Cooking for One and a Half

image from www.medicinenet.com

As a single parent living with a young child, I know how difficult that it can be to cook for just two people. My daughter is a very picky five year-old but I make her try everything once. Since it has taken years to perfect the amount of food that I need to cook for the both of us, I have come up with a few helpful tips for those who don't want to eat leftovers by themselves for a week.

Step 1: Cut Any Recipe That You Find in Half. Most recipes that you find online are going to serve at least four or eight so it is important to tailor the recipe to fit the needs of your family. The easiest way to do this is to cut the recipe in half. Larger meals may require that you use two pounds of meat. Cutting that in half can reduce your cost per meal by at least $4.00. If you still buy the meat in a larger quantity, separate pounds with baggies for easy use. With multiple pounds you can easily make spaghetti one night and hamburgers the next. If you prepare too much meat, like chicken breast when baking it, consider using the leftover meat on a salad or sandwich instead of eating it the same way. Yesterday's dinner is always great for tomorrow's lunch but doesn't have to taste the same!

Step 2: Stock Up on Dry Goods. When goods like tomato sauce, paste, and diced tomatoes are on sale, buy them! Having these things on hand makes it easy and convenient to plan meals quickly. Going back to cutting recipes in half, with dry goods and leftover meat, the possibilities are endless. Staples like macaroni and cheese or pasta sides are nice too when you are trying to cook a whole meal in a hurry.

Step 3: Buy Fresh Produce. Fresh fruits and veggies also go a long way in preparing meals. When storing, be sure to use your crisper! Produce will have a longer life if it is kept at an optimum temperature. Keeping fruits and veggies in your home offers you a chance to give your child a healthy alternative and is filling as an afternoon snack. To reduce cost, try buying produce when its on sale. This also offers you a chance to change the variety of produce that you eat. Buying less and more frequently will also reduce the risk of anything spoiling. Be sure to keep track of what gets eaten and what you always seem to throw away.

Step 4: Freeze If You Can. Bread, soups, stews, sauces, fresh fruits, and vegetables all can be frozen. In the case that you do prepare a meal that serves four to eight, like spaghetti, consider freezing half of the sauce that you make. Or freeze half of your bread loaf in its bag and eat the other half from a gallon bag. Food never has to be thrown away! There is tons of information available about what you can freeze and how long before it should be used online.

Step 5: Cook With Your Child. No matter the family size, kids should be involved in meal preparation! When your child is helping in preparing the meal, they see exactly what goes into it and reduces the food fear that comes with appearance of your meal. This also builds confidence in the child because it was a meal that they helped prepare, adding to the likelihood that they will eat it.There is no better time to bond with or talk to your kids than when meal is being prepared.

I hope that these tips are helpful and money-saving! Please be sure to add my blog and leave your comments below. I would love to hear more tips or ideas about cooking for less than the average size crowd!