Cooking for one can be infuriating, expensive, and boring. Here are some tips

As a solo cook and university student, I have come to the realization that it doesn’t have to be that way, and I’ve noticed some patterns in my cooking that keep me from getting bored with the food and making me spend way too much money on groceries or takeout. I’m not entirely sure if this post will be useful, but I’ll write it down just in case! Here are some tips that can be applied if you also get fed up with solo cooking:<br><br>1. Don’t buy snacks.<br><br>You don’t really have the problem of ruining a whole dish if you don’t like it, but if you end up not finishing it, it’s still a waste of time and money. For snacks, it’s often better to buy stuff that doesn’t spoil easily or that freezes well. It’s also a good idea to buy snacks that you can just eat on the go, or even take to work/school. Don’t buy too much of the same snack in one go, because you might get tired of it. If you like gardening, pick out the easy-to-grow vegetables and with the leftovers, you can make pickles, kimchi, pesto, frozen veggies in oil, frozen herbs, salad dressing, and in summer, it’ll never go to waste. Make different types of salads in advance, sometimes just blanch the vegetables and freeze them.<br><br>2. Meal prep<br><br>Obviously, this one’s self explanatory, but if you’re not doing it yet, it’s a lifesaver. It’s always tempting to just eat leftovers the next day, but if you eat the same dish four, five days in a row, it just gets old. If you don’t have too much space in the fridge, it helps to just have the basics for as many meals as possible. A few examples I have are, for example, making a curry with chickpeas and coconut milk, freezing part of it, and eating my fill of it in the coming days. Then, I have some chicken breast and beef broth, so with the curry paste I already have, I can make chicken soup or beef soup. I can also pour some leftovers in some rice cakes, or just eat it on its own with some rice or noodles. <br><br>3. Make different types of food<br><br>Even with meal prep, it gets boring if you always eat the same type of food. If you make different types of food from different cuisines, there’s always something to eat, and it’s not as much of an effort to try different types of food if it’s in small portions. If I want to eat something warmer, I can make curry soup, if I’m in the mood for comfort food, I make a grilled cheese sandwich, and if I feel like something lighter, I’ll have a salad. You can also make a few different sandwiches in advance and eat them throughout the week.<br><br>4. Don’t make a big batch of a new recipe<br><br>This is a classic mistake, I feel. If you make a big batch of a new recipe you’ve never tried out before, there’s the risk that it’ll end up in the garbage, because it didn’t turn out too well, or because it’s just not your cup of tea. ALWAYS make a smaller amount of it first, before freezing leftovers. If you want to be sure how it’ll turn out, it’s always better to make smaller batches. I have also made the mistake of just following the recipe for a lot of ingredients, only to later be disappointed by the final product. It’s better to just make a smaller amount, with less ingredients to save your time and money. If it doesn’t turn out well, you can always save the pieces that actually ended up well, and still freeze them.<br><br>5. Frozen AND fresh<br><br>It’s often tempting to buy frozen vegetables, because they’re cheaper and can last longer, but it can be tiresome to always eat the same old frozen vegetables. If you buy a variety of fresh vegetables, you can also freeze different types of frozen veggies, and have a variety of it. This comes down to the point of making different types of foods, as well. Fresh veggies can make great salads, and if you have a variety of it, you can also eat them raw. It’s also a good idea to have a variety of frozen food as well. <br><br>In conclusion, if you want to make solo cooking more fun, it’s important to have a variety of food to pick from, and make a little bit of a big dish, and then freeze it. It’s always good to have the option to eat a full dish, but it’s best to eat different foods every time, because it always gets boring.<br><br>TLDR: Meal prep, make a variety of meals, make leftovers last longer by freezing them, don’t make a big batch of something you’ve never tried, and don’t buy too many snacks.