Tips and Tricks

As you can probably tell from the recipes, when cooking for one on a tight budget, I like to keep the ingredients list small. This helps to save on money, time, and waste. When thinking about what I want to cook for the week ahead, I think about what leftover ingredients are still in the fridge. Half a jar of salsa or pesto? An extra can of beans? Frozen meat? Plan your upcoming meals around what in the fridge or pantry you can use up. I always thought of this as a fun game reminiscent of when my brother and I would watch the chefs on Food Network’s Chopped have to create elaborate meals from the random assortment of ingredients placed in front of them.

​Does one of your recipes call for only a portion of one or more ingredients? Do any other recipes you like call for a portion of the same ingredient? Plan to make them the same week!

If your chicken has to bake for 30 minutes or your vegetables need to roast for 25 minutes, start them in the oven first. This allows you to save time as you can do the rest of your preparation simultaneously whether it be chopping vegetables or cooking rice.

The number of portioned meals you prepare each week may differ depending on the given recipe. There might also be a night you and your roommate decide to go out to eat. Moral of the story is that the number of lunches and dinners you need/have prepared meals for might not always be the same. This is where filler meals come in. Something easy that you always have the ingredients on hand for. This could be avocado toast, a sandwich, pasta and sauce, etc.