Single person meat based meals!

[TangledTeabags]

Could anyone recommend some ideas for me?
When I was with ex we would often purchase fresh meat and share. Since living alone I am struggling with most fresh meat portions as they are too large for me. Since I am not very experienced with freezing I am unsure if I am able to 'split' a packet of, say, chicken breast and eat the other next day.

I love to eat sea bass, fresh chicken, etc, and most come in 300g+ packs, with the sea bass butterflied. I am not sure it is possible to keep one fillet in the fridge overnight since the packaging warns against it.

Any advice? I am currently enjoying tuna in olive oil and mackerel from a tin (and have made some lovely meals from them) but miss my fresh fish. Sadly most frozen foods are less tasty or contain added crap. I prefer organic chicken so this is really bloody arse-y.

Is there a butcher near you? I live alone and if you buy from a butcher rather than supermarket, you can get just 1 chicken breast, 2 sausages at a time etc to save having to repeat meals for days on end or faff about with freezing

I would just use the deli or fishmonger in the supermarket or even a butcher if convenient.

Buying as much as you need when you need it.

But I would and happily open meat and leave in the fridge covered up and use with 48 hours max as long as still in date and looks and smells ok.

Deerbox do a single person lean protein venison box, though you still might want to 'cook once eat twice' or use half at a time as it's about 200g serving sizes.

For supermarket meat I'd just cook once eat twice, or buy a bigger pack, divide into bags and freeze. I just take out what I want to cook the night before.

If your local supermarket has a butchers or fishmonger section, you can buy single portions / the amount you need.
With a packet of two chicken breasts, I would cook both at once. Once cooled, pop the remainder in your freezer for another meal. Same with a packet of sausages or meatballs etc.
You can also bulk make fish pie etc to freeze and eat later.

What exactly is your issue with freezing? Just use freezer bags rather than containers, make sure there's as little air in them as possible, and use within a few months. Or definitely use the next night, don't see why you wouldn't, just rewrap tightly - don't leave it in an open Styrofoam packaging. Or finally (with chicken but not fish) use the whole package e.g. in a styr-fry and reheat the following day.

But really, do look into portioning and freezing. I often buy good quality whole chicken, take it apart and freeze in pieces.

You can absolutely portion it up and freeze it and it will probably be more economical.

I used to buy a large pack of chicken breasts, freeze some whole and take them out the night before I wanted them. I used to slice some up and then freeze them in sandwich bags in stir fry portion sizes. Take them out the night before and then in the morning add soy sauce, chilli, ginger, etc and leave it to marinate in the fridge for the day.

I did the stir fry thing with a pork tenderloin too - could get six or so portions out of one tenderloin.

if you opel and packet and are going to finish it in the next couple of days you can definitely leave it in the fridge too - just cling film or stick it in a Tupperware.

Buy fresh meat, split the packet, freeze half, eat the other half.

Once you’ve defrosted it, you’ve got to cook it and eat it. You can’t re-freeze it again once it’s defrosted. You don’t need to be ‘experienced at freezing’, and this would solve your conundrum.

Some fish freezes better than others imo. I'm not fond of salmon from frozen but I've found sea bass fine. They sell large sea bass fillets at Food Warehouse (Iceland) in bags and those can be defrosted individually.

When I lived alone, I'd make a meal for two and just halve it and have it for 2 dinners. Keep half in the fridge and reheat the next day.

Morrisons also do cheap fresh meat if you go there later in the evening. A lot of stuff is yellow stickered and reduced.

I would buy fresh meat and freeze. You can freeze most meat. Just take it out and put it in the fridge about 24 hours before you want to eat it. You can absolutely take out one chicken breast etc. and defrost.

In terms of suggestions, I like chicken or mince filled fajita wraps, spaghetti bolognaise, curries, roasts. All stretch easily to more than 1 day. A roast especially. I find it's cheaper to roast a chicken on Sunday for dinner, then use the leftover meat for wraps and stir fry in the week.

Use the meat or fish counter in the supermarket if they have one and then you can buy as much as you need but I’ve been freezing and cooking / reheating portions of meat for years and I’m still alive with no side effects! Sainsburys do a pack of individually wrapped salmon fillets which is handy for the freezer if you only want at a time (less great for plastic but hey ho!)

I always buy bigger packs of meat/fish then seperate into portion sizes and freeze in separate tubs per portion, you can do that with any larger packs you buy in the supermarket.

Equally, if you use half and keep the other half in the fridge until the next day that’s absolutely fine to do.

Your freezer is your friend.

You can use one chicken breast or chop or something and freeze or fridge the other. Put it in new cling film if you're worried.

Didn't expect this much help! These are great suggestions, thanks to everyone who posted :)