great topic! I cook for 2 1/2 (88 year young MIL "I don't eat much you know!") Many times I wind up cooking for 4 and the leftover become lunch. I too have tossed way too much milk and it just grates at me to waste food.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

One thing we have is a OAMC, once a month cooking forum. That might be part of a solution.

I have found that putting already cut onions and other salad items and sealing with my foodsaver works very welk. I only cut enough off the lettuce head for what I need. Saving celery in aluminum foil works too. In summary, I cut what I need and only dress a salad as I use it. Salad without dressing stores longer.


This is a great topic. I am going to rebirth the thread to bring it to Doc's attention.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

A lot of times people will tell you to just scale back the recipe but when it says to use less for the recipe you still have to buy whole units of the ingredients and that can be a waste.

Everyday Food Magazine which is small digest size and can be hard to find on the news stands because of that has a recipe for 1 or 2 every month, so a subscription can build up a repertoire of menus from that. A couple of cookbooks that are probably out of print but may be found on ebay or used book stores are Cookery for 1 or 2 by Barbara Swain and Better Homes and Gardens Meals for One or Two.

Sometimes the produce personnel will divide a lettuce or melon, etc in half and sell it that way. Some produce can be made to last longer by cooking it and storing it that way instead of fresh, like spinach for example.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

CC, I take a head of lettuce and immediately cut it in quartered wedges (tossing out the inner part that is often yellowish or bitter) then rinse the wedges under cold water and store them in a tupperware container.
They last forever and stay fresh for salads and sandwiches.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

Saving celery in aluminum foil works too

great to know. I used to toss out almost the whole thing. Now I use what I need it for & just eat the rest , I dip it in Zesty Ranch salad dressing lol Love this stuff, never had it on a salad tho. :yum:

Great info here..
 
Re: not sure where to ask

I cook for one or two most of the time. My freezer is my friend. I would like to hear what others do, and recipes for one and/or two. I've thought about starting this thread myself. Thank you for beating me to it.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

Yes if you store lettuce in a container instead of the bag it will last much longer. I know how annoying it is when you buy lots of lovely food and half of it goes to waste. I know you can't really make yourself eat if you're not hungry but I love banana shakes and thats always a good way to use up the milk.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

With the milkd why not buy a small carton and then freeze it in ice cube trays and you can then defrost just enough for what you want.
Over here, you can also get long life milk which can last a good week or more or soya milk which lasts a while as well.
We do also have a small trend in our supemarkets now to provide smaller packets for those who are cooking for 1 or 2.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

Milk can be frozen so you can divide it up into smaller containers and then pull one out of the freezer when you need it. Buttermilk can be frozen too.

I think taking the core out of a head of lettuce helps to keep it fresher longer too. Just give it a good bang on the counter and it should pull right out. I also turn the head upside down and remove the large parts of the leaves that was attached to the core. I pry open the lettuce and use my fingers to tear them out. I have had lettuce for 2 weeks without it getting bad. Also, if I see a bad spot I tear it off right away.

I cook for an army too, and there's only the two of us now. It's very hard to cook for one or two.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

I wish we had that long life milk over here Ray.
It was great for camping trips!
 
Re: not sure where to ask

abi_csi said:
Yes if you store lettuce in a container instead of the bag it will last much longer. I know how annoying it is when you buy lots of lovely food and half of it goes to waste. I know you can't really make yourself eat if you're not hungry but I love banana shakes and thats always a good way to use up the milk.
Click to expand...


good idea. I buy nice firm bananas at Wal M. .49lb. I slice them & freeze them. great for smoothie. I use plain yogurt tho.

next time I do buy milk I will use some for it. My Mom used to freeze milk when I was a kid, it just didn't taste right . Plus I don't have space for it.

I buy canned buttermilk now, its ok, I just couldn't finish a whole one.Even after soaking chix & making biscuits 4 days in a row :ohmy:

I also found out that frozen bagged fruit is much better then fresh. For me , fresh comes from CA or Fla. yuk. no taste fruit. I use it For smoothies. it cost the same too. I use it still frozen. Humm think I need one about now..lol
 
Re: not sure where to ask

DR Nan :laugh::laugh:
what do you freeze milk in? I may have to do that from now on. I can't believe I used to buy the double jugs at Costco ..

