Cheap, Easy and Healthy Meals for Single Person

[Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 13:58
Last edited 08/10/2015 - 18:58

who can't be bothered to cook. Would you recommend those protein/meal replacement shakes? I'm in good shape, so not looking to lose weight or bulk up.Just looking for an easy and nutritious dinner.

My breakfast is usually (microwaved) oats with egg whites, peanut butter and fruits or muesli with some added protein powder. Lunch is whatever is in the staff room : mostly egg , tuna or veggies sandwiches + a banana or a pear. Afternoon snack (depending on how stressful the day has been) some nuts and another piece of fruit or a (ok , more like a couple of those) decadent pastries from the cafe next door.

So that just leaves dinner…

Thanks!

Food & Grocery

Comments

  • bobbified on 08/10/2015 - 14:21
    +1

    I'm in the same situation as yourself - single and live alone. My days consist of having a coffee in the morning, nothing for lunch and dinner is usually out with a friend in a random place around the CBD… or sometimes, I also just skip dinner.

    I tried those shakes for a while to try lose weight.. but it didn't seem to do very much for me in terms of hunger etc.. It was a pain to make sure that I had both the "blender bottle" and powder when I was away from home or in the office, etc. I much prefer tablet-form vitamins instead.

    I don't really cook for myself unless I have guests over…

    (PS.. my eating and sleeping patterns are not exactly the healthiest in the world.. I somehow still manage to get by on around 5 hours sleep each night).

    • dylanando on 08/10/2015 - 18:22

      Literally sound like me except for the weight loss shake crap. Less sleep I have, The better i perform at work!

    • [Deactivated] on 10/10/2015 - 09:00

      So you only hv 1 meal per day and sometime none?

      • bobbified on 11/10/2015 - 04:04

        sometimes, I just don't eat… and even then, I don't feel that hungry a day or two later…

        the social meetups is what I have difficulty getting out of.. so most times, I'd end up just eating for the sake of eating.

        • [Deactivated] on 11/10/2015 - 10:47

          So you just pop multi-vitamins tablets?

        • bobbified on 11/10/2015 - 18:08

          @wicket1120:
          I did the multi-vitamin thing for a while… but I stop and start it just whenever. Where the energy comes from, I've sometimes wondered.

          I guess I try to only eat when my body tells me it's hungry - but it doesn't seem that often. Sometimes it's once every day or two. Or I could be in the middle of something when I feel hungry, but the feeling of hunger passes really quick if I don't eat then and there.

          I also have friends that have a coffee and cigarette in the morning and I don't see them eat during the day either unless we meet up…

          Noone else has that kind of a habit? I do realise it's not healthy.. but it hasn't caused me any great harm all these years (that I know of!).

        • [Deactivated] on 11/10/2015 - 19:02

          @hv: That's incredible. I need at least 3 meals + a snack everyday to be able to maintain my 51kg.

        • jjjjjj on 11/10/2015 - 19:25

          @hv: Did you say you try to lose weight?

        • bobbified on 11/10/2015 - 19:53

          @jjjjjj:
          Trying to lose weight was my original intention. I started off with meal replacement shakes, but I kept forgetting to drink them. The correct dosage was 3 per day. I only did one per day on purpose because they were about 1,000KJ each. When I did drink them, it didn't seem to make me feel full or anything. That, and I kept forgetting to drink them too. The vitamins were an on and off thing.. pretty much whenever I remembered.
          And the times I went out to meet up with my mates, I'd just eat anyway.. which means, I had the energy from the shake AND the energy from the food. So on the days that I was having both, I was actually not getting that energy deficiency that I thought would help make me lose weight. So I just completely stopped the shakes. It was after that, that I realised that I didn't actually need to eat that often.

          Every 5 straight days of not eating, I'd drop 2kgs and I personally found that it wasn't that easy to put back on.

          My biggest problem with weight is still eating when I'm not hungry… ie, in social settings. I go out and about once every second night.. with alcohol. hahahaha

        • kobrien456 on 12/10/2015 - 10:31
          +1

          @hv: Careful. Sounds like anorexia.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 10:45

          @wicket1120: Boxing, Yoga, running, swimming laps, doing the walk of shame from your ex's place…you burn lots of calories. No wonder you need to eat so much :p

        • bobbified on 12/10/2015 - 17:24

          @kobrien456:

          hahaha.. kobrien, anorexia is the last of my concerns.. I have a BMI of 30! A BMI of 18.5 or less is considered anorexic.. which would mean that I have to drop at least another 30kgs!

