Cooking an "actual" meal just for yourself...

hi karen, nice to know that there is someone atleast in the world with a similar problem which i have.. it is the same here and i presume we will fin more of our types too..

Before I was married when I lived on my own I like you just cooked simple meals....usually they were micrwavable...LOL. It seemed a waste of time to cook a big meal just for myself. Now that I am married though I cook big meals for me & my husband.

It almost happens on everybody, at least I do a smiple dish as possible as I can when I'm alone. As I lead a solitary life, I always make everything simple, simple housework, simple clothes wash and simple meals. I just don't want to spend my time in cooking dishes, for nobody will appreciate them besides myself. I prefer to take several hours in video games, for I really enjoy the time myself. That's the reason, because there is no spectator, I'm the lord in my realm:D

Hey, Karen! Yes, my friends always complain it, too! Besides your reason, I think it also maybe amount for one person is too small. You know, the food you eat alone is usually much less than several person eat together. If you prepared as usual, that means, you would have to cooked many dishes but only a little amount for each. And it also hard to cook, frankly speak!

But I really don't care it, as I'm single. I cook whenever I want to eat my favorite flavors. I think it's easy for me now.

Hello Karen,
I am having trouble on what to cook too when I am alone at home.Usually I cook instant foods like instant noodles, instant spaghetti or instant lomi (Chinese-Filipino dish) and boil eggs sometimes.I want it plainly simple when I am alone.

I also went through the same situation. I like to cook it when there are people to eat the food I cook. I will be happy when I know that my food is good and the people who had the food are happy with that. I am lazy to cook good meal when I am alone at home. So, in that cases I go for easy things such as instant noodles, egg omelet, sunny side up, toast, etc.

I rarely cook my favorite dishes such as sweet noodles when I am along at home and I have the whole stuff myself. Soon, I get bored of it. The maxium number of people for which I cooked food is six. I think I can cook upto eight people. I live in a place where people consider guest as good and treat them special. I like to cook for guests. I also like to try various new dishes once in a while.

I am a married mother of two so I am used to cooker bigger meals but I know what it is like to cook for just for yourself because I am here doing the day all alone and there are a lot of times for lunch I think what should I have because i never want to fix anything big but there are also times when I get sick and tired of "snacking" for lunch and would like a "actual" so what I usually end up doing is buying the single serving rice packets or noodle packets like broccoli and chicken or beef stroganoff. A lot of these packets can easily be done up in a microwave and takes about 10 to 15 minutes to prepare and are so yummy. I mainly just like them because it is cheap and it also doesn't take much to make so I am don't end up using much that could be used for a real family meal.

Hi Karen,

When the kids are not around and it's only me, I normally get anything that's instant - noodles, ready-to-eat canned goods, or microwaveable dishes. And I tend to forget mealtimes, so I eat whenever I feel like it, unlike when the kids are there I make sure we eat on time and I usually prepare their favorite food.

Hi Karen,
I live alone and I know some people who live alone. We all have the same problem. Eating is a ritual that has to do with talking to someone and sharing small everyday happenings. I am a wonderful cook but I live mostly of sandwichs. True, my sandwichs are nice, but... I bring the sandwich to the computer table and eat while I play or post here.
The way I have solved my problem is to invite friends very often. I have wonderful friends and many have adopted me since my husband died. They bring a wine and a dessert and I make them the food they like best. Many times they invite me too, to their houses or to dine out. They even pick me up anf bring me home then because I don´t like to drive at night.
Today was an "alone" day. I had lunch at about 4 PM because I was playing canasta at the computer. I had some rice I made yesterday, fried a couple of hotdogs and cut up a tomato. Dog food, I call it, because when I really cook I take pain in making it beautiful too. Tonight I had a swiss chard and leek soup with cream and parmesan cheese on top. That was very nice, except that I brought it to the computer.
Take care!
The answer my friend is calling your friends

Hi Karen,
Don't worry you;re not alone. I do the same too. Choose the easiest/simpliest/fastest way prepare food for myself. I just don't have the drive to prepare a full just for myself alone. For me, it's not practical to cook a small amount of food for one person, I better eat out. I have eating alone.
I enjoy preparing and cooking full meal for my family and that's every weekend and even after work if our caregiver hasn't prepared dish for the evening. I love eating with my family, friends and with a group.