Eating Out...
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Eating Out...
| Thu, 05-05-2005 - 1:30am |
Okay I have seriously cut down my budget lately to make larger payments on my credit card but the one area where I my money just seems to disappear is eating out. I am single and live by myself and sometimes I find it so incredibly difficult to go home and make myself dinner instead of just running through the drive-thru. I often justify it to myself b/c I have a coupon or I don't get a coke b/c I have drinks at home but I really need to stop spending the extra money. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions or meal ideas that are easy for one person. (I get so tired of sandwiches!) This is my goal for the month of May - I can have one meal outside my house each week and that's it. So far this week is going well and it's Wednesday but we'll see how long it lasts...

Quesadillas--grate a little cheese, toss in some refried beans, leftover cooked veggies, chopped onions, canned beans, leftover cooked meat, or whatever sounds good. Fry an open tortilla in a frying pan, top with toppings, add another tortilla. When the first is brown, turn it over, fry until brown, and you're done. Dip in salsa, sour cream, or whatever youve got around--or not. They're good plain too. Very easy, and perfect for just one person.
Burritos--fill tortillas with leftovers from last night plus some cheese. Roll into burritos and fry. Trust me, even the oddest things often come out delicious in a burrito when cheese is added--chinese stir-fried veggies, roast beef, leftover steamed vegetables, chili, you name it.
Freeze leftovers. When you cook something larger--soup, or a casserole, say--freeze in meal-size portions for days when you just don't want to cook. Be sure to date and label your concoctions, to avoid the "nothing in the house syndrome" just because you don't know what's in the house (besides, frozen meals in see-through containers never look particularly appetizing, even if once warmed they are delicious--a label helps overcome the initial hesitation I always face when considering warming something that doesn't look so great).
Omelets--mix up a batch of whatever toppings you like, break a couple or three eggs, and fry together. I call my concoctions omelets, but they're really just glorified scrambled eggs, because I can never manage to turn the omelet over at just the right time to avoid it getting broken to bits. Still tasty though.
Nachos--Over a bed of corn chips, grate cheese and add other toppings such as refried beans (we buy cans of refried beans at the Aldi for about 33 cents and stock up--we use them all the time), lettuce, onion, leftover cooked veggies, etc. (same things as for quesadillas), stick in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds. If you're looking for just a snack, try it with just the cheese and microwave for only about 15 seconds. You can also do this as a salad by heating everything ahead of time and then serving on a large bed of lettuce.
Ramen noodles with extras. Not exactly healthy, but quick and CHEAP. We buy the walmart brand noodles (10 cents a package), soy sauce, and frozen vegetables. For frozen peas or corn, we cook the noodles first and then add the vegetables right at the end, return to a boil, and then strain. For stir-fry vegetables, broccoli, and other thicker vegetables, we add the veggies to the water before it begins to boil, so it has longer to cook through. Add soy sauce and you're done. Can't be worse for you than drive-through french fries!
Topped oven fries. Slice a potato thinly, lay potatoes on a baking sheet and put in the oven at 450. Cook until soft in the middle and, if you prefer, crispy around the edges. Put on a plate and top with whatever appeals to you (cheese, broccoli, leftover veggies, leftover meat, chili, etc).
Beans and rice. Can of red beans, pot of rice, toss in some sausage if you feel like it. Quick, yummy, nutritious, more satisfying than it sounds.
I also, if I have time, like to pop a sweet potato in the oven (or a regular potato) for an hour, and just eat it plain. Yummy. Then I'll snack on fruit or whatever as my "side dishes." Can't beat it nutrition-wise. Popcorn is another good side dish for this meal.
I know it's hard to cook just for one person. I have the same issue when my husband's out of town, even though I have two small children (somehow, cooking for very small children just isn't that satisfying to me). But these are things that I don't mind cooking just for myself, and they're nutritious and delicious. Good luck!
Heather
I never ate sandwiches when I was single! I used to cook enough for 2-3 meals at a time and eat the same dinner for 2-3 nights. I ended up cooking only 3-4 times a week.
Heather gave you lots of good ideas. I skimmed her post, so she may have already suggested this, but in case she didn't - you could also make 4 days' worth of salad at a time. And don't forget keeping frozen veggies around!
Also, check out Leanne Ely's menu mailer, http://savingdinner.com/.
I really think that once you start cooking for yourself, you will become quite dissatisfied with eating takeout. When you eat healthy foods, takeout starts to just not be worth it anymore.
Kelly
Hi there.
Pumpkin
&nbs
I just made a huge pan of baked ziti last night.
All my best,
Danni
I'm single but I love to cook (do I have to clean up too?)
I make complete meals - my salad is usally 1/2 to 2/3 of a bag (no carrots, no nuts, no fruit,)
mslvp@sbcglobal.net
Cruise and Group Specialist
HAVE A GREAT DAY! (OR EVENING!)