Meal plans for one, with little cooking.

I have recently re-visited my Jamie Oliver 5 ingredients book, because I to I’ve just got fed up of cooking for myself, I batch cook to but then I get bored with that

I'm amazed how many people are just having what I would call a quick meal or snack. I batch cook, make chutneys & thoroughly enjoy cooking & trying new foods. I discovered on line indian cookery lessons during lockdown & completed that course.
My problem is I like to know what is in my food and when I read the ingredients on ready meals even or pre made sandwiches I realise its all full of additives & chemicals so I prefer to avoid them.
I do menu plan to ensure all ingredients are used.

Cook some pasta just before it's done add some frozen prawns and veg, e.g. peas or sweetcorn. Drain and add a dollop of Philly cream cheese with chilli. Total time max 10 mins, less if using quick cook pasta. You can even eat it straight from the pan if you want to, saves on washing up.

What's wrong with quick meals? They can be just as nutritious and satisfying as something people have spent ages cooking.

I seriously want to spend as little time as possible cooking, eating and washing up. I have other things to do, which I enjoy much more.

Wow I’m surprised how many of you don’t cook yourselves proper meals. I’ve been on my own for 5 years and cook a proper meal 6 days a week then on 7th get a takeaway or eat out. I think I may take a step back from cooking reading majority of your messages.

I am making soups for the freezer at the moment...divide into single portions. There are lots of cook books for one... Look on Amazon

I find it depends on my mood. I can when I feel like it (which isn't often) make a complicated recipe just for me. But when I want something quick there's Anything Risotto (just chop some peppers/onions/tomatoes/mushrooms and fry add rice and anything else you fancy +stock) takes about 15mins. Wraps filled with avocado/salad/ cheese/tuna with dressing or pickle. Fish is a staple because I love it but I am particular- must be Marine whatever approved. I just fry in olive oil with some seasoning or spices.
Things which I really like are the boxes of frozen chopped garlic, ginger or herbs. Saves loads of bother.
Oh and a poached egg on smoked haddock is something I really love

Thanks, one and all. Great thread!

I make a chunky soup each week which does about 4 days.Roughly cut onion, carrot,sweet potato. Fry 1 to 2 mins to soften onion then add star anise, ginger and stock. Simmer about 5 mins and turn off. When cool blend only half the soup with any fresh herb and return to pot. It will now be creamy and chunky. In the winter I may add lentils or beans. Very quick and easy.

In the same boat here. I eat very little meat, but have poultry and fish and the occasional bit of bacon.

My "go to" is done in the remoska - throw in some meat or fish or cut up bacon and let it cook/fry in the bottom of the pan. Then add a tin of tomatoes and a handful of pasta, put lid back on and wait for pasta to cook - spoon into bowl and eat.

Juicylucy

Wow I’m surprised how many of you don’t cook yourselves proper meals. I’ve been on my own for 5 years and cook a proper meal 6 days a week then on 7th get a takeaway or eat out. I think I may take a step back from cooking reading majority of your messages.

Why does it surprise you? I have never felt that I have to cook myself a "proper" meal, although I do, if I have guests, when we can sit down and chat.

growstuff

Juicylucy

Wow I’m surprised how many of you don’t cook yourselves proper meals. I’ve been on my own for 5 years and cook a proper meal 6 days a week then on 7th get a takeaway or eat out. I think I may take a step back from cooking reading majority of your messages.

Why does it surprise you? I have never felt that I have to cook myself a "proper" meal, although I do, if I have guests, when we can sit down and chat.

What is a "proper" meal? Meat and two veg? I didn't cook that that often when my kids were little. They much preferred curries or pasta dishes (or do they count?). It sounds like my mum or my grans cooking. (Although they quite liked a steak pie from the shop with Smash, peas and gravy)

We had fish and chips from our favourite chippy last night and always get too many chips. So we’ll reheat them today. DH is going to have them with fish fingers but I’ve just had a chip butty. Stopped buying bags of lettuce as some gets wasted so I now buy little gem or iceberg which last for ages ( I do give them a good rinse using vinegar). All I’ve wanted to eat when it was hot was salad.

