Meal Planning for 1 or 2
4.3 - Meal Planning for One or Two
Meal planning for small households presents its own challenges. Most recipes are written for four servings or more, which is not a problem if you like leftovers. You can cook a few dishes and be done for the week. But what if you don’t like leftovers? Usually, you can divide recipes in half without any problems. Occasionally, however, you will have to open a perishable item that you will only use partway, and you will need to decide what to do with what remains. Here are some options for those who don’t want to eat the same meals every day:
Scale recipes down for smaller serving sizes. Be sure to write down your scaled recipe for future uses.
Make full batches of recipes. Freeze what you will not eat in a day or two in individually portioned containers. Keep in mind that foods like potatoes and salad greens do not freeze well.
Make stir-fry. It is easily made in smaller serving sizes.
Look for recipes with ingredients or components that can be used in different ways. For example, if you make a taco filling, add it to chili the next time you make it. Or use it in burritos or a taco salad to take for lunch one day. Open a can of cooked beans, use part of it for a small batch of soup, and put the rest into a salad for another meal.
Consider each meal as part of an evolving process. For example, if you bake a few potatoes, eat one with dinner, use another to make a small batch of potato soup, and turn the rest into potato salad.
Meal planning for small households presents its own challenges. Most recipes are written for four servings or more, which is not a problem if you like leftovers. You can cook a few dishes and be done for the week. But what if you don’t like leftovers? Usually, you can divide recipes in half without any problems. Occasionally, however, you will have to open a perishable item that you will only use partway, and you will need to decide what to do with what remains. Here are some options for those who don’t want to eat the same meals every day:
Scale recipes down for smaller serving sizes. Be sure to write down your scaled recipe for future uses.
Make full batches of recipes. Freeze what you will not eat in a day or two in individually portioned containers. Keep in mind that foods like potatoes and salad greens do not freeze well.
Make stir-fry. It is easily made in smaller serving sizes.
Look for recipes with ingredients or components that can be used in different ways. For example, if you make a taco filling, add it to chili the next time you make it. Or use it in burritos or a taco salad to take for lunch one day. Open a can of cooked beans, use part of it for a small batch of soup, and put the rest into a salad for another meal.
Consider each meal as part of an evolving process. For example, if you bake a few potatoes, eat one with dinner, use another to make a small batch of potato soup, and turn the rest into potato salad.