        • bobbified on 12/10/2015 - 17:28

          @Jar Jar Binks:

          doing the walk of shame from your ex's place…

          the ex even took your car??

        • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 20:08
          +1

          @hv: Have you heard of the famine reaction? It could explain why you haven't lost more weight despite not eating for days.

        • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 20:10
          +2

          @Jar Jar Binks: Is still called the 'walk of shame' if you're legally married to that person and just happen to live in different houses?o.O

          Personally, I prefer to call it an early morning, 400m stroll :D

        • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 21:29

          @wicket1120: LOL!

        • kobrien456 on 13/10/2015 - 09:36

          👍🏼

        • kobrien456 on 13/10/2015 - 09:37
          +1

          @hv: @hv: Hv, it's a mental state. If you have it you feel like you don't need food. If you don't eat your body will soon show it. Glad you are eating with your friends though 💜

  • pernunz on 08/10/2015 - 14:26
    +7

    Don't get caught into the trap of trying to make fresh things each day. It's time consuming, and for not much benefit.
    I'd recommend making a salad that can last 2 or 3 days, then dress it as you need it. Any vegetables you want you can chuck in. Spinach/Lettuce, Capsicum, Mushrooms, Olives, Green Beans, Carrots, Cabbage, Avocado, Celery, or even add Sultanas to it. If you make it big enough, you can split it over a few meals, and have something else as the "main" which could be anything from a piece of salmon or a curry.

  • cypher67 on 08/10/2015 - 14:38
    +10

    Lunch is whatever is in the staff room

    So you're the guy flogging my sandwiches?

    • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 14:50
      +1

      Free sandwiches,fruits and bottled water for staff. Part of the Get Healthy at work program. It's free, so might as well eat it.

      • cypher67 on 08/10/2015 - 14:56
        +3

        So take a sandwich bag with you to work and take some home with you for dinner?

        • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 15:00
          +1

          I've tried that but I find that I'll eat it while driving back home and then I woke up in the middle of the night starving.

      • sagrules on 09/10/2015 - 09:51

        How do we sign up our own office for this "Get Healthy at Work" program?

        • [Deactivated] on 09/10/2015 - 13:45

          It is a company initiative to replace the running-desks which no one was using.

  • enidan on 08/10/2015 - 14:53
    +6

    Cook in bulk- cook a big batch of dinners on Saturday, then freeze. Also look into once a month cooking- just spend a day getting stuff ready then leaving them in the freezer. A slow cooker helps with cooking in bulk as well.
    You can also keep dinners pretty simple so you're not spending a lot of time cooking- grill some meat, bake potatoes, add veggies or salad, sauce for flavour and you've got dinner ready in less than half an hour, not even.

    • mr626 on 08/10/2015 - 15:07
      +3

      This. Buy in bulk, cook in bulk, freeze, reheat as needed.

      Honestly, the act of cooking isn't too bad. I used to hate it (well, I never did it, so I thought I hated it?) but when baby came along I started doing all the cooking to support my wife. Turns out I actually don't mind cooking! Plus these days you can easily watch something on a tablet / tv while you cook, so there's that.

  • dasher86 on 08/10/2015 - 15:12
    +4

    to me it's not about the cooking.
    It's about the endless amount of dishes…

    • cypher67 on 08/10/2015 - 15:37
      +1

      Paper plates are your friend

      • 2Cheap2Pay on 08/10/2015 - 16:12
        +5

        Or next level: wrap plates in cling film…dispose after eating. Voila, clean plates!

    • kobrien456 on 09/10/2015 - 11:46
      +2

      Fill sink with hot soapy water. There's always time when you're cooking to quilt wash cutting boards bowls etc, between stirs of the pot on the stove. :)

  • cupcake on 08/10/2015 - 15:55
    +10

    Boil a cup of pasta and stir in pasta sauce - the stir in ones. Add olives, tuna. Can even use pesto.

