Successfully Single: Meals for one

If you live by yourself you might feel that preparing healthy, nutritious meals for yourself is a bit too much of a challenge. It's easy to get caught up in thinking that it's just too much effort to go to for one person and besides, it's hardly fair that you have to do the dishes as well as cook.

But when it comes to looking after yourself, if you don't take responsibility then who will? Besides why should only couples and families get to eat tasty meals? Read on to find out how to cook for one without the wastage or hassle!

Read more :

• The excuses
• The positives
• The how-to tips
• Keeping it real
• Simple ideas

The excuses

It's just all too easy to resort to a quick bowl of cereal or a vegemite sandwich for dinner where there is just one of you - there's no one else to complain about it, and it's quick and easy with minimal dishes.

Thirty-year-old Sarah can relate to this attitude. She has been living on her own for the past year. Compared with the years when she was sharing a house with her partner, she now hardly ever cooks meals for herself. 'Before Chris and I split up, we regularly cooked meals at home. It was easy then - we shared the cooking and it seemed worth the effort when there was someone else there to enjoy it. Now I have to cook every night - and do the dishes too. I just can't be bothered most of the time.'

There is also the issue of wastage - how many times have you brought produce only to have it go off in the fridge before you can use it all. As Sarah says 'Buying vegetables is a problem for me. I like to eat them but they go mouldy in my fridge before I can use them up.'

These are common complaints among singles - it seems that we don't go to as much effort when it's just for ourselves. In fact, a U.S. Department of Energy study found that 42% of American singles do not cook even one meal per day at home, and are putting themselves at risk of weight gain and long-term health problems.

So what's a single gal or guy to do?

The positives

Before you throw your hands up in despair and grab the nearest frozen dinner for one, think about some of the positives of cooking for yourself.

• You can make whatever you like to eat. You don't have to worry about anyone else's allergies, dislikes or preferences. 
  
  
• You don't have to worry about others sabotaging your weight loss plans. No cases of 'Oh sorry, I accidentally brought a 10L tub of double choc chip, mocca fudge icecream. I'm sure a little bit won't hurt.' You can keep your pantry stocked with the healthy, low-calorie foods that you want to eat.