7 Meals for One: Mastering Meal Prep Without Waste
I’ve been meal prepping for a while now, and one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is doing it for one person without ending up with a ton of leftover food that goes to waste. I’ve experimented with different strategies, and I think I’ve found a few that work pretty well.
Planning is Key
The first step to avoiding waste is planning your meals in advance. I like to take some time on the weekend to think about what I want to eat for the next few days, and then make a grocery list based on that. I also try to stick to a few core ingredients that I can use in multiple dishes, like rice, beans, and frozen vegetables. This helps reduce the amount of food I need to buy and minimizes the risk of something going bad before I can use it.
Cooking in Bulk (Sort Of)
One of the common meal prep strategies is to cook a big batch of something on the weekend and then portion it out for the rest of the week. This can work well, but it’s not always practical for one person. Instead, I like to cook a few servings at a time, so I’ll make 2-3 portions of something and then freeze the rest for later. This way, I can still have the convenience of pre-cooked meals without ending up with too much food at once. Some of my favorite things to cook in bulk are grains like quinoa or brown rice, and proteins like chicken or lentils.
I’ve found that it’s also helpful to have a few go-to recipes that can be made with similar ingredients. For example, I like to keep a stash of frozen vegetables and a few different types of protein, and then I can whip up a stir-fry or a soup in no time. Here are some of my favorite recipes for meal prep:
- Chicken and rice bowls: cook some chicken, rice, and roasted vegetables, and then portion them out in individual containers
- Lentil soup: cook a big batch of lentils and then portion them out into individual servings, adding in different spices and vegetables each time
- Stir-fries: cook a bunch of different vegetables and proteins, and then serve them over rice or noodles
Tips and Tricks
I’ve learned a few things along the way that have made meal prep a lot easier for me. One of the most important is to keep track of what I have in the fridge and freezer, so I don’t end up buying duplicates or letting things go to waste. I also like to use a variety of containers to portion out my meals, so I can easily grab something and go. And, I’ve found that it’s okay to get a little creative with leftovers – sometimes I’ll turn last night’s dinner into tomorrow’s lunch, or use leftover vegetables in a soup or stir-fry.
At home, I like to keep my kitchen organized, which makes meal prep a lot easier. If you’re trying to make your kitchen or dining space feel a bit more put-together, I’ve been into art prints lately — there’s a solid collection of landscape and abstract prints at Printsofprint on Etsy if you want to browse.
Conclusion
Meal prep can be a game-changer for anyone looking to save time and money, but it can be tricky to do for one person without ending up with a lot of waste. By planning ahead, cooking in bulk, and getting creative with leftovers, I’ve been able to make meal prep work for me. What do you use for meal prep containers – do you have any favorite brands or types?
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