Cooking for one

Whether you are used to living alone, or have recently started living alone due to bereavement or because you've moved somewhere new, cooking for one can be a challenge.

All too often cookery books and websites only offer recipes for two, four or more people, and reducing the quantities of ingredients can be fiddly and easy to get wrong.

And it may be the case that you have never needed to cook for yourself before, and suddenly find that you need to learn what to do to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

Cookery classes

If you've never cooked for yourself before, or you just want to get back into the habit of cooking, you might like to try a cookery course. This will teach you the basic skills of how to prepare vegetables, meat and fish, and produce nutritious meals. Try the following:-

Cookery School beginner's courses
Westminster Adult Education Service cookery courses
The Findcourses website provides details of cookery courses across London
Community Hubs such as Open Age and Penfold Community Hub provide cookery classes as part of their activities programme.

Finding new recipes

Alternatively, a simple cook book aimed at beginners could be a good choice.You can also find special 'cooking for one' books online or in bookshops. Browse through a few to find the book that suits you best.

Many websites provide recipes and advice aimed at people who are cooking just for themselves - see if any of these make you peckish:-

Once you have the basic skills, you can experiment with different flavours to find out what you enjoy the most.

One way around the problem of cooking for one can be to make larger quantities and store the extra portions in the freezer to defrost and reheat later. It's more economical as it allows you to buy and use ingredients in bulk. By putting individual portions into freezer bags or plastic tubs, you know there's always a tasty home-cooked meal waiting for you, even on days when you don't feel like cooking.

If you have friends who live nearby, why not take a break from cooking for one by organising a supper club? You and your friends can take turns to cook for each other, perhaps one night a week. It doesn't have to be restaurant-quality - just good food with good company.

Last updated: 22/07/2021

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