Budget-Friendly Batch Cooking for One
Cooking for one can seem tedious and expensive. Without others to share leftovers with, unused ingredients often go to waste and perfectly portioned recipes can feel wasteful. However, with some planning and creativity, batch-cooking solo meals doesn't have to break the bank or bore your tastebuds. This series offers tips, ingredient swaps, and wallet-friendly recipes to make preparing several servings at once simple, affordable and full of flavour.
Meal Planning Basics
The key to successful solo batch cooking begins with meal planning. Inventory what's already in your cupboard and freezer to spur recipe ideas and reduce food waste. Make a weekly meal plan, grouping dishes with similar ingredients to maximise their use across multiple meals. For example, plan three chicken dishes over the week to use up an entire pack of chicken breasts purchased.
Make a detailed list organised by ingredient category to prevent overspending when shopping. Purchase versatile ingredients like eggs, beans, rice, veggies and seasoning blends, which can be used across various dishes. Resist impulse buys and stick to your list. Opt for your brands, buy in bulk when possible, and watch for manager markdowns on meat for the best deals.
Finally, devote a few hours to your designated cooking day to prepare several meals simultaneously. This assembly line-style approach saves loads of time in the long run. Portion each meal into individual containers, labelling with cooking/reheating instructions and consume within 3-5 days for maximum freshness. Voila - No more wondering, "What's for tea?" all week!
Frugal Ingredients, Big Batch Rewards
Certain ingredients offer more bang for your buck when batch cooking for one. Here are budget-friendly staples that can be transformed into various easy meals:
Beans - Tinned or dried, beans are packed with plant-based protein on the cheap. Batch cook a hearty pot of chilli, sweet maple baked beans, rosemary garlic white beans or curried chickpeas to eat as-is or use as burrito fillings all week.
Eggs - A carton of eggs can sustain many solo breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Make a big batch of hard-boiled eggs, crustless mini quiches or egg muffins to grab and go during busy mornings. Whip up a veggie scramble or frittata with dinner leftovers incorporated.
Grains - Rice, quinoa, farro, and more make excellent no-fuss sides to pair with various batch-cooked mains. Cook up a large pot plain, then season and stuff into veggies and bell peppers or use in fried rice. Similarly, cook extra pasta and toss it into chicken alfredo, pesto noodles, or mac and cheese.
Minced Meat - Minced turkey, chicken or beef is budget-friendly and versatile. Cooked plain makes a great taco/burrito filling or can be repurposed into bolognese sauce for pasta. Add taco seasoning for turkey tacos, mustard and Worcestershire sauce for sloppy joes or Italian seasoning blend for meaty ziti.
Rotisserie Chicken - Whole rotisserie chickens from the supermarket are a magical ingredient for solo cooks. Shred into meals like chicken salad sandwiches, soup, enchiladas, pie, and casseroles or served as-is with instant potato and veggies.
Transforming Leftovers
Creative leftover repurposing is vital when batch cooking solo. Here are tips for reinventing leftovers into fresh new dishes:
- Shred or chop cooked proteins like chicken, beef and pork to make quesadillas, stir-fries, omelettes, fried rice, etc.
- Mash leftover baked potatoes into quick gnocchi, then fry in oil or bake into mini-loaded potato cakes
- Under-seasoned sides like rice, quinoa and farro make excellent breakfast porridge topped with spices, nuts, fruit or nut butter
- Blend beans into dips like hummus or white bean dip, then enjoy with fresh veggies, crisps or crackers later in the week
- Transform leftover tomato sauce into a creamy vodka sauce, slice up hunks of bread into garlic toast points or add to soup
Follow the above leftover makeover methods, get inventive, and you'll never view leftovers the same way again!
Foolproof Recipes
Here are three deliciously affordable recipes specifically designed for solo batch cooking success:
Crockpot Italian Chicken
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (£6)
- 1 jar pasta sauce (£2)
- 1 packet Italian dressing mix (50p)
- 250 ml chicken broth (10p)
- 500g pasta (£1)
Method:
Layer chicken, pasta sauce, dressing mix and broth in a slow cooker. Cook on low setting for 4 hours. Shred chicken and toss with additional pasta sauce. Cook pasta according to package directions. Portion chicken and pasta into individual containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost and reheat until hot before serving.
Uses:
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Chicken parm with spaghetti
- Chicken ravioli
- Chicken pot pie
- Pesto chicken pasta
Lentil Veggie Soup
Ingredients:
- 500g dried green or brown lentils (£1.50)
- 500g mixed frozen vegetables (£1.50)
- 1-litre vegetable broth (£2)
Method:
Rinse lentils, then combine them with vegetables and broth in a soup pot. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes until lentils are tender. Use an immersion blender to puree half the soup. Portion into individual containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Uses:
- Lentil veggie soup
- Creamy lentil veggie soup
- Lentil chilli
- Lentil curry
- Lentil tacos
Sheet Pan Veggie Bake
Ingredients:
- 1 kg mixed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, peppers (£3)
- Olive oil (£1.50)
- Mrs Dash seasoning blend (£1.50)
Method:
Toss vegetables in olive oil and seasoning blend. Spread into a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast at 200°C for 20-25 minutes until browned. Let cool, then divide veggies between meal-sized containers. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Uses:
- Sheet pan dinner with chicken or beef
- Veggie omelette filling
- Veggie fried rice or pasta
- Loaded baked potato topper
Follow my solo batch cooking series for more money-saving meal planning strategies, cupboard staple tips and freezer-friendly recipes perfect for making in large batches while living alone and cooking for one.
