I’m still making improvements to my cooking for one. I like cooking on the weekends, but I’m learning to tweak casserole sizes and when the freeze what. I have this professional cook of a son who keeps going cross eyed at my food safety .. well violations seems strong to me. I notice you’re using the “what’s the meat” method of food planning. My vegetarian friends don’t understand it, and why it makes me crazy planning to feed them.
I'm eating lo-carb, high protein, as I'm working at losing weight. I am hoping to drop 50 pounds this year by eating less and exercising a lot more. So far, down ten pounds.
My failing is mostly on how to cool left over casserole, how many days it can be in the fridge etc. I’ve gotten much more careful. Leftover rice from eating out gets divided and frozen. Frozen rice gets microwave thawed and then directly into the pan for fried rice. Etc. My biggest change is in making smaller amounts of the dishes that don’t freeze/reheat well.
Lol. Im driven nuts by some of the stuff in our kitchen that i consider dangerous cleanliness wise. As infirm as i have gotten its harder for me to keep up with the cleaning. Im the main cook and even that is harder. Trying to get the kids to not put dishes with food still in them in the sink. Thats after the battle to get the dishes to the kitchen. I now possess their phones at least two days a week. I dont nag nown just ask for their phone for the day if their cores of the day before are still not done the next morning.
Washing hands handling food is big. Also no food that will be eaten should ever touch the sink. Even with anal cleaning of sink it is still the most bacteria ridden place in a home. Many years ago i saw study that showed 100 to 1000 times the bacteria live in bottom of sink and drain than in the average toilet.
If washing food, it doesnt go in sink. In big clean stainless bowl then to clean cutting board. I have close to 20+ stainless bowls from a quart to 20 quart that are used for cooked food or prepping food in. Though i have a bunch of nylon cutting boards, i replace them when the start to get lots of scratches and fine cuts. Clorox treatment often. Sink and boards.
I dont feel crazy about it but definitely the high risk stuff.
My husband's health also meant a big shift in what he ate, and how much. I'm currently trying to lose weight, so it's made it unfortunately slow in our progress. I'm actually grateful we're doing the big group dinners, they give me a chance to cook like I'm used to, and go through a bunch of food feeding friends (we usually plan for 15 at supper).
I am now cooking for one, usually very simple. It is a pleasure to have guests and cook a nicer meal for two or three. And of course that produces invitations.
I am having similar experience. It is hard to judge how much to make for the reduced number of people here, not helped by people randomly fasting, or eating at work without informing me they won’t want supper that night. And after 25 years of catering to other people’s tastes, I’m ready to start catering to MINE, which involves a lot of spicy curry that no one else here can handle…
I’ve been working on cooking for two for years and years. Still have way too much, make too big portions, and wind up feeding the wildlife. Maybe moving into Independent Living will cut it down. Right, who am I kidding?
Portion control works well for people who don't think that 1 pound of beef = 1 portion. (oops)
The chicken taco soup only lasted 5 days for the 2 of us, so I'm getting better. The "kid" is 29, married, has lived with his wife for sometime >5 years, so I don't have that excuse, but things are slowly sliding towards less outrageous sized dinners for 2.
In an typical note, I finally "christened" our mandolin slicer after about 4 years making French Onion soup today. (and I know better, but not when aggravated)
Oh, I do some of that. But I know from experience that having a few meals a week be nicely presented makes a difference in my mood, so I make time for it.
I don't plan ahead like that. I have a mental list of foods I want to have, and foods I want to have multiple servings of, and on a good day I plan the next day's meals out after breakfast. On the other hand, I have a container of partially developed stock in the freezer, and when I next find turkey thighs at Sprouts I'll thaw it out and use it as a medium for boiling that batch to prepare to use them for meals. About four or five cycles of that gives an amazing stock, which I use for either chicken soup with rice pasta, or "turkey pot roast."
I’m still making improvements to my cooking for one. I like cooking on the weekends, but I’m learning to tweak casserole sizes and when the freeze what. I have this professional cook of a son who keeps going cross eyed at my food safety .. well violations seems strong to me. I notice you’re using the “what’s the meat” method of food planning. My vegetarian friends don’t understand it, and why it makes me crazy planning to feed them.
