NUTRITIOUS GRIN

Tips and Tricks

 

There are some common tips which are useful, however, I think they apply to

everybody, not just those cooking for one person, such as:

-  Taking a shopping list

-  Plan ahead

-  Separating meats and meals before freezing

-  Avoid shopping while hungry

 

Although this is good advice, how do you actually go about having a nutritious

meal when cooking for one? Here are some tips I have discovered when cooking

for one:

 

Utilise eggs. I think eggs are fantastic; they are a nutrition-full, protein

dense food that come in its very own packaging. There are so many different ways to cook eggs.  They really are very egg-cellent. The Heart Foundation recommends no more than 6 eggs a week; however, more evidence is emerging to suggest that we can actually consume more.What about the cholesterol?  Cholesterol we consume through the diet actually has very little influence on the cholesterol in our blood. Our bodies actually make cholesterol from saturated fat (in animal fat, palm and coconut oil) that we eat.

 

Don’t make everything from scratch. It’s really not necessary and can mean that you have lots of items in your pantry and fridge that take up space. There’s nothing wrong with buying pre-made curry paste (for example), and it means you’re not spending all your time in the kitchen.

 

Avoid snacking before dinner. This one is common. The more you snack before dinner the less likely you are going to feel like making a dinner for one. Either you’ll skip dinner or resort to your breakfast options.

 

Grow your own herbs. This is something I’ve just started; I do not have a green thumb. It’s cheaper to grow a little patch of herbs (costs about 3 dollars for a plant, which is the same price as a bunch of herbs from supermarkets – plus I end up throwing most of it away – I don’t know why they provide such big bunches). You can pull off as much as you need. It’s extremely fresh and organic. You don’t need much space to start growing them and they provide lots of flavour and colour to meals (without salt).

 

Make different meals from the same leftovers. What I mean by this is instead of having the same meal every night this week, cook, say mince, and use it for different meals such as tacos, rissoles, spaghetti bolognaise or as topping on a pizza. This applies for pasta, rice, and other cooked meats. Just make sure you store them all properly in either the fridge or freezer.

 

Use simple ingredients. There's no point buying ingredients you haven't heard of to use a teaspoon of it and never using it again. These items are usually costly and might discourage you from trying new recipes.

 

Consider frozen meals (some are better than others). I understand that sometimes it's really hard to get in the mood to cook for one. If you don't have any frozen meals you prepared earlier then supermarket frozen meals are a good alternative. SuperFoods from Coles is a good one, as it has less salt than others. If you're really struggling to fill some meals, companies such as lite 'n easy allow you to purchase a few meals, rather than the whole weeks worth.

 

Buy from the deli and bulk bins. You might be surprised how much cheaper buying from the deli is than buying pre-packaged foods. Plus it allows you to purchase a smaller amount, allowing you to consume it all before it goes off. Bulk bins are great to just grab a handful of dried fruits or nuts without having to shell out massive amounts for the huge bags.

 

Go to local farmers markets. They are popping up everywhere! Owing to the fact that the farmers are usually the ones selling their own produce, you cut out the middle man, which should mean money savings. By shopping at these types of markets, it also allows you to buy the amount of produce you need. Unfortunately fresh produce does go off, usually within a week, so only buy what you need.

 

Swap with a friend. Find someone you trust (who might also be cooking for themselves) and swap a meal with them once a week. This way you get out of cooking one night with the added bonus of trying different food and recipes.

 

Store leftovers safely. Food safety, I believe, is hugely underestimated. It's really important to keep your food safe. This means throwing away food that has gone bad (tasting or smelling food is NOT a way of determining this), only defrosting food once and storing food soon after cooking (I will be posting a blog about this - so keep an eye out)

 

Have good reusable food containers. Make sure if you are storing left over food that the containers you use are suitable. Ensure that they are freezer, fridge, dishwasher and microwave safe. It's really important to determine if the containers can be easily opened when frozen. This can make it difficult to defrost food in the microwave if you can't open them.