Healthy Meals Cooked Just for One

BY EMILY BRUYERE

If your diet is mostly takeout food or eating out, consider the benefits of cooking for yourself – even if you are just cooking for one.

People who usually cook at home tend to have healthier overall diets without higher food expenses, according to research by University of Washington Health Sciences. People who cooked at home six or seven nights a week consumed fewer carbs, less sugar and less fat than people who cook less or not at all, according to a study by Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future.

When you are cooking for one, you need to avoid preparing too much, so you don’t overeat or waste food. And you want a variety of tasty meals. These challenges can be met by planning your meals. Choose recipes that make one or two servings, or cut larger recipes in half, keeping in mind that you may have to adjust cooking time as well as ingredient amounts.

Here are more hints on cooking for one:

• Plan ahead and make a grocery shopping list. Read labels and choose products with lower calories and sodium.

• Purchase fresh foods in small amounts or singleserve containers.

• Buy foods with a long shelf life.

• Keep frequently used herbs, spices, sauces and condiments on hand to use in many recipes.

• Portion out your meat as soon as you get home from the supermarket and store in the refrigerator or freezer. In the morning, defrost the meat you will use for supper that evening.

• Prepare a batch of your favorite recipe and use it throughout the week. Store one-meal portions in freezer containers. Store in the refrigerator to use in a few days or freeze to keep longer.

In my Cooking for One class with older adults, we start by cooking chicken breasts and then prepare different meals using the precooked chicken. These recipes are simple and delicious.

In a small bowl combine these ingredients to make stirfry sauce and set aside.

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons ginger

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry 2 cups of sliced vegetables in 2 tablespoons of oil for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon garlic, two sliced scallions and one grilled and sliced chicken breast. Add four tablespoons of the stir-fry sauce and heat, though. Serve with ½ cup brown rice or one cup cauliflower rice.

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 grilled chicken breast, cubed

• 1/2 can diced tomatoes

• 1/2 can cannellini beans, rinsed

• 1 cup frozen veggies

• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Combine chicken broth, grilled and cubed chicken breast, diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, frozen veggies, Italian seasoning and granulated garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

These recipes are designed to serve one person. Put any leftovers quickly into the freezer or fridge for another meal.

Emily Bruyere, an intern at RiverStone Health Live Well Center, graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in applied health and also holds a bachelor’s degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Wyoming. To learn more about the Live Well Center, call 406-247-3350.