I'm eating lo-carb, high protein, as I'm working at losing weight. I am hoping to drop 50 pounds this year by eating less and exercising a lot more. So far, down ten pounds.
You’re definitely more disciplined than I. I did manage -15 over the course of 2025.
Congratulations!
My failing is mostly on how to cool left over casserole, how many days it can be in the fridge etc. I’ve gotten much more careful. Leftover rice from eating out gets divided and frozen. Frozen rice gets microwave thawed and then directly into the pan for fried rice. Etc. My biggest change is in making smaller amounts of the dishes that don’t freeze/reheat well.
Lol. Im driven nuts by some of the stuff in our kitchen that i consider dangerous cleanliness wise. As infirm as i have gotten its harder for me to keep up with the cleaning. Im the main cook and even that is harder. Trying to get the kids to not put dishes with food still in them in the sink. Thats after the battle to get the dishes to the kitchen. I now possess their phones at least two days a week. I dont nag nown just ask for their phone for the day if their cores of the day before are still not done the next morning.
Washing hands handling food is big. Also no food that will be eaten should ever touch the sink. Even with anal cleaning of sink it is still the most bacteria ridden place in a home. Many years ago i saw study that showed 100 to 1000 times the bacteria live in bottom of sink and drain than in the average toilet.
If washing food, it doesnt go in sink. In big clean stainless bowl then to clean cutting board. I have close to 20+ stainless bowls from a quart to 20 quart that are used for cooked food or prepping food in. Though i have a bunch of nylon cutting boards, i replace them when the start to get lots of scratches and fine cuts. Clorox treatment often. Sink and boards.
I dont feel crazy about it but definitely the high risk stuff.
One of the most challenging changes is cooking for 2. My mother-in-law never did master it. We're still burning through what she had on the pantry.
My husband's health also meant a big shift in what he ate, and how much. I'm currently trying to lose weight, so it's made it unfortunately slow in our progress. I'm actually grateful we're doing the big group dinners, they give me a chance to cook like I'm used to, and go through a bunch of food feeding friends (we usually plan for 15 at supper).
took us years to get down to cooking for two, I feel your pain.
I am now cooking for one, usually very simple. It is a pleasure to have guests and cook a nicer meal for two or three. And of course that produces invitations.
I am having similar experience. It is hard to judge how much to make for the reduced number of people here, not helped by people randomly fasting, or eating at work without informing me they won’t want supper that night. And after 25 years of catering to other people’s tastes, I’m ready to start catering to MINE, which involves a lot of spicy curry that no one else here can handle…
I’ve been working on cooking for two for years and years. Still have way too much, make too big portions, and wind up feeding the wildlife. Maybe moving into Independent Living will cut it down. Right, who am I kidding?
Portion control works well for people who don't think that 1 pound of beef = 1 portion. (oops)
The chicken taco soup only lasted 5 days for the 2 of us, so I'm getting better. The "kid" is 29, married, has lived with his wife for sometime >5 years, so I don't have that excuse, but things are slowly sliding towards less outrageous sized dinners for 2.
In an typical note, I finally "christened" our mandolin slicer after about 4 years making French Onion soup today. (and I know better, but not when aggravated)
I have to admit that just cooking for myself I make, well, chow. I like what I make but I would not serve it to guests.
Heh. I call my for-me-only creations “glop.”
Oh, I do some of that. But I know from experience that having a few meals a week be nicely presented makes a difference in my mood, so I make time for it.
Best wishes! We're still cooking for 6 (or 7 or 8 or 10, if the Uptown Youth turn up).
It's a lot of work, but SO rewarding to see them enjoy their meals! Food is love.
Thor will cook while I do his laundry. Sheldon is helpless.
I don't plan ahead like that. I have a mental list of foods I want to have, and foods I want to have multiple servings of, and on a good day I plan the next day's meals out after breakfast. On the other hand, I have a container of partially developed stock in the freezer, and when I next find turkey thighs at Sprouts I'll thaw it out and use it as a medium for boiling that batch to prepare to use them for meals. About four or five cycles of that gives an amazing stock, which I use for either chicken soup with rice pasta, or "turkey pot roast."