    Pan fry a piece of salmon and serve on a bed of gourmet lettuce mix. Or same thing but with chicken tenders. Add your own dressing.

    Mini hawaiian pizza on english muffins, tomato paste, cheese, ham, pineapple. It's not fattening if you only have two.

    Sandwiches from work but toasted. Serve hot.

    Buy half a roast chook and dice the chicken breast over a salad.

    Boil a couple of potatoes and make a quick mash with milk and fry up a beef steak and onions.

    Lean Cuisine. $5 on sale.

    • pandabun on 09/10/2015 - 09:26
      +1

      Thank you for this. Love the short cuts in cooking.

      • cupcake on 09/10/2015 - 10:22
        +1

        You're welcome.

        I eat at home most nights and I like my meals quick also.

        The quick meals can be full of flavour too but you have to have all the little condiments.

        Oregano to sprinkle over the pizza, olives for the pizzas, praise deli salad dressing for the salads, bell peppers for my toasted chicken/cheese/sweet chilli sandwiches.

        I like to stock up on my little cans of tuna when they are $1 and do a tuna toastie or just have it on top of a salad with cracked black pepper. Sometimes it is ham in my salad.

        Too easy :)

    • rompastompa on 09/10/2015 - 13:31
      +2

      Lean Cuisine. $5 on sale.

      5 for $20 at Woolworths this week. $4ea :)

      • cupcake on 09/10/2015 - 13:53
        +2

        That's great. Time to stock up on the lasagna so. Just add some frozen mixed vegies or peas which you boil for 5 mins. Awesome.

        The heading says "healthy meals" but everyone likes cheese.

        • Meconium on 15/03/2016 - 01:24
          -1

          Frozen vegies aren't as nutritious as raw - they have to boil the veggies before they pack them up. Doesn't take too long to top and tail a few green beans, a head of broccoli and a couple of carrots though. Just get a decent knife :)

          • nikey2k27 on 10/10/2019 - 20:59
            +1

            @Meconium: frozen Vegies are just good as raw ones if not better frozen quickly after cut up.

  • inherentchoice on 08/10/2015 - 16:07
    +5

    Buy some turkish bread and a small can of tomato paste. Slice the bread horizontally through the middle and then make a pizza out of it. Add cheese and whatever toppings you fancy. Actually tastes better than Dominos and frozen pizzas.

    For super easy and cheap try some of the convenience meals. These might seem like lame bachelor food but you don't know unless you try:

    • Dolmio/Leggos pasta bake sauces. Just cook the pasta, put in oven dish, pour out sauce, sprinkle cheese and shove in oven.
    • Corale brand Chilli Con Carne in a can at Aldi
    • $0.65 Corale brand 400g tinned spaghetti from Aldi.
    • $2.20 supermarket brand 400g Lasagne (at Colsworths or Aldi)
    • $3 Frozen Pizza 500g at Aldi
    • Reject Shop currently has Kantong Satay Sauce in a jar for $2. You have to buy some meat but it's super easy to just follow the instructions on the jar.
    • 40 pack frozen vegetable spring rolls $3-4 at Coles/Aldi, just use 20 at a time and add some sweet chilli sauce.
    • Bake potatoes (does take a while) then slice through the middle so it separates into halves while the skin is still intact at the bottom. Sprinkle in cheese and diced bacon, and add a dollop of sour cream.
    • Tinned tuna and wraps make an instant meal anywhere, no cooking or utensils required.
    • Instant noodles

    You can also cook rice in the microwave pretty easily. Not worth using a rice cooker for one person.

  • scrimshaw on 08/10/2015 - 16:44
    +8

    I'm a very lazy cook. The lazy chef's best friend is the following two kitchen appliances:

    • The oven (or a benchtop oven)

    • The microwave

    The foods I've prepared thus far that require only 5 minutes (yes, 5 mins) of prep time.

