Eating out if you're single is often cheaper as your not wasting all of the extra ingredients you'll never use on your own that you would otherwise put to use with a family before they go to waste. But, if single and willing to grow a garden, shop for the best deals, and learn to be a reasonably good and efficient cook, you could do it cheaper, healthier, and better tasting at home.
Eating out if you're single is often cheaper as your not wasting all of the extra ingredients you'll never use on your own that you would otherwise put to use with a family before they go to waste. But, if single and willing to grow a garden, shop for the best deals, and learn to be a reasonably good and efficient cook, you could do it cheaper, healthier, and better tasting at home.
Which is the less expensive way to eat well?
Not to mention that it is very difficult to learn how to cook for just one, and a loaf of bread goes stale and moldy before you can finish it. :lol:
I've been thinking that I need to open a grocery store that carries only small portions for single people. Buy bread by the half-loaf, small cans of veggies, no milk or juice containers larger than 1/2 gallon, and cheese or deli meat sold by the slice. :lol:
Not to mention that it is very difficult to learn how to cook for just one, and a loaf of bread goes stale and moldy before you can finish it. :lol:
I've been thinking that I need to open a grocery store that carries only small portions for single people. Buy bread by the half-loaf, small cans of veggies, no milk or juice containers larger than 1/2 gallon, and cheese or deli meat sold by the slice. :lol:
A good cheap meal to try is pulled pork. Buy a Boston butt, usually about 1.99 per pound. Slow cook it, either in a crock pot, it a reg pot on a burner, or in the oven. Hack up some Spanish onions, toss in the pot. Pour in about 1/4-1/2 cup of vinegar, depending on size of cooking pot/dish. You want about half an inch of white vin on the bottom, with the onions. Now add about a half cup of apple juice, 1/4 cup of honey, and a cup of brown sugar. Salt it to taste, then add garlic and onion powder. Toss in the butt, cook on low till its falling off the bone (about 8 hours), pull it out and pull it apart, let sit on a cookie sheet. Increase heat on the juice in pot, to a boil, add a touch of flour, a littler more honey, and some crushed red pepper. Boil till it reduces/thickens a bit, take the heat, and let cool. Toss pulled pork in pan, pour in some sauce, fry up till good and hot, and serve. It's delicious, makes enough for SEVERAL meals, and costs under 20 bucks.
I have a good recipe for shredded chicken taco meat, and it keeps in the fridge very well, and will last for multiple meals, if you like the taste.
Shredded chicken tacos
4 boneless breasts
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
water
Place above ingredients in large pan with enough water to cover, and boil for approx 1 hour, then remove chicken to cool.
2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlilc, minced
1/2 med onion, chopped
1 med tomato, chipped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp marjoram
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Saute above ingredients together for about 10 minutes, then place shredded chicken and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
Cook and stir on low for 4-5 minutes.
The waste is the biggest hidden expense when cooking for one.
Convenience foods are expensive, and questionable on nutrition, and if you have any type of food allergies, convenience foods carry some rude surprises in them. Home cooked is best.
Lizzie sent me this recipe before you guys got it, because she likes me more, and I've made these and they're awesome!! :mrgreen:
I have a good recipe for shredded chicken taco meat, and it keeps in the fridge very well, and will last for multiple meals, if you like the taste.
Shredded chicken tacos
4 boneless breasts
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt
water
Place above ingredients in large pan with enough water to cover, and boil for approx 1 hour, then remove chicken to cool.
2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlilc, minced
1/2 med onion, chopped
1 med tomato, chipped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp marjoram
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Saute above ingredients together for about 10 minutes, then place shredded chicken and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken broth
Cook and stir on low for 4-5 minutes.
A good cheap meal to try is pulled pork. Buy a Boston butt, usually about 1.99 per pound. Slow cook it, either in a crock pot, it a reg pot on a burner, or in the oven. Hack up some Spanish onions, toss in the pot. Pour in about 1/4-1/2 cup of vinegar, depending on size of cooking pot/dish. You want about half an inch of white vin on the bottom, with the onions. Now add about a half cup of apple juice, 1/4 cup of honey, and a cup of brown sugar. Salt it to taste, then add garlic and onion powder. Toss in the butt, cook on low till its falling off the bone (about 8 hours), pull it out and pull it apart, let sit on a cookie sheet. Increase heat on the juice in pot, to a boil, add a touch of flour, a littler more honey, and some crushed red pepper. Boil till it reduces/thickens a bit, take the heat, and let cool. Toss pulled pork in pan, pour in some sauce, fry up till good and hot, and serve. It's delicious, makes enough for SEVERAL meals, and costs under 20 bucks.
Waste is a HUGE issue when cooking for one. You can get great value (both cost and nutritional) for your food dollar by home cooking but you have to cook in bulk and freeze. If you want to go really crazy (and have some butchering skills) you can buy a whole side of beef for around $1,000.00 which will yield between 150-200 pounds of cut beef. A whole hog will run about $650 dressed and yield more than 100 pounds of meat. It's a little bit of work but that's 2 years worth of meat for less than $2k.
And for those of us who do it simple:
two fresh large Roma type tomatoes, diced in 3/4 inch cubes
Saute in olive oil, with fresh minced garlic, basil and a pinch of rubbed sage for about three minutes, until heated but not mushy.
Serve over whole grain pasta, topped with grated Romano cheese.
Finish with Hagen Daz single serving of Chocolate ice cream.
Dinner for one can be easy, and with no waste...... :wink:
If you add some thinly sliced pancetta and a little onion to that you've got "Amatriciana" sauce which is a favorite of mine. It's especially good with a little fresh chopped basil sprinkled on top.