The DU Lounge

TygrBright

(20,760 posts)

75. In my 'cooking for one' days I got great mileage from the freezer.

Sun Mar 24, 2024, 11:16 AM

Mar 24

I would make full-size (usually 'serves 4' - but that was assuming additional side dishes) recipes and eat a portion and freeze the rest in single-serving-size containers, about once a week, usually on a weekend. At the beginning of the week I'd take 2-3 of the frozen containers out to thaw in the fridge.

I did discover a few prepackaged items that worked well for me, and kept them in the rotation also. It was years ago and I don't know of they're still on the market or still worth eating, so - no recommendations. I will say that now, when we're cooking for two, mostly, we have found several items at Trader Joe's that split well for two meals. Not sure how well any of them would work as leftovers, though.

Also in the rotation were a number of very easy items like breakfast for lunch or dinner - fried egg sammy, omelettes, a bowl of cereal with fruit, warmed-over breakfast casseroles, migas, etc. Sandwiches in general were always problematic because although bread sort-of freezes, it's not really great thawed, and no one makes tiny loaves that you can get three or four sandwiches and/or pieces of toast from in much variety or quality. But English muffins freeze a bit better than bread and some of them come in packs of six, so they usually wouldn't turn green too soon and were good for a sandwich now and then.

Another strategy was steaming a whole head of broccoli or cauliflower and eating some with a little grated cheese for lunch, and putting the rest in the refrigerator to have on baked potatoes (a great 'lazy meal') or salads. Although salads were also tough as lettuces often went icky before I could use a whole head.

A small tin of baked beans, with a single sliced wienie, was comfort-food indulgence now and then, and also a good 'lazy meal'.

It's not much fun cooking for one, but if you plan ahead and keep track of what works for you, you may be able to achieve the goal of not relying on take-out or prepackaged prepared stuff. Good luck!

encouragingly,
Bright

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

110 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

I am done, done I say with any Stouffers frozen dinners. [View all] FarPoint Mar 24 OP

They are off... Mike Nelson Mar 24 #1

Here's your answer as to what happened: Parent organization: Nestle CurtEastPoint Mar 24 #4

Yes.....I looked it up....thought it was a recent sale....but... FarPoint Mar 24 #12

My opinion is they went ultra cheap.... FarPoint Mar 24 #6

Yes, I remember when Stouffers PatSeg Mar 24 #26

I grew up in the Cleveland area. Stouffer's was a special place to go. mwb970 Mar 24 #43

Yes, same for me PatSeg Mar 24 #89

Preparing your own food... 2naSalit Mar 24 #2

I love to cook actually... FarPoint Mar 24 #3

I've been single most of my adult life. multigraincracker Mar 24 #10

You have... 2naSalit Mar 24 #15

Adjusting to just one person meal prep is difficult.... FarPoint Mar 24 #56

My husband and I sometimes cook separate meals. (I don't eat any meat; he eats poultry and seafood.) Sky Jewels Mar 24 #45

It's not only store bought meals... Trueblue Texan Mar 24 #78

Probably fewer preservatives, too. Nt spooky3 Mar 24 #77

No question about that. 2naSalit Mar 24 #94

Industro highly processed foods are not a healthy source of sustenance. magicarpet Mar 24 #5

This was my first thought birdographer Mar 24 #41

Some "pure" frozen veggies and fruits are actually healthier than fresh Sky Jewels Mar 24 #48

Michael Angelo's brand is much better ramblin_dave Mar 24 #7

I find the problem with Michael Angelo True Dough Mar 24 #27

We cover all of our microwave meals with a nice silicone cap erronis Mar 24 #31

My mom used to troll thrift stores LearnedHand Mar 24 #55

A paper napkin on top of tomato sauce EmmaLee E Mar 24 #50

isn't it frustrating fernlady Mar 24 #63

Thanks! I'm one of those that needed go back and look. Good one! erronis Mar 24 #73

I appreciate you, fernlady! True Dough Mar 24 #86

It took me a second or two Mr.Bill Mar 24 #99

I just discovered Michael Angelo's recently PatSeg Mar 24 #28

Beware of the sodium levels MyMission Mar 24 #92

Yes, I have to watch my sodium levels PatSeg Mar 24 #95

I'll give you another good suggestion... tavernier Mar 24 #8

Excellent suggestion.... FarPoint Mar 24 #16

I've been in your shoes. tavernier Mar 24 #24

Also on the going out part, check the websites for your favourite niyad Mar 24 #29

Instant Pot yields a week's worth of frozen meals, but I did glance at the frozen meals last week hlthe2b Mar 24 #9

I have an InstaPot.... FarPoint Mar 24 #20

$2.50 you say? kiri Mar 24 #38

Loss Leader to get shoppers to buy more frozen foods. They do that occasionally, but why the $5.99 fish? hlthe2b Mar 24 #39

Lent SARose Mar 24 #44

Tip for STEWfers lasagna. Chipper Chat Mar 24 #11

I'm on my own too, not easy Marthe48 Mar 24 #13

Ohhh yes...lasagna roll-ups FarPoint Mar 24 #17

You are not alone. qwlauren35 Mar 24 #14

Ahhhh that is so precious.... FarPoint Mar 24 #18

May I suggest Unwind Your Mind Mar 24 #80

It's so much cheaper and healthier to make your own meals. ificandream Mar 24 #19