Do you have a slow cook, I have a small one.I have just bought some braising steak, will pop that in my slow cook on Sunday morning with few onions and carrots, then when Im home will take some frozen mash pellets out and have lovely steak,gravy mash and cabbage. Roll on Sunday.

The “pot” type noodles have improved immensely over the last few years, with delicious Chinese cuisine style flavours . A pot of that with a tin of tuna/mackerel, or scrambled egg or half a chicken breast. Delicious, easy and relatively inexpensive.

I make mushroom soup and freeze extras in mugs.. also spanakopita is really easy with filo pastry, spinach and feta and can also be frozen before popping in the oven.

My go to very quick easy meal is cook pasta,last 4 mins cook any veg you have (peppers & broccoli work well)in the same pot,when ready stir in cream cheese & bit of Mrs Dash seasoning,makes a nice creamy sauce,good luck.

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, delicious!
Grilled tomatoes ( from the greenhouse) on toast, a great breakfast. A sliced pear with a small chunk of cheese, a light lunch.

I buy soup.

I have read somewhere that it is the best kind of quick meal for nutritional purposes, and isn't different at all to homemade.
That'll do for me!

I do like a Heinz tomato soup, though, with all different kinds of bread.

I quite like cooking but not as much as I used to. Making dishes for one seems like too much trouble. I need to watch my weight too. A struggle since early teenage. I am in a phase of not wanting to bother now, so I make interesting sandwiches with interesting bread - rye, sourdough, seeded, Polish breads ( yummy), wraps, and wholemeal pittas, Tins of various things for fillings - tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, mashed beans, corned beef, various cheeses etc. etc. Light mayonnaise figures a lot instead of butter, or I mash it in with the main ingredient, Add some salad leaves or baby spinach. A dollop of coleslaw and potato salad goes down well as an accompaniment and the whole assemblage seems healthy. In winter I might even have some tinned or supermarket fresh soup with the interesting bread,
I recently found out about mug meals and the cooking is done quickly in the microwave. The book I like is by Theo Michaels and the recipes are calorie counted, and really delicious, particularly the puds, although the calorie count of these is best not looked at.
This thread has caused me to want a baked potato, baked beans and grated cheese. I use my Remoska for these, but I am considering an air fryer. I do love a gadget.

I like a nest of egg noodles put in boiling water for 4 mins, drain, lob on some salad bits and empty over a tin of sardines or sild in a tomato sauce (or they do other sauces now) It is a satisfying amount of food

MissAdventure

I buy soup.

I have read somewhere that it is the best kind of quick meal for nutritional purposes, and isn't different at all to homemade.
That'll do for me!

I do like a Heinz tomato soup, though, with all different kinds of bread.

heinz tomato soup and cheese on toast is the best comfort food ever imo

Because of mobility problem and fear of falling I cannot use the frying pan or boil anything or stand to chop vegetables but I still manage to cook a dinner every day. Most of the time the slow cooker using frozen onions and frozen stew pack with what ever meat or chicken and lentils or pearl barley or rice and a stock cube. Fish in the microwave only takes minutes with frozen mash potato and peas. Egg in a little dish forty second in the micro.. also have mini oven and grill so cook breaded fish and chips.
I tried ready meals but on reading the back of the pack and seeing all the additives now longer use them.

I enjoy cooking and usually cook from scratch, but like everyone there are times when I want something quick and easy. My 'go to' quick meal is a bag of Mediterranean Veg (frozen - available in any supermarket) cooked in a frying pan or the air fryer with a dollop of pesto stirred through, and served with sliced or chopped and fried halloumi and lemon and coriander couscous. The couscous (again, all supermarket brands do it) just needs to have boiling water poured over it and left to stand for 5 minutes, the veg cooks in minutes and the halloumi air fries or stir fries in no time. Mix it all together and you have a healthy and tasty meal with 2-3 servings in no time.

Forgot to add - you could use leftover cooked chicken instead of the cheese if you have it.