In this day and age, more and more of us live alone, either through choice or circumstances. Our modern lifestyle has led to us cooking more at home. The pandemic made sure some of us picked up this important skill, but finding the motivation and inspiration to cook for oneself can be quite difficult. For most of us, drive-thrus, frozen dinner and pre-cooked grocery store meals seem to be a much easier alternative rather than cooking alone. Not to forget the food delivery services, on which many of us spend a small fortune every month. But we’re aware that regular consumption of such foods can cause tremendous long-term damage to our physical and mental health. While some of it does taste good, and satiates our taste buds in the moment, they are not the best option in the long run, health-wise.
With just a bit of planning and forethought, we can prepare much healthier and nutritious meals right in our kitchen. That said, if you are like us, you might not have the time or patience to cook. In such a scenario, the freezer in your refrigerator is your best friend! This ice-storing compartment in the fridge has enormous potential to solve food indiscipline, and will turn you into a home-food appreciator in a week’s time! Don’t believe us? Just take a look at the range of options available.
Breakfast or morning meals:
Breakfast, the most important meal of the day (according to marketing speak), can be made easy using your freezer.
1. Tomato and spicy onion chutneys are commonly stocked in the freezer, and can be awesome accompaniments for idlis, dosas, and vadas. For the adventurous, they even go great with a slice of bread.
2. Milk cubes, frozen fruits and vegetables can be used to whip up a nutritious and quick breakfast smoothie.
3. Oats can be stored in the freezer and used for a quick, easy cereal. Let’s face it, overnight frozen oats with fruits taste amazing.
4. You can make homemade breakfast burritos filled with eggs, tofu, cheese and dressing of your choice.
Supper :
1. Prepare and freeze basic chutneys, gravies and pastes, so that we can fix a meal within minutes.
2. Choose veggies or meats of your choice, and cook them with the appropriate pastes or gravies.
3. If you do not have time to cook veggies, you can simply toss paneer with these tangy and spicy frozen gravies.
4. Parathas can also be cooked and stored in the freezer. Just reheat them on the tava or microwave, and voila! Lunch in seconds!
5. Freeze items like soups and lasagne, which can be reheated and consumed instantly.
Here are some tried and tested recipes for the most nutritious, delicious, and easy breakfast, lunch and dinner options:
Breakfast: Green smoothie
In a blender, mix together:
• 1 cup coconut milk(or any other milk of your choice)
• Half a cup of diced frozen banana + frozen pineapple
• 1 tablespoon almond or peanut butter
• Frozen spinach and baby kale
• 3-4 ice cubes
Blend them for a yummy, healthy, and filling breakfast smoothie.
Lunch: Rasam and rice
Pre-made rasam cube. Yes, that’s a thing. Just add pre-made rasam cubes to boiling water and enjoy this familiar, tasty delicacy. It’s almost like your mom’s cooking. You can store cooked rice in Ziploc bags, and defrost and or thaw them with a little bit of water in the microwave for a quick-n-easy lunch.
For the meat lovers out there: You can store chicken (or any other meat) patties and just fry it in the pan with garlic powder, chilli powder, salt and pepper.Enjoy your meat patties with your freezer-stored rice.
Dinner: Stir Fry
Freezer-stored flash-frozen vegetables can be used to whip together a quick stir-fry. Flash-frozen vegetables retain nutrients better. Vegetables that are picked conventionally start losing nutrients within a few weeks. So just defrost some flash-frozen beans, bell peppers, corn or any other veggies of your choice and sprinkle on some salad seasoning. You have a tasty meal ready in seconds.
Tip: You can even add paneer or chicken for extra protein.
The key to cooking for one is to stock up on essential ingredients, whether in your pantry or the freezer. Then, use quick recipes like the ones we have on Slurrp to make cooking an easy task, maybe even an enjoyable one.
So, the next time you find yourself alone in your apartment feeling upset about cooking alone, remember Laurie Colwin’s wise words, “No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.”