Shopping for One
Divorced after 35 yrs, I have found the supermarket the most likely place for a "melt down" but the positive side is that I can now buy better quality food as I don't need as much. One cooked chook will provide me with 2 roast chicken meals, at least 4 stir fries and the basis of chicken soup. It is all in the mindset. A freezer, no matter how small is essential!!
I've found shopping for one is so much better. I go into the butcher's shop. I buy 1 crumbed cutlet - know that I can make a meal out of that with mashed potato, peas, carrots and brocolli. Plus of course gravy. Then I can buy just enough good mince for the rissoles. I can buy two carrots, a small piece of this or that, and know that it will be eaten. NOthing ever wasted.
I'm sorry if you are finding it hard now. It does take a while, until you become used to your single status. I know I always overbought for a while.
I agree with the others , it does take time to get used to shopping for one. Mind you when I see some of the vegies marked down or on special, for instance broccoli , I buy it and break it into meal lots and freeze it.
I do not worry about blanching it or anything just chuck into home brand lunch bags and then chuck it into the freezer.
Also , admittedly not knowing where you live, at our shopping centres here we have chains of chicken shops called "Lennards" and they sell only chicken stuff and I buy the chicken frames from there( we get 3 frames for one dollar)and not only do some of them get used for the dogs-they get them raw- but I use some of them myself.
Anyway take it easy and things will get better.
I find it frustrating as Woolies don't have a packet of say bread rolls with just 2--have to buy 6--and also the cauliflowers etc are also too large--just need a little
Like Toot, I freeze most items, including bread. You can thaw bread-rolls in the microwave or sliced bread in the toaster
or by just simply live it on the counter. Freezer is the single person's best friend ;-)
Yes I have also frozen bread and is fine for a while in the Freezer but after a few month gets a strange taste I find--I only have bread rolls every so often---I just defrosted my freezer and threw a lot of bread out
I also am on my own and the freezer is certainly my best friend, well almost (I have some great friends). At the end of the week, I chop up all the left over vegetables,cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage etc. throw in a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes, chili, garlic, curry powder, soy sauce, tamarind paste/puree, pepper, or anything else that takes my fancy. Makes a great soup and I'm getting my vegies, not wasting them. Sometimes I throw in some chicken thighs and have it as a main meal. I usually get about five small containers full, just enough for a satisfying meal. I always have some in the freezer, and they differ week by week. Just make sure you put a date on the container. I have teenage grandsons who visit regularly and they always check the freezer for "nana's soup".
I don't eat much bread so I buy from Baker's Delight where I can buy a small loaf, and I separate the slices with plastic and freeze.
from nor-thur re freezing bread and rolls.
Hi to you all. It's wiser to put the bread and rolls, still in the bag you bought it in, in another plastic bag, otherwise sometimes the bread/rolls may have an unpleasant taste. A baker told me this and I've found it works. You have to make sure that the bag/bags are absolutely airtight. I've been freezing bread and rolls forever this way. When I buy rolls, I cut them in half first (especially the long ones), then back into bread bag and another plastic bag. Of course you can leave them as they are and pop them into the microwave oven but occasionally I did forget and I ended up with 'leather'. Try this and let us all know how they taste.
Hint for cheese. When it becomes a bit 'old,' don't throw it out. Grate it and pop it into plastic film which will go in a plastic bag and into the deep freeze. It's good for pizzas or to top slices of cold tomatoes on toast and under the griller until brown. I'm off as I'm making myself hungry. Love to all you seniors. We need each other.
HI LAKOTA, I HAVE BEEN ON MY OWN FOR 29 YEARS AND I LOVE IT. I CAN GO WHERE I LIKE ANY TIME I LIKE. AS FOR SHOPPING FOR ONE I STILL BUY IN BULK BECAUSE I HAVE A FREEZER AND I ALSO COOK A FEW MEALS IN ADVANCE AND FREEZE THEM AS WELL AS VEGIES. ALL I HAVE TO DO WHEN I COME HOME IS CHOOSE AMEAL AND PUT IT IN THE MICROWAVE AND I'M HAVINGG DINNER IN 7 MINUTES. I NEVER BUY ONE ARTICLE I ALWAYS BUY IN MULTIPLES, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S SOMETHING I USE OFTEN . AFTER YOU'VE DONE THIS FOR A WHILE THE NEXT TIME YOU GO TO THE SUPERMARKET YOU'LL FIND YOU HARDLY NEED TO SPEND ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR FRUIT AND VEGIES AND MILK AND PERSONAL ITEMS.I KNIT AND SEW AND EMBROIDER AND GARDEN AND I HAVE THREE PETS AND LOTS OF FRIENDS AND MY CHURCH HAS A LOT OF SOCIAL EVENTS FOR ME TO GO TO .I HOPE YOU SOON SETTLE DOWN AND START PLANNING YOUR NEW LIFE . .DON'T SIT AT HOME ALONE ,THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE JUST LIKE US OUT THERE WHO WOULD LOVE YOUR COMPANY .I STARTED A SOCIAL CLUB FOR PEOPLE OVER 50 WHEN I WAS FIRST ON MY OWN AND I RAN THAT IN GEELONG FOR 15 YEARS. GOOD LUCK LAKOTA ....SUANNE
For me it's not so much shopping for one as cooking for one.
it seems such a waste of time, and yet, time I have plenty of.
So toast and vegemite or home made apricot jam and cream for dinner?
Wicked I know##
I know the feeling mara-I sometimes can't be fussed about cooking--and do the same
I know that I quite often just cook for one - but ends up for maybe two or three. But I serve the extra meals up onto a picnic/plastic plate and put it in the freezer. That way, I can have a home cooked meal within a very short time. Just pop one of them into the microwave. I usually do that within a week or two of having frozen the meal.
i have been on my own since 1995 when my last child married before that i had two of the kids living with me .i really enjoy being on my own . shopping is fun if you think about it. i always buy two or three of the things i use reguarly and i buy chicken breasts by the kilo and divide it into lots which i cook in different flavoured gravies and and cook up all the vegies separately and then i put a meal size amount in some freezer containers and take one out each night or for lunch.this way the vegies are all used and i eat well ,i'm not a big red meat eater , mainly chicken and fish which my son keeps me in as he's a keen fisherman . yes a freezer is a must., the top of a fridge is not nearly enough room. all the dry foods i buy in two's and three's as well i am so busy all the time. if i am sick there is no problem in having meals on hand there is always something there. i can go out when i like , come home when i like and my home is comfortable so i am often glad to get home . i knit,sew, make rugs, garden, i have 3 pets and a big house to keep nice,i shop, go to functions at my church and i did a flower arranging course at the local tafe.i have eleven email friends from all over the world and i couldn't be happier. i hope everyone who lives alone is happy too. ..suanne
Everything has a positive side to it - single status too, as you are finding this out now.
Why do you have a "melt-down" in the supermarket? Is there something upsets you? -beside the ever screaming,
unsupervised kids? All things - even the good things - take a little time to get used to as I found out when I suddenly had all the time on my hands and I hope you will also fill your time with lots of enjoyable things. :)