I want some buttermilk, for my soaking chicken . I am most deff going to freeze it.
 
Re: not sure where to ask

I freeze milk and cream in muffin tins or ice cube trays, then store them in a zip lock
 
we froze gallons of milk at a time when I fish on commercial boats. But one thing we had to do was pour a little out of each container because it expands so much. There's absolutely no problem freezing milk, but it will not last as long. Once it has been defrosted.I am cooking for one the biggest problem I have is I eat the same thing day after day until it's gone.
 
Guts said:
.I am cooking for one the biggest problem I have is I eat the same thing day after day until it's gone.
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Ditto. That's why I eat a lot of baked and rotisserie chicken - I love it and don't mind eating it every day.

This week, I'm working on 4 days of spaghetti and meatballs. :wub:

Lee
 
QSis said:
Ditto. That's why I eat a lot of baked and rotisserie chicken - I love it and don't mind eating it every day.

This week, I'm working on 4 days of spaghetti and meatballs. :wub:

Lee
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Spaghetti is one of those things. I can deal with the sauce freezes well and I can make a serving of pasta for one. In fact that so long that I had tonight pasta sauce and garlic bread. When I make homemade pasta. I eat that for a week straight, but very the toppings from shrimp to a tomato-based sauce or tomato-based sauce and shrimp. The combination's are endless. I have tried freezing homemade pasta and I'm not very pleased with the results. So I either learn how to make smaller batches or eat pasta for a week.

Kim
 
I've found pasta once cooked will keep up to a week perhaps longer though we rarely have, with no trouble in a plastic bag (without the sauce) if one adds a bit of olive oil in the refrigerator not the freezer. Now in my case I make about 6 qts of sauce every two to three weeks for just 2 of us. As stated earlier sauce freezes fine up to about 3 months. What I do is get the amount I want to use in a pan on low heat until it has defrosted then turn it up and add the pasta I will use only to the hot pan for a few minutes. We often eat pasta with a simple coating of olive oil and butter also as I like it both ways.

Oh and one other note is I make the sauce (no meats) then can add meats as needed when reheating and it comes out the same tastes as if made fresh. The secret is to brown the meat first as well as seasoning then add it to a hot sauce letting it simmer for a bit before finishing it.
 
Carolina Cooking said:
so I will ask here. Move it to the right place if needed.

I am single (not looking lol) retired. I cook for myself for the most part.


I have for years & years always cooked big portions etc.

I don't know how to cook small :( I end up with wasted food. or I just bag tag & freeze.

I learn by mistakes too. Like a 4lb bag of salad mix is not for one person :D

I have almost stopped buying milk. I have dumped spoiled milk for the 4th time this month. $$$

I should have learned by now to buy small & cook small.

Is there a area around here for that ? I haven't seen it yet..

Thx..
Click to expand...


Good questions Carolina. No we do not have a targeted area for those kind of posts. I had not considered it. Is this something other cooking forums normally have? Would you guys have enough posts for a forum dedicated to cooking for one or two, or cooking small to keep it busy? I always thought you just cut back on the recipe proportions to make a smaller amount. I guess it shows that I am not the cook in my house. I do eat a lot though. :D
 
I've not seen it addressed in a separate section. it is an issue - and the demographics would support the "growing" label.

I shop/cook for two, one would be more challenging...

supermarkets don't 'get it' either.

bought a bunch of fresh parsley. okay.... $0.75, organic. it was the size of basketball. most of it is going to go mushy and hit the compost heap.

I can find a 12 pound chicken. finding a 3 pound chicken is really tricky.....

roasts - again cut&packaged in the 6-8 pound range. like 4x what I need, even planning for leftovers.

steak - ah! the one bright spot. not difficult to find a pkg of "one steak" - split for two, works for us . . . .

potatoes. 5 lbs for $3.99; 10 pounds for $4.99.
I buy ten pounds and throw the last pound +/- in the compost.

milk we buy by the quart, hasn't been an issue.
butter I keep in the freezer and pull out a stick as we need it; nadda' problem.

mushrooms - we've got "loose" bins - can buy one single mushroom if I want - and it's like .40-.90 per pound cheaper than the packaged cleaned and/or presliced stuff. whot? people no got knives no more? how hard is it to slice a mushroom?

oh oh oh. de'tails, dey go on and on....
 