I buy their meatloaf/potatoes or their burger/mac&cheese for one woodsprite Mar 24 #21

Since my husband has not been able to cook, which he did for 42 years.......i've just a kennedy Mar 24 #22

They ain't what they used to be. twodogsbarking Mar 24 #23

I cook for my husband and me. MOMFUDSKI Mar 24 #25

Batch cooking is by far the easiest way LittleGirl Mar 24 #30

I still like to have 2 or 3 in the freezer. Basic LA Mar 24 #32

I do a lot of cooking and freezing. Everything from Phoenix61 Mar 24 #33

Batch cook and freeze Layzeebeaver Mar 24 #34

You are on target with your recommendations.... FarPoint Mar 24 #64

Stoufers is nasty, get the Marie Callenders dinners ArkansasDemocrat1 Mar 24 #35

Marie Callender makes a great MOMFUDSKI Mar 24 #106

Seconded. I buy those instead of the "cheap" ones which are half the price of MC and are barely edible. ArkansasDemocrat1 Mar 24 #107

"Shrinkflation" can apply to quality of ingredients and taste as well Auggie Mar 24 #36

I like Stouffers DownriverDem Mar 24 #37

I don't do any sort of quick-frozen meals..... richdj25 Mar 24 #40

I can relate to your post. I, too, am living alone and cooking for one sucks. OAITW r.2.0 Mar 24 #42

Some frozen stuff used to be good rogerballard Mar 24 #46

When I see your map DownriverDem Mar 24 #62

I do the same thing! rogerballard Mar 24 #66

Lasagna for two SARose Mar 24 #47

Thank you.... FarPoint Mar 24 #65

cooking for one sounds like it sucks but onethatcares Mar 24 #49

Hamburger meat and onions, cook up a mess of it. Freeze it and ready to make spaghetti or tacos flying_wahini Mar 24 #51

OK, cooking for 1 GAJMac Mar 24 #52

They have several version of their tomato sauce-based Ilsa Mar 24 #53

My go to quick meal snowybirdie Mar 24 #54

Nestle--'Nuf said HAB911 Mar 24 #57

Just before COVID hit I was going more homemade and whole foods. It is a challenge cooking brewens Mar 24 #58

Frozen meals seem to be mostly packaging these days Shermann Mar 24 #59

I havent had a Stouffers for a while but I doc03 Mar 24 #60

I eat a lot of sheet pan meals. I can control the portions that way. chowder66 Mar 24 #61

Good stuff.... Quick and easy... add some meat or shrimp to it. Botany Mar 24 #67

I use their Roux to make Gumbo ArkansasDemocrat1 Mar 24 #88

Their Jambalaya is the backbone of the recipe ZZenith Mar 24 #98

Understand CountAllVotes Mar 24 #68

Try Rao's SCantiGOP Mar 24 #69

I've never been a fan of that stuff XorXor Mar 24 #70

I used to eat a lot of canned soup. When I lost a lot of weight and was counting calories and paying brewens Mar 24 #71

Too much sodium wolfie001 Mar 24 #72

Lentils codfisherman Mar 24 #102

Oooohhh! Great ideas!!! wolfie001 Mar 24 #105

Cheater's pizza... Trueblue Texan Mar 24 #74

In my 'cooking for one' days I got great mileage from the freezer. TygrBright Mar 24 #75

Seconding what chowder66 said about sheet pan dinners. I like to do foil packet dinners, too. highplainsdem Mar 24 #76

I only eat their mac n cheese XanaDUer2 Mar 24 #79

You go! Hope you have a lovely dinner...whatever you are planning! PortTack Mar 24 #81

My 3 minute meal for one Bayard Mar 24 #82

I like Barilla brand marinara and dry pastas. So much fresher tasting than Ragu, Classico, Prego or TeamProg Mar 24 #83

re: "it was awful....it was a small serving too" thesquanderer Mar 24 #84

Strategies... Trueblue Texan Mar 24 #85

Here are my single person cooking hacks Envirogal Mar 24 #87

I like meat - I grill, boil or bake chicken breasts womanofthehills Mar 24 #90

If you enjoy cooking, One Dish Kitchen has great recipes for one dlk Mar 24 #91

I like a lot of the recipes there! Nittersing Mar 24 #93

We buy Giovanni Rana Meat Lasagna. It's in the refrigerated section of the store, not frozen section. It is REALLY beaglelover Mar 24 #96

The frozen foods line of Amy's seems pretty good (organic too) - nt Pluvious Mar 24 #97

I lived alone for about ten years Mr.Bill Mar 24 #100

I cook for one about half the time. One of my favorite, easy easy easy recipes is Amish chicken. Scrivener7 Mar 24 #101

I cook large vats of soups and stews and freeze a bunch of individual portions. I use organic ingredients. diane in sf Mar 24 #103

At least it probably didn't contain any horse muriel_volestrangler Mar 24 #104

IT'S NOT FOOD! Instead of focusing on the taste or portion size Iwasthere Mar 24 #108

I buy the moniss Mar 24 #109

Ever since we decided to permit Leveraged Buy-Outs, snot Mar 24 #110