COOKING FOR ONE

Frying solo: Meals for one

Hannah Shaffer — THE BATTALION

Save money, time with cooking advice for living away from home

By Lauren Discher

@laurendischer

The transition from high school to college is already daunting; not only are there new academic and social challenges, but there is a significant increase in responsibility as far as taking care of oneself.

No longer is mom or dad on hand if you need a home-cooked meal. While College Station has a seemingly endless supply of fast food and restaurants, these are oftentime not the most nutritious or cost-effective options. And as most college students are already on a tight budget, this simply won’t do. Whether you consider yourself a culinary master or have never stepped foot in a kitchen — that would be impressive — here are a few tips on how to make the most of your time and money when it comes to taking on the task of cooking for one:

Meal prep and meal plan

I’m sure this is something you’ve been told before, but there’s a reason. Meal prepping, or preparing meals in advance, will save you from overspending on eating out or skipping meals altogether. Just set aside a block of time each week to make an easy, healthy recipe that has multiple portions, then use containers to store a portion-size in the fridge for you to grab and reheat.

Meal planning at least one meal per day will save you from ransacking your fridge in order to scrounge up that final, crucial ingredient for a recipe you spent way too much time looking up. The most important factor when it comes to meal planning is being strategic about meat and produce usage, as these items will expire the fastest. My suggestion is to cook meals that require fresh ingredients closer to the beginning of the week, and then use the canned or frozen goods at the end.

Be smart at the store

Eat before you go. If you walk into a store starving, you’re more likely to get food that you didn’t plan on purchasing. I’d also recommend making a detailed list based on your meal prep and planning needs. Apps like Anylist or Our Grocery Shopping List can be useful, since they separate your grocery list into categories based on what section of the store they are located in.

Furthermore, the bulk bins and deli counter make shopping for one much more convenient. You can buy in bulk or exactly the amount that you need, and the pricing is often less expensive than pre-packaged goods. As for the deli counter, you can buy, for example, one chicken breast instead of a package of four that might end up expired or altogether unused. The employees working behind the counter are a resource as well, especially if you are new to shopping for yourself. They have knowledge about the various types and cuts of meats and cheeses and may even give you advice on how to cook with them.

Never underestimate the power of leftovers

Waste not, want not. You may be tempted to throw out the uneaten portion of your meal

Lauren Discher — THE BATTALION

either from a restaurant or your own kitchen, but leftovers can come in handy. They can be repurposed for other recipes or even eaten as a snack. Look up how long the food in question will keep in the freezer, then attach a sticky-note to the tupperware or write on the baggie what day it will no longer be good. Moreover, unused meal prep portions can be saved in the freezer and reheated later in the microwave or oven.

Save your favorite recipes

The internet makes finding recipes incredibly simple. You can search by category or even by what ingredients you have on hand. But with so many recipes out there, it’s easy to lose track of which ones you tried and enjoyed, so bookmarking them on your laptop or even printing them out and storing them in a binder or folder will make finding them again much easier. Once you’ve compiled a few of your favorites, you can refer back to these recipes and look for ways to perfect them or make them healthier, using different ingredients or methods.