The revolving door: cooking for changing needs

By nutritionist Catherine Saxelby

Today, the changing nature of relationships and work means that not everyone lives in a traditional family with two parents and 2.4 children.

Some people may live on their own or with a partner, others may work long hours away from home. Separated parents may have children for only part of the week and there are also those with adult children who ‘revolve’ in and out of home.

Some days you may find you have a house full of guests and sometimes it may be just you at home. It can be difficult to adjust to cooking varying amounts, and cooking for one or two may seem like a lot of unnecessary effort. When you’re busy, out a lot or just can’t be bothered, food preparation may be the last thing on your mind. The food you buy may go off before you get a chance to cook it, or you may have to throw it out because you only needed half the packet.

At times, it can seem quicker and more convenient to pick up some take-away, or have a couple of slices of toast with vegemite or jam, instead of putting a full meal together. But it’s definitely not as good for you as a well-balanced evening meal.

Making meal preparation manageable

Small quantity cooking can be easy, tasty and more interesting than you may think. Being organised and being a smart shopper is the key. Here are some tips
to help you along the way.

Plan your meals

Choose a day where you sit down and plan your evening meals for the week ahead. For ideas, go through your favourite recipe books or a food magazine. As you plan, write out a shopping list. Try to shop only one day every week and purchase all the food you’ll need for the following week – you’ll save time and money. You can always top up your milk, bread, fruit and vegetables locally if need be.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Chicken curry	Steak/chop and vegies	Fish and salad	Spaghetti Bolognese	Tofu stir-fry	Dinner out	Homemade pizza

Freezer friendly

Use your freezer – it’s the most nutritious way to store food. Freeze steaks, chops, mince and diced beef or lamb strips in useable portions. Freeze chicken breasts, drumsticks or diced chicken for stir-fries. For maximum quality, freeze fresh foods, and exclude as much air as you can. Handy items to keep in your freezer:

• Frozen vegetables (choose from peas, corn cobs, mixed vegetables, cauliflower, spinach, stir-fry mix)
• Frozen fish fillets
• Oven-fries (low-fat)
• Frozen berries
• Bread wrapped in two or four slices – enough for one day’s breakfast and/or lunch

Keep one or two frozen dinner meals or soups in your freezer for the occasional times when you can’t, or don’t feel like, cooking. Some frozen meals are better than others – try a few to find one you’re happy with. Adding some fresh vegies or a quick tomato-cucumber salad will make it a balanced meal.

Large pack sizes

Supermarkets pack food in what they determine is the ‘ideal’ size for a family. Research shows that we eat the portion sold to us (or what’s in front of us) regardless of how full we feel. Large pack sizes sell better and make more profit (and are a contributor to the obesity problem we now face).

Try to buy only what you need and not fall victim to ‘specials’ or ‘two-for-one’ deals. If there’s no choice but to buy a large pack (say of your favourite cereal, bread or nuts), portion it into single or double servings and store them in snap lock bags or freeze for later.

Individual serves

Single serves of food are perfect to store in the freezer and use as you need – handy for those times when you’re cooking for yourself.

Try to purchase foods that are sold or packaged in individual serves such as one steak, one chicken breast or one fish fillet. Supermarkets tend to pack in serves of three or four, but at your local butcher you can purchase meat in single serves. At your fruit market you can buy one orange or one banana and at the bakery you can buy one roll. Shop at these local stores and they’ll look after you – and your individual needs.

Cook in bulk and freeze

Cook double quantities of soup, casseroles and any ‘wet’ dish with its own sauce and freeze half for another day.

Make lasagne or a curry to serve four or six. Once cooled, divide the lasagne into separate serves, place in plastic containers and freeze. On the morning you plan to eat this meal for dinner, put it in the fridge so it will thaw out by evening. Heat in the microwave and serve with a salad or steamed vegies. 

Use the leftovers

If you have leftover rice or pasta, don’t throw it away – it can be the perfect base of your next meal. For example, leftover rice from your stir-fry could be used to make fried rice (with eggs, peas, shallots, ham or bacon and bean sprouts) or to make creamed rice for dessert. Here are more ideas for leftovers.

Entertain

Invite friends or family over for dinner. You’ll enjoy the company and it will also give you an opportunity to cook bigger meals such as a roast or curry. And don’t feel you can’t go to a restaurant by yourself. There’s no need to be embarrassed – you have to eat and it doesn’t always have to be with someone else. Take a newspaper or a book to keep yourself company. Sit, relax and enjoy being waited on.

Redefine a meal

Dinner does not have to be meat and three veg. If you’re tired or don’t want to cook, simple things like soup or eggs are quick and nourishing. Other quick ideas include:

• Omelette with chopped ham and onion
• Cheese omelette
• Scrambled or poached eggs on grain toast
• Baked beans on grain toast
• Grilled cheese and tomato on grain toast
• Two-minute noodles (low-fat) with diced cold meat and tomato
• Can of tuna drained and tossed through macaroni with olives, capsicum, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley
• Canned salmon on wholegrain crackers with toppings of sliced tomato and cucumber

© 2008 The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health

Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under copyright legislation, no part may be reproduced or reused for any commercial purposes. 

Content Updated May 31, 2008