When I was given this subject to blog about I thought no big deal. I’ve been cooking for just two folks for years, my son and I.
Sometimes it can be difficult to purchase just enough for two people. But honestly it’s not too bad, especially if you are buying a lot of produce or fresh meat or fish.
I typically even try to purchase just enough of my pricier items and not stress as much about such items as rice, beans, or potatoes. You can always use those in another application and a well stocked pantry is always a good thing.
Speaking of a well stocked pantry and shopping for two here are a couple of tips.
1. Buy standard sized canned goods, none of the family sized ones no matter what a good deal it is, you will just end up throwing the reminder away.
2. If you feel the need to go to a super center or club store to buy staples, make sure the case is in twin packs or triple packs so your Corn Flakes don’t go stale.
3. Keep the pantry full of items that have a long shelf life, like canned tomatoes, pasta, and spices. Items like sodas and baking mixes lose their oomph.
4. Shop at a Market that has a butcher shop and good produce department so you can buy just what you need, not a package for a family of six.
Around my house we really enjoy making a production out of dinner. I cook for a living so it’s very hard for me to half way do anything regarding food. And what about all those pesky leftovers? Of course time is always short too so a compromise must be made.
The point is to enjoy good food with the people you love, not slave away for hours preparing the meal and throwing half of it away five days later.
Maybe next time I need to write about leftovers. Using them is obviously cost effective and time saving so I do believe you will be hearing about that again. Happy cooking everyone!
–Chef Callie