One of the most useful cookbooks I have come across this year so far is The Ultimate Meal Planning for One Cookbook. Written by culinary instructor and recipe developer Kelly Jaggers, it contains 100 recipes for those who frequently dine solo — or often need to prep single-serve, ready-to-go meals for work, school or travel excursions. I was so impressed by Jaggers affordable approach to meal prep and cooking that I asked her for additional tips that I could share with our TOPS community.
In your opinion, why can making meals that only yield one serving be challenging?
- If you are new to cooking for one, I think the biggest challenge is finding the right recipes. Most recipes make more portions than one person needs. And there are only so many leftovers one person can reasonably enjoy! Another challenge is variety. I think it is also easy to fall into a rut where you make the same three or four dishes again and again. So in my cookbook, all the recipes are designed to make one to two servings, reducing the likelihood of leftovers. I also intentionally included a variety of cuisines from American comfort food to Asian, Mediterranean and Latin-inspired meals to help keep mealtime interesting.
What are your “high priority” pro tips for those who regularly eat unaccompanied at home?
- For meal planning:
- Plan for meals you love with ingredients you enjoy cooking — and eating. To make it easier to stay on track, remember you can always switch up the order of the meals you pre-prepare as flavor cravings arise.
- Prioritize meal prep by blocking off time each week to plan your menus and shopping lists. (Treat it like self-care!)
- Be realistic. If you are just starting on a meal planning journey, try focusing on weeknight dinners to get started, then gradually incorporate more meals such as lunches or breakfasts, until it feels right for you. Meal planning will only be successful if it is sustainable for you and your lifestyle.
- For minimizing food waste:
- Utilize your butcher and seafood counters to buy smaller quantities of meat and seafood.
- Shop your kitchen first! Before you go grocery shopping, check your fridge, freezer and pantry to see if you already have some of the ingredients needed. Similarly, it can help to get in the habit of keeping a kitchen inventory list that you update weekly.
- When buying food like veggies and fruit in larger quantities, preserve any additional amounts as soon as possible to preserve freshness.
- For making budget-friendly meals:
- Review the weekly sales, as well as manufacturer coupons, when making your meal plan. If chicken breasts are on sale, you can plan a few of your weekly meals around that protein and freeze the rest for another week. You may need to hit two different stores to optimize your savings.
- Buying in bulk can save money. But be sure to properly store extra portions so they last. Like meat and fish, you can freeze larger bags of rice, flour and other dry grains to prevent spoilage.
- Fresh produce is least expensive when it is in season. Plus, it generally tastes better then too. Which is why I recommend primarily planning plant-based meals with what is in season. Add rice, beans or tofu for a well-rounded meal.
If you’re already a “meal for one” pro, please comment below any cooking advice you may have (especially for newer members of the TOPS community).
Lean into making wellness a ‘lifestyle’ rather than simply a ‘weight goal’ this Wednesday — and every day.
— Rachel
Great advice. I agree that shopping in your kitchen first is very important!
Glad this month’s post resonates with you, Robin! I definitely could be better sometimes at checking what I have on hand at home before picking up additional items at the grocery store.
I would like to see more meals for one or two in our TOPS magazine.
Great suggestion, Karen!
We’ll see what we can do.
This cookbook is the greatest. I have had it for a while. I also use her website and get hints from her Instagram account. Some great ideas. She also offers ideas to use up the ingredients that might be left over, so there is less waste.
Appreciate you sharing that her blog is a useful resource too, Rynn…especially for those wanting more tips on minimizing food waste.
Great idea. I try to use up left over ingredients.
Pleased to know you enjoyed this month’s blog too, Debbie!
I would like to see a blog about foods that promote a healthy gut with emphasis on fiber and water to aid digestion and bowel movements, for those who have difficulty in this area. Thank you. I appreciate the blog topics that Tops covers.
Hello Jo Ann,
I will do my best to get a blog post up on this topic within the next few months. THANKS for suggesting it.