    • roasted vegetables (starchy vegetables like potato / sweet potato, all roughly cut, with carrots, mushroom or zucchini, onion, garlic) seasoned with dried basil, thyme, garlic and butter. I make this in a large batch and store it in the fridge. This can be a side dish or can be eaten as-is. Cooking time — 55 minutes

    • low-carb 'rice' consisting of simply just mashed up cauliflower which has been boiled or cooked in the microwave, season with butter and pepper, add in Sriracha or Tabasco sauce if you want some kick or even add parmy cheese + chicken stock + diced canned tomato to turn it into risotto!
      Cooking time — however long it takes you to cook the cauliflower to your liking, usually 16 mins.

    • grilled chicken tenderloin with side of eggplant pizza, tomato salsa and asparagus. Season chicken pieces with whatever. Season asparagus with olive oil. Cut eggplant into big round flat pieces, layer first with Coles / homebrand tomato paste, sliced olives and grated cheese. Now grill chicken and all the vege together for 20 mins. Meanwhile, cut tomato into cubes and season with lemon juice and pepper. cooking time only 20 mins, prep time probably only 6-7 minutes. If you are too lazy just buy some tabouleh from the Woolies deli.

    • Instant ramen shepards pie. This is super easy to make. Put ground beef and mixed vegetables (the frozen stuff is fine) into a round pan and grill it till brown and cooked. Now cook some instant noodle, drain it and place it on top of the ground beef. Throw this into the oven's top rack and grill the top until it's nice and crispy. This dish takes 30 minutes.

    Don't even have to serve on a plate. Just eat off whatever you cooked the food in - I simply just take the piping hot baking dish out of the oven and eat off that!

    • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 16:56

      Cheers! I might try the cauliflower risotto tonight.

  • 17833 on 08/10/2015 - 17:02
    +4

    We got a pressure cooker as a result of a past deal here. I am a terrible cook but I've seen my partner throw in some vegies, meat etc. and cook up a dinner quickly and easily, with leftovers for the next night.

    • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 17:03

      The Mrs took our pressure cooker :( Which brand do you have?

      • 17833 on 08/10/2015 - 17:11
        +2

        Ronson from Target, I think from this deal https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/189356 Only have suugestion, similar to others is look out for specials at NQR as they sometimes have cheap packed meals similar to lean cuisine etc. There is a SPC factory outlet as well in Bayswater, (probably not in your area), they rotate stock constantly but managed to pick up some really nice rice meals for about 75 cents each last month.

        • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 17:15

          Cheers. Bayswater is a bit far. I'm in the bayside area.

      • OZB Al on 09/10/2015 - 07:57
        +1

        I've got an ancient Hawkins 1.2 litre pressure cooker which is perfect for one person, it's how I make my working from home lunches. Check your local Asian grocery stores.

    • c64 on 08/10/2015 - 19:16
      +1

      microwave does a good job as well, add some frozen vegetables to a bowl, add a bit of water for soup, microwave for 4 minutes, add olive oil, vinegar and a pinch of salt.

  • c64 on 08/10/2015 - 19:12

    wtf would you switch to protein/meal replacement shake rubbish?

    • [Deactivated] on 08/10/2015 - 22:00

      It's easy to make and there's almost no washing afterwards.

      • jjjjjj on 11/10/2015 - 19:33

        buy those ninja blenders. you can blender meat with veggies then put it in microwave then eat. there are some higher end German ones cook the blended meat n veggies in the same machine. you only need to wash one thing if you eat out from the blender container.

  • chumlee on 08/10/2015 - 19:18
    -4

    Get yourself a mail order bride

    • [Deactivated] on 11/10/2015 - 19:57

      I'm already married but we live apart.

  • decryption on 09/10/2015 - 07:51
    +1

    Sounds like Soylent is for you: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_(drink)

  • phocus on 09/10/2015 - 10:42
    +1

    Get yourself a webber. BBQ any meat with some salt(pork, chicken, beef, mince, kangaroo). Serve with some steam veg you get from the frozen aisle section. Cook some rice to go with it. Alternative to rice is roast potatoes.

    That's what I do for my lunches/dinners day in day out. Lucky thing about me is i don't mind eating the same thing for lunch and dinner 5 days in a row, so makes bulk cooking easy.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/10/2015 - 13:17

      I don't eat meat but thanks, might help someone else :-)

      • phocus on 09/10/2015 - 13:19
        +1

        ah in that case. BBQ eggplant and mushrooms…. I could almost become vego if eggplant wasnt so expensive.