Doc said:
Good questions Carolina. No we do not have a targeted area for those kind of posts. I had not considered it. Is this something other cooking forums normally have? Would you guys have enough posts for a forum dedicated to cooking for one or two, or cooking small to keep it busy? I always thought you just cut back on the recipe proportions to make a smaller amount. I guess it shows that I am not the cook in my house. I do eat a lot though. :D
Click to expand...
You could count on me as an active of this type of forum. I have not seen the issue addressed in any other forum.
 
ChowderMan said:
I've not seen it addressed in a separate section. it is an issue - and the demographics would support the "growing" label.

I shop/cook for two, one would be more challenging...

supermarkets don't 'get it' either.

bought a bunch of fresh parsley. okay.... $0.75, organic. it was the size of basketball. most of it is going to go mushy and hit the compost heap.

I can find a 12 pound chicken. finding a 3 pound chicken is really tricky.....

roasts - again cut&packaged in the 6-8 pound range. like 4x what I need, even planning for leftovers.

steak - ah! the one bright spot. not difficult to find a pkg of "one steak" - split for two, works for us . . . .

potatoes. 5 lbs for $3.99; 10 pounds for $4.99.
I buy ten pounds and throw the last pound +/- in the compost.

milk we buy by the quart, hasn't been an issue.
butter I keep in the freezer and pull out a stick as we need it; nadda' problem.

mushrooms - we've got "loose" bins - can buy one single mushroom if I want - and it's like .40-.90 per pound cheaper than the packaged cleaned and/or presliced stuff. whot? people no got knives no more? how hard is it to slice a mushroom?

oh oh oh. de'tails, dey go on and on....
Click to expand...
I do much of the same. Many food items are much cheaper in bulk or large packages, and it pays even if you toss the last few. Some recent examples:
Heavy whipping cream - price for pint at supermarket is same as price for quart at Costco.
Naval Oranges. .79 each or 4.00 +/- in bags of 20 or so, same supermarket
Garlic - 3 pounds at Costco less than 4 bucks, 50-70 cents each head at supermarket
 
Norm said:
A lot of times people will tell you to just scale back the recipe but when it says to use less for the recipe you still have to buy whole units of the ingredients and that can be a waste.

Everyday Food Magazine which is small digest size and can be hard to find on the news stands because of that has a recipe for 1 or 2 every month, so a subscription can build up a repertoire of menus from that. A couple of cookbooks that are probably out of print but may be found on ebay or used book stores are Cookery for 1 or 2 by Barbara Swain and Better Homes and Gardens Meals for One or Two.

Sometimes the produce personnel will divide a lettuce or melon, etc in half and sell it that way. Some produce can be made to last longer by cooking it and storing it that way instead of fresh, like spinach for example.
Click to expand...
I don't know how it is now but a few years ago Whole Foods had big bins of loose mixed baby greens sold by the pound. Buy a handful or pounds of it your choice. Also bins of loose mushrooms.
 
CC, I completely agree..cooking for one stinks! as far a quantity and quality!
I cook for 1 and 1/2--me and my dad...and I live in an apartment.I am gratefull I have an 8 x 10 storeroom/ pantry in here..It is soo much more inexpensive to shop in bulk, but where to store???
CC--do you have a Trader Joe's near you? I have been going there lately adn I am surprised how much I am saving compared to the reg grocery store...the discount store buy in bulk..It is not helpful for us...
I think a new thread would be beneficial....
 
All this talk about salad had me hankering for one!

Stopped by the supermarket after work to hit the salad bar. In maybe 60 seconds, I made up a Greek salad for a first course (before spaghetti and meatball) that only cost $2.35.

Added some of my thinly-sliced Vidalias, excellent olive oil and some red wine vinegar and it hit the spot!

And no leftovers to get mushy!

Lee
 

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QSis said:
All this talk about salad had me hankering for one!

Stopped by the supermarket after work to hit the salad bar. In maybe 60 seconds, I made up a Greek salad for a first course (before spaghetti and meatball) that only cost $2.35.

Added some of my thinly-sliced Vidalias, excellent olive oil and some red wine vinegar and it hit the spot!

And no leftovers to get mushy!

Lee
Click to expand...
YUMMY!!
 
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