How to cook wisely for 1 or 2 people

Cooking for 1 or 2 people can be challenging if your local supermarket only stocks family-sized portions, or rewards customers for buying in bulk. It’s easy to fall into the trap of buying more than you need or opting for pre-packaged meals or takeaways instead. This often leads to higher expenses and unnecessary food waste. However, with a bit of planning and creativity, you can prepare delicious and nutritious meals that not only save money but also minimise waste. Learn how to make the most of your ingredients and enjoy the benefits of home-cooked meals without the hassle of excess leftovers.

Make a meal plan

Planning out your meals ahead of time can help you save money and reduce food waste. Choose ingredients that keep well and lend themselves to using as much or as little as you need. For example, shelf-stable options such as rice, beans and lentils or fresh ingredients such as eggs and certain produce (carrots, potatoes, onions, cabbage).

When meal planning, aim to buy a smaller variety of perishables and vegetables that you can use across multiple meals to reduce food waste and save money. Choose versatile ingredients to use across several meals, or opt for frozen or canned veggies that will keep for longer.

Man looks in fridge while woman writes a shopping list on the kitchen counter

Cook once, eat often

This doesn’t necessarily mean cooking huge meals if you are someone who gets flavour fatigue. But rather, choose recipes that are easy to freeze, portion and defrost so that you always have options ready to go. Soups, casseroles, and pasta dishes are great options.

Cook a base recipe

Using the same ingredient multiple ways is a great way to cut down on food waste. Try making a base recipe that can be tweaked to use across many dishes. For example, a tomato-based mince can be used for lasagna, Bolognese, Mexican chili con carne and tacos by adding a few extra herbs and spices. Roasted chicken can be used across the week for wraps, casserole, sandwiches, salads, soup, rice paper rolls and pasta bake.

Plan a meal swap

Plan a get together with friends or with your neighbours where everyone brings their favourite meal in individual sized portions, then swap! Now you will have a freezer and fridge full of a variety of meals and you won’t get sick of that endless leftover lasagne!

Cook with tinned or frozen foods

Frozen fruit and vegetables and tinned foods, like lentils and chickpeas, are a convenient and budget friendly way to help boost your fibre intake. They also have a long shelf life whilst being a nutritious option. Choose canned vegetables with no added salt and fruits in juice rather than syrup.

9 cans of tinned vegetables with 6 opened to reveal contents inside

Easy to assemble meals

Have different vegetables and fruit prepped and ready to go in the fridge so that all you need to do is throw them together into a meal. For example, some pre-cut carrots, celery, pumpkin or mushrooms, or pre-washed lettuce and berries. This is great for those nights when you don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen, or a quick way to boost the nutritional content of your meals. Remember to always ask yourself – where can you add more vegetables?

Reduce recipes

If you don’t mind cooking often or don’t have much freezer space, trying learning how to reduce recipes. For example, if a recipe calls for 3 eggs, use 2 eggs and subtract 2-4 tablespoons of liquid. Or simply halve the amount of everything in the ingredients list. There are lots of tips like this online!

Use the deli

Many supermarkets will have a deli counter where you can purchase meats, seafood, cheeses, and other items by the gram. By using the deli, you can order exactly what you need and save on fridge space. This is a great way to shop for 1 or 2 people and can help to reduce your food waste too.

Woman takes item from gloved hand over the deli counter

Kitchen equipment

Certain kitchen equipment is more suitable for cooking smaller meals. For example, air fryers and toaster ovens are a great way to cook small meals quickly and use significantly less energy than a conventional oven. Muffin pans can also work well for freezing portioned leftovers. For example, you can freeze left over sauces or soups in smaller portions.

Grow your own

There’s nothing worse than buying a bunch of parsley or a whole head of lettuce when you only need the smallest amount for a recipe. Growing your own vegetables, fruits and herbs allows you to pick exactly how much you want, when you want it! Gardening is also a great form of physical activity which is an added bonus.