This segment could also be called, “Cooking for One.” I entered a new way of cooking. I am now alone and must feed just myself. This has been challenging for me – one of the more difficult parts of life after being married nearly 59 years.
A friend who is in the same situation, cooks a dish and then eats it three or four times until it is gone. I can’t do that. The second time for a dish is all right, especially if it turned out to be good. I can even manage a subsequent lunch, but that is it.
Recently, I have tried reducing standard recipes to one or two servings. Some dishes lose their flavor. Cooking the full recipe and then freezing leftovers is an option. For some reason when it comes to thawing and heating most of these, I lose my interest.
To reduce recipes requires small quantities of ingredients, which are not easy to find. What do I do with a half can of leftover soup that sits in my refrigerator drying out. Soon it will begin to grow and I will have to throw it out, something I couldn’t do when it was first opened.
One way I cope is to buy and wrap pieces of meat or chicken separately before freezing them. I buy frozen fish fillets. I can thaw one piece quickly, sauté it in a few minutes while a potato boils has been baked. With a salad I have a reasonable dinner. Not very imaginative, but usually satisfying.
Other sources for meals include an abundance of frozen meals at the grocery store, hot meals available at my local farm store, and take out from local restaurants. There are now several companies who prepare and pack the ingredients needed for a requested meal. I have used Blue Apron. The food was good and not difficult to cook. Each meal had two servings, and provided more than I could eat, so there were leftovers.
Recently, I have planned a menu and shopped for the ingredients needed. It is better than being hungry without an idea of what to fix. But then there are eggs in the refrigerator and easy mix pancake flour.
I would love to hear from single cooks who have found satisfying ways to cope meal time.
lakeafton 
Freeze partial cans of food, or vacuum seal in mason jars. I bought a large package of 2 ounce condiment cups, and I freeze lemon juice and zest, tomato paste, all sorts of things that are required in small amounts. Because getting to stores is a bigger trip for me than it is for you and freezer space is limited, I’ve started dehydrating fresh veggies, then vacuum sealing in Mason jars. Love my vacuum sealer and mason jars,