1) Buy produce on a day-to-day basis.
Unless you plan on freezing your fruits and vegetables immediately after you purchase them, it is best to buy those (and other perishables) as needed. In other words, “stocking up,” though seemingly cost-effective, can end up being more expensive in the long run if the food goes bad.
2) Make meals that serve more than 1 person.
You may be thinking, “I only have to cook for myself! What luck!” But the truth is, it makes more sense to cook a big batch of, say, lasagna that serves four people on Sunday and eat it throughout the week. That way, you can cut down on daily cooking time and spend time on the important things in life (like a mini-marathon of your favorite TV show!).
3) Plan a 5-day menu.
The best way to save money (and time) is to plan out what you’re going to eat every day, especially during the workweek. Chances are, you will be eating out on the weekends with your friends or your partner.
4) Pool your resources.
If you are lucky enough to live by your friends, try to coordinate a “potluck”-style dinner with them. Everyone comes with a single dish, and everyone leaves with a diverse plate of leftovers!
5) Your freezer is your friend.
This may seem obvious, but no one expects you to buy fresh ingredients and cook from scratch every day. Having frozen meals, produce, and/or meats on hand makes things a lot easier. Sometimes you’re just too tired to cook and having that one Lean Cuisine lurking in the back of your freezer may just save you from going to bed hungry.
6) Buy a food thermometer.
This is particularly important for the meat lovers out there. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, cooked food is safe “only after it’s been cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria.”
7) Start the dishes as soon as you finish cooking.
I know, I know, I know. But seriously. It makes cleanup a lot easier.
8) Better yet, save a plate–eat straight out of the pan.
Got guests coming over? If the answer is no, then by all means…
9) Have fun with it!
Sometimes the best meals come from a heap of kitchen scraps and a little creativity.
10) Ask for help!
Whether you ask your mom or your Twitter followers, it’s always, always okay to ask for help when you need it. When I was first starting to cook for myself, I would send picture messages of produce to my mom because I honestly had no idea what to look for (“Are potatoes supposed to look like that?”).