to think cookware for single people just doesn't exist?

[MindYourUsage]

Please don't tell me to shut up and batch cook. Single people want to eat fresh, too. And not everything is suitable for freezing, defrosting and reheating.

I've been looking for a small (700ml) induction friendly lidded casserole dish that could also go in the oven and - nothing.

I even asked chatGPT - it served me a load that were 3.5L or 2.5L.......

you either get those teeeeny tiny little le creuset pots that are 250ml (I do eat a normal portion size so no and anyway they're ceramic not iron) or 2.5L litre things that I would have to over cook more than I need/want.

It's just weird when there is such a rise in single person homes that some celebrity chef hasn't cottoned on or something and come up with a cookware line that is for single-servings but isn't teeny tiny little dolls-house versions.

Rant over. Any other single people feel the same?

Ooh, @StuffFreedom, that Ikea one looks fabulous.

What’s wrong with the one I suggested OP? It’s very versatile.

https://fromourplace.co.uk/products/mini-always-pan?variant=42001175576753&utm_source=impact&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=10078&utm_content=&utm_version=1&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23549122251&gbraid=0AAAAABmbP2VeIewTnP6W-ol7JtkZwl1N0&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9oOQgqSDkwMV5o9QBh2HCC1YEAQYCyABEgK0b_D_BwE&irclickid=R0wy4tVQbxyNR4K0-Lw1QVHwUku2eLz0Pw1RXM0&utm_term=%22VIP%22&irgwc=1&afsrc=1

This does sound like an non-issue. The majority of meals prepared in a casserole improve once cooked and reheated at a a later date, and what's not to love about leftovers? It's great knowing one doesn't need to cook another meal and saves loads of time, effort and energy. We are a family of four and I almost always cook far too much deliberately. You could make a decent beef and pork ragu and serve some as an spag bol and have plenty left for a nice lasagne, or a lamb ragu for a moussaka.

Blimey OP, not sure that was called for.
TBH this seems to be a drama of your own making. There's loads of shops with varying sized dishes/cookware.
Try Asda or TKMaxx 🤷

Not at all, I was sharing my perspective on casserole making. I always make enough for a couple of days. No need to freeze it.

Lots of options here. I use this one a lot: https://www.zwilling.com/uk/staub-la-cocotte-16-cm-round-cast-iron-rice-cocotte-sorbet-rose/1030213.html?kb=gashp23006790896183020099937&gadsource=1&gadcampaignid=23006790896&gclid=CjwKCAiAqprNBhB6EiwAMe3yhtqlTyBhSX86YntQVlhRyzjVlLQ-waInuUc8VvX2xpkbJStAowaRoCV7EQAvDBwE

My smallest saucepan is 16cm and holds a volume of 1.2L. From your description of the problem it seems that you should focus on diameter rather than volume. How far a liquid "spreads" will be constrained by diameter.

OP I don’t think you have looked hard enough if I’m honest…

TK Maxx have loads of the type of cookware you are looking for.

I am a veggie in a house of meat eaters - we all eat the same food just in different sized pots - i have have never had an issue

Single for 19 years. So I am not new to the game 🙄

Have you tried going to IKEA instead of (sigh) "asking" chatGPT?

I spent over a decade living alone, I've literally never ever had this problem.

I searched amazon for small 1 litre cookware. Not induction suitable but oven suitable

I'm on my own and cook everything from scratch. I've never had a problem with finding suitable pots and pans. And it doesn't really matter if a pot or dish is too big anyway.

How amazing, ChatGPT can’t find anything yet actual people can find options in minutes.

Honestly it sounds like you want something super specific and it just happens to have a limited audience.
You can get plenty of small size pans and glass oven dishes for casseroles/lasagne/individual pies etc but what’s maybe less easy is a pan you can cook in on a hob & then transfer into the oven in that sort of size. As many have said that’s likely as it’s used for the type of food the majority would cook a bigger portion of and have some leftovers. You then also want it to be suitable for an induction hob

Ultimately lots of people don’t have induction hobs so won’t care about that bit, lots of people like to batch cook &/or have families so won’t have the interest in a small casserole pan, lots of people wouldn’t bother to cook something like a casserole from scratch for one and instead buy something pre made or eat out. There are probably limited options because there is a limited demand but hopefully one of the links shared will work for you.

Just get a small cast iron frying pan and a lid, there are tons of them.

Also single but generally cook 2-3 portions and take to work for lunch or eat the next day. I suppose as I buy eg meat in large packets as it’s cheaper (and you can’t buy v small amounts unless you go to a butcher) then to me it makes sense, food is still fresh and it is definitely cheaper. There’s some stuff I cook fresh each time if I can though, like veg and roast potatoes. Other stuff like chillis or curries usually taste better next day I think.

You can get mini slow cookers (1-1.5L) that would work for smaller portions. It is more about diameter I suppose. Same as pans - I use 14-16cm pans a lot.

I also use my instant pot quite a bit. If I’m cooking several portions I just use the pot but you can do ‘pot in pot’ cooking - ie put a small pot/pan in the instant pot on the rack and cook individual portions that way. Might be worth checking out as you could get pie dishes to use make individual portions.

This rice cooker is amazing: can do 1-2 (even 3 small) portions with no faff. www.lakeland.co.uk/62569/lakeland-mini-electric-rice-cooker-05l

https://www.zwilling.com/uk/staub-la-cocotte-12-cm-round-cast-iron-rice-cocotte-graphite-grey-40509-702-0/40509-702-0.html?kb=ga_shp_23006790896_183020099737&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23006790896&gclid=CjwKCAiAqprNBhB6EiwAMe3yhoBT4CE-O-CZAiYz434w8jECfNWIQtf2YeSsdmdCleNYii9m1ErC4xoCGEsQAvD_BwE

Pan version as well, loads of other shapes on the website. Not cheap but you buy once and use them for life: https://www.zwilling.com/uk/staub-pans-16-cm-cast-iron-frying-pan-graphite-grey-40501-145-0/40501-145-0.html?cgid=cookware_skillets-fry-pans

Buy Staub La Cocotte Cocotte | ZWILLING.COM 800ml

And Staub's superb, much prefer it to Le Creuset.

Don't have any issues finding cookware that works size wise, but get very annoyed at vegetable portions. I dream of being able to buy individual small lettuces, or a sensible portion of spinach.

700ml is a funny size because it would need a tiny diameter, which is inefficient on an induction hob where the smallest ring is going to be too wide for it, its not like a gas burner where you can cook on a really small flame. Its easy to find 1L options which should be fine.

You can get 550ml or 1l fairly easily. Is there a reason why those won’t work?

You can still cook a smaller meal using larger items, you just cook as much as you need. I've never came across this being a problem tbh

The Staub one looks beautiful! 😍Saw those before posting albeit at their non sale price of about £100, even at £60 still a bit more than I bargained for but it could be a good investment as it fits the bill. Good reviews too....

I saw M&S did a green one of similar size and good value but it quickly went in the sale, sold out (unsurprisingly it was a good price!) and now the page doens't exist.. dammit.

I just got fed up of searching on google, clicking through links, scrolling down to specs to find oh actually it is 2.7L or more....So then I asked AI - same issue.

I'm simply ignoring all the people that have posted glass cookware.....😂And the people who have told me to eat leftovers or batch cook because that's what they do.

Thanks to the helpful replies, especially the person who spotted the sale link to the Staub!