  • rompastompa on 09/10/2015 - 13:26
    +1

    Potato bake
    Pasta bake
    Cauliflower Cheese
    Mac & Cheese.

    They'll all last 4 dinners, if you don't mind the same thing every night.

    One dish per night to wash up, one baking tray per 4 days. They're all freezable and microwavable if you want to spread it out further.

    Also; More effort, but Zucchini slice or quiches are also freezable/microwaveable.

    They're all a little cheesy tough.

  • [Deactivated] on 10/10/2015 - 11:28
    +2

    Omelettes!!! The quickest, and laziest, version is the omelette in a mug.

    • dasher86 on 12/10/2015 - 12:17
      +2

      omelettes in jaffa makers work well too.

      • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2015 - 13:37

        Thanks! Looks easy enough.

        • dasher86 on 12/10/2015 - 16:15
          +1

          yep, jaffa makers are easier than a sandwich press as they dont go everywhere. Also better than microwave as sometimes the egg can go rubbery.

  • inasero on 09/11/2015 - 11:25

    For me, living on my own (well with others but we do our own cooking) for many years, you soon learn a repertoire of basic recipes which are your 'go to' recipes. My main considerations are ease of purchasing the ingredients, ability to cook in large 'batches', time spent cooking and nutritional value and I think these recipes have served me well:

    MICROWAVED VEGGIES
    - Cheap, easy and nutritious! Prepare according to the instructions

    STEAMED VEGIES
    - Whatever takes your fancy, wash, chop and steam; I like broccoli or asparagus normally

    BULK (BROWN) RICE
    - Cook a large batch at a time, portion into individual sandwich bags according to your preferred serving size, and freeze. Microwave for a few minutes on the medium setting (depending on the size)

    CANNED TUNA
    - Straight out of the can

    MEXICAN BEAN WITH MINCE
    - Stir fry some onion and garlic, can add optional herbs like cumin or mixed herbs at this stage
    - Add in one pack of mince (preferable turkey or chicken as someone mentioned previously) at high head and stir-fry until completely opaque
    - Add in a tin of drained beans (my preference is black beans from a European deli, but four-bean mix, chickpeas or any other legumes are just as good) and one tin (500gm) of diced tomatoes and heat together for a further 10 minutes

    SALMON FILLET
    - Buy salmon fillet from the fishmongers and get them to cut into individual portion sizes, then wrap each portion in glad wrap and freeze at home

    Usually my breakfast will be microwaved instant oats (add frozen fruit e.g. blueberries on top), lunch I'll have whatever work provides or bring in the mexican bean with mince and some of the brown rice. For a snack I'll have a fruit and a sandwich bag of mixed raw veggies (usually capsicum, cucumber, cherry tomato, carrot and zucchini). For dinner I'll again have brown rice, steamed fresh/microwaved frozen veggies and a source of protein (salmon fillet or can of tuna if I'm feeling lazy).

    All up my diet doesn't vary too much, but I do feel I'm willing to forgo the variety for the benefits of convenience and nutrition, and I can still go out and have whatever I want on a Friday night/weekend with a guilt-free conscience. Ultimately you have to find what works for you and stick with it.

  • inasero on 09/11/2015 - 11:29
    +1

    Also, I don't have a pressure cooker but I think I'll invest in one when I move in to my own apartment. Something that would be suitable to a slow/pressure cooker might be a simple casserole:

    Large can of diced tomato
    500gm diced beef
    Splash of red wine
    Bay leaf
    Chopped veggies (whatever you like e.g. carrot, potato, onion, pumpkin, zucchini, sweet potato, capsicum…)

    Cook according to the recommended time and voila! Serve on a bed of pasta/rice.

  • paul04 on 19/03/2016 - 18:52

    Try Dineamic if in Melbourne. Makes my life much easier! And easy better quality food than lite n easy etc

    • [Deactivated] on 19/03/2016 - 18:54

      Thanks…but not a "single person" anymore ;-)

      • paul04 on 19/03/2016 - 21:13
        +1

        Neither am I, they are actually portioned for 2 serves, which is perfect for couples like my Mrs and i

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