Cooking for one when children away (or if single)

[Elizo]

Hi all,

DS is away for a week and I have realised the last 2 days I have not eaten properly at all. Terrible example of self care. Today I feel crap as a result. Just had sandwiches, stir fry with mushrooms, pasta and peas. Am a veggie and def not had enough protein. I really want to sort this out.

What are your suggestions for eating well for one person for someone who is not keen on cooking and a veggie. Am eating at home all the time, pretty much.

Thank you!

-poached eggs in toasted English muffins
-stir fry tofu and veg (no carbs, just load it up with shredded cabbage, edamame beans and bean sprouts)
-risotto with Broad beans and squash

Thank you!

Home made soup with beans and chickpeas.

I agree eggs are good for protein. How about making a stack of pancakes? IME when there are children on teens around you make one pancake and hand it to a child, by the time you have made a second there is another child at your elbow.

You can make a stack and then add different fillings and reheat in the oven / microwave / airfryer.

Fillings

Mushroom and cheese
Asparagus and cream
Or layer them like a lasagne with veg and bake in passatta.

Things on toast?

Eggs, beans, cheese, avocado, combination of those.

Go to a posher shop that unusual and make a 'picky tea'.

Thank you! Things on toast good shout!

I'd either go down the things on toast route or have one big blitz of batch cooking a few things to last for days so I could just heat as I went

Can you afford to treat yourself to some nicer bits? I like the Cook ready meals (some healthy/veggie bits).
If I'm at home all week I like getting all the bits in to make an INCREDIBLEEEE salad and then mix and match it each day depending on how I feel. So kale/base greens, sweet potato/squash cubes to roast (I get them pre-cut), walnuts, feta/blue cheese, a couple of dressings, sourdough (can use for croutons/toast), pouches of microwave quinoa, halloumi, Burford Brown eggs. Then depending on how hungry you are, it can be a huge meal or a snack, and with the mixing and matching, it doesn't feel like you're eating the same food every day!

Love this salad idea. Am having to economize at the moment so Cook not really an option unless one off

I’m in the same position.
Couple of weeks ago made a bean chilli and froze portions in sandwich bags.
Had about 5 times with either rice or nachos. Great freezer food and can make it a bit spicier than kids would like too

Left overs from previous meals or from the freezer
Stir fry
Omelette
Soup and crusty roll made in my soup maker and fridge / freeze leftovers

Anything you can heat & eat for several meals.

cheesy veg. I make a cheese sauce (pot of double cream, bag of pre grated cheese, mustard. Low carb, supervquick & easy) and cook a bunch of veg Steam or roast (in air fryer) usually cauli, broccoli, courgette, spinach, combine with sauce.

then each night take a serving out & put in a pan - heat up & add some extra veg (a pepper , or more from the original type, or shredded cabbage. Just to add a crunchy element. Continue until base used up.

Chilli (I have over raw shredded red cabbage)
lasagna
bolognaise (plant/soya 'meat')
ratatouille
soup

but if I've fallen off the low carb wagon, toast, toast, toast, sandwich, toast....

arla protein yogurt.

I HATE cooking.

Salad is my low carb dinner salad option.

leaf base (usually spinach & rocket with radish, cucumber, pepper, then varying topping proteins & bits -Quorn cold bits, cheese, vegan mayo, baby vine tomatoes, beetroot, white pickled onions, gherkin, olives, avocado, pea nuts....

I live with my partner, but he travels with work a lot. We do eat meat, but I tend not to on my own. Staple meals for me are:

Jacket potato and salad - fillings like beans, cheese, coleslaw, tuna (you probably don’t eat tuna)

Pan fry gnocchi with pesto and peas

Stir fry veg with noodles - I buy bagged stir fry veg and split it over two nights

Scrambled eggs on toast. I add cheese/ham/cooked chorizo

Chickpea curry (make/freeze) with rice/naan. I do onion, garlic, peppers, carrrots, tin of chickpeas, paprika, cumin, tin of chopped tomatoes, simmer it down for as long as possible. Not very authentic but very tasty!

I often make soup on a Sunday with whatever is knocking about and have that with part-bake baguette from the supermarket

Mushrooms cooked in butter and garlic, stirred through pasta with a dollop of crème fraish or Philadelphia

Spicy Mexican rice (from a packet that goes in the microwave) with sliced avocado and a poached egg. If DP is here we often have this with chorizo

I am also partial to an M&S ready meal tbh

I often make stuff my Ds won’t eat .. so mushrooms on toast , plum tomatoes on toast ..add an egg for some extra protein .