Cooking for two - ideas on diverse meals but efficient shopping

[ThickGrass]

As it’s just two of us empty nesters, I am having to adjust the quantity of food cooked daily for two portions. We eat everything, and like all cuisines.

I would like to get smarter with what we get out from the “protein” ingredients.
Like 500g pack of mince will give us two meals, like spaghetti bolognese or chilli or stuffed peeper. Just cooked a big ham - one parsley sauce dinner, sandwiches and will make ham and mushroom or leek pasta bake. Could have made omelette and / or pea soup too. You get the idea. Same with chicken.

Are there any other obvious tricks how to make the most of cooking for two?

Can you not just cook four portions and freeze two? Rather than have to have the same protein back to back nights?

We cook for 4 and freeze half and it’s great as half the week you don’t need to cook!

Yes, same here re freezing. It makes for a few easy nights as it's just get out to defrost in the morning.

You can slice the leftover ham and freeze that as is, in a pasta bake etc it will be fine.

Following as I'd love to hear any helpful answers.

I'm never tempted by 'leftovers' I've had to defrost.

Really? I'm often tempted by a home made lasagna I've just had to get out of the freezer and pop in the fridge or on the side.

It needs reheating in the oven though, the microwave makes it lose something.

To get new recipe ideas my OH and I did gousto for 6 weeks, 3 meals per week. They send the exact amount you need for a meal and then we had several recipe cards to refer to. Also, we cook for 4 and reheat after 2 days so we don't freeze it, which means we are not eating the same meal 2 nights in a row

Gousto is good, we put the cards in a folder and recreate them quite often.

Combination of cooking for four and either keeping half for later in the week or freezing for later and cooking a base ingredient and using it for multiple meals eg joint of pork makes a roast, enchiladas. Stir fry, pork and mash potatoes and sandwiches! £8 of pork lasts 4 days