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?

Depends what you call and categorise a 'casserole'

I do single portion aubergine parmigiana, or layers of roasted veg (briam or tian or ratatouille sometimes) in my small cast iron casserole dishes. I can freeze it, not a problem, but as someone said above some of us like cooking and want to eat what we've created there and then and then move on to something else

Ive got tons of single portions meals in the freezer and while thats fine and I will enjoy them because Im a good cook, at times its wearing that I have to work my way through those.

Also I find my little cast iron pots perfect for bulgar because the temperature of the pot once you pour the boiling water on the bulgur is different to the temperature when you do it in a stainless steel pan. Similar with an aluminium casserole dish I have, it cooks at a different temperature.

The little pan I have is made by Reiss, they do a small casserole too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Riess-0277-006-Casserole-chrome-CLASSIC/dp/B000VV4EVE

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Riess-0036-006-Classic-Household-Diameter-14-Turquoise/dp/B07HCT1NN2

Head down TK Maxx they have pans/cookware of all shapes and sizes.

For genuine single portions I just use my smallest normal saucepan. Even if it's something that I'd put in the Le Crueset for a group, when it's just me I'm not bothered about serving at the table/fitting a leftover pot in the fridge so the saucepan is fine. If it's something that needs a ceramic lasagne type dish I find there are lots in various sizes.

Might be worth trying in the Autumn shops/department stores that aim for students starting University.

Look at Pyrex

@AnotherHormonalWoman I wish I could still find myself in a supermarket with a manned delivery counter! Unfortunately, they all seem to have disappeared around here. I find it very annoying that all the prepacked cheese blocks are a similar size (I'd like some small portions of the more exotic kinds) and I can no longer buy just a couple of slices of ham.

I too have one of these and they're brilliant. Used to have cast iron but the weight of the thing was too heavy, especially when full. These are great.

Years ago I bought a slow cooker thing from Asda that serves one or two
but I don’t really know what you’re talking about as you can just put less food into a bigger dish

Found one that looks perfect.

suitable for induction and oven, have a lid and is a lot cheaper than the Staub one,

https://www.cookwarestore.co.uk/cooking-pot-wmf-mini-low-12-cm

I’ve had this brand before and the stuff was good.

edit to add Amazon link with quicker delivery times. https://www.amazon.co.uk/WMF-Stackable-Cromargan%C2%AE-Stainless-Dishwasher-Safe/dp/B000295WKC/ref=asc_df_B000295Y3C?tag=bingshoppinga-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80264555646117&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=133303&hvtargid=pla-4583864021248149&msclkid=bf4033cc96e51f5518db5a6ba993d4ea&th=1

Here’s a 750ml casserole pot.

amzn.eu/d/06gNteMU

And a glass 800ml one

https://amzn.eu/d/084X8h7X

IKEA has an online store that delivers at home or at a nearby collection point (obviously not for furniture!). I regularly buy stuff for local collection, it’s £2 for orders over £15.

Cheaper than some

https://amzn.eu/d/08MYEcrZ

People here have posted some fabulous ideas, but it does not address:
I buy a reduced cod in batter from a supermarket (£2.50 instead of £6), oven chips and a bit of tomato sauce. I can't buy a sachet of sauce, so I buy a small bottle which is unused for six months and then is thrown. Same with seafood sauce when I fancy prawns, and loaves of bread etc. I like garlic sausage, tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches. But not every day for a week! I hate waste! I just so wish we could buy small quantities of stuff!

Tomato sauce keeps forever, I wouldnt throw that after 6 months

You could 'obtain' sachets if you frequent the right sort of eating establishments....

Seafood sauce is just mayo and tomato sauce, lemon juice, bit of worcestershire and cayenne if you so fancy, and ditto mayo keeping forever. I keep it in the cupboard not even the fridge. sits there quite happily

Bread, freeze it

Garlic sausage, try to freeze it in slices. I freeze ham slices but never tried slightly more processed meats, worth a try.

Bread that's been frozen is horrible

Quite. Genuinely - no need to chuck ketchup after 6 months! And the rest - I’ve never bought seafood sauce, always just make it if I want it. You can buy loose tomatoes, freeze meats - plenty of people buy large packs of meat and freeze in smaller portions, whatever the size of their household.

One good small portion that I’ve recently discovered though - Morrisons deli section sells tiny little packs of pate for 75p each. About 7x5 cm little slice in a few variants - I really like them as it’s only me who really eats it and I never get through the bigger packs.

I get not wanting to eat the same thing every day for a week, but do you not decide on your meals based on what you have in that you know needs using up?

For your ketchup example, I'd have that nice bit of cod and chips, then the following week I'd have egg and chips (with the ketchup). Then as others have mentioned, seafood sauce is easy to make from ketchup mixed with mayo, so that saves you from having the seafood sauce jar to need to use up. Then on week 3 I'd probably feel like fish fingers and chips, with the ketchup again. I'd maybe use a little of it mixed with tomato puree to make the tomato sauce for a pizza.

Also, specifically on the subject of ketchup, I bet it would happily freeze in an ice cube tray. I'd probably invest in some ice cube bags because I think ketchup would stain and taint a plastic tray, but decant your bottle of ketchup into an ice cube bag et voila! You have a load of sachets of tomato sauce that you can defrost one or two of at room temperature within 20 minutes, or in the microwave in 10 seconds. I wouldn't think it would work with mayonnaise based sauces though.

Liver sausage definitely freezes okay. And obviously bread does too.

Parting thought - You can buy sachets of sauce in small quantities online. Or pop into a chippy, they sell them. They're not cost effective in the slightest, but..

Mixed pack of 20, £5.99
Lichfields Single Individual Sauce Sachets Portion Essential Condiment Mini Pack | eBay UK

6 of the same flavour, £3.99
Heinz Sauce Sachets - Mix & Match Flavour Packs - Ketchup HP Mayo BBQ Tartare + | eBay UK

An ebay shop that specialises in selling sachets and sticks
Items for sale by sachetandsticks | eBay

An ebay shop where you can buy a single sachet of pretty much any condiment including branston pickle! for 99p posted
wholesale-motion | eBay UK Stores

As I say, they work out a lot more expensive than buying a jar, but if you really would only use it once, you can get your single sachets online :)

It really isnt. I make my own and its gorgeous, better from frozen for some reason, dont know why.

However we only eat bread sporadically. Theres some in the freezer now but that was from a couple of months ago.

Oh thats another thing I discovered last year that you can freeze pate quite well.

God bless Morrisons, honestly. They sell small packets of quite a lot of things. You can buy quite small waxed flavoured cheeses there. Their meat and cheese counters will sell you tiny portions.

@Womaninhouse17 Sainsburys (and I'm sure not just them) does a net of mixed individual portions of cheeses - Jarlesberg, Mexicana, Brie, Danish Blue and some others that I forget.

Cathedral city does a net of 6 individual portions of cheddar, and bags of "nibbles" (tiny cubes of cheese - meant for children's lunchboxes but I like them for my snacks and portion control!). You can find them in Sainsburys and Morissons, and I'm pretty sure the same or equivalent in Tesco and Asda too. Aldi does their own brand version.

Not once in my life have I ever cooked, and eaten it all. There is always something left, whether I’ve cooked for 3 or for 1.

The only exception is if I’m doing one huge amount of something eg for a party, then somehow everything gets eaten.

Plus, for things with spices, or stews, or lasagna, that kind of thing, they always seem to taste better the next day. And cold for breakfast is heavenly!

I have a cast iron fondue pot that has been used more as a small stewpot than its original purpose. About 15cm across, induction compatible, I just added a glass lid.
You could look in a charity shop for one.