Michael Haggert
It’s time to downsize dinner. I’m not
talking about a weight loss plan, but rather
cooking for just one or two. The change
from cooking for a houseful to just two
people after the children have left the nest
sounds easy, but years of cooking habits
don’t change overnight or without a plan.
One of the first changes is in how you
shop. Say goodbye to bulk packages from
the big box store and re-introduce yourself
to the local butcher shop. The only reason to
buy a package of ten chicken legs is if you
want to eat chicken every night for a week.
It’s far better and less wasteful to buy what
just the two of you are going to eat and
enjoy.
I spent years going to the grocery store
and wondering who bought the loose apples
and potatoes, when the simplest math made
it clear that ten- and twenty-pound bags
would save a few dollars. You don't have to
throw out many half-full bags of mushy
fruit before you realize you can't claim a
savings anymore. Now, picking up five
potatoes makes sense. Last week at the
farmers' market, my wife walked up to a
booth where quart baskets of pears were
piled high. The smallest exchange took
place, and she walked away with a single
pear. In the old days, we made deals for
bushels of produce - welcome to scaling
down!
Once the smaller packages have made it
home, your storage needs have changed as
well. As I look into a mostly empty chest
freezer, it’s becoming clear that we may be
running an appliance we no longer need.
There’s an app
for that
The largest sizes of Tupperware containers
seem comical now that they dwarf their
contents. The four-, six- and eight-quart
pans are next on the list. It’s a good time to
reorganize the cupboards. I know there are
smaller pots in that set we bought years ago
– I just haven’t used them much.
This shift in tools and techniques will
seem normal eventually. I’m committed to
resisting the “why bother” syndrome that
leads to takeout or easy (but less than
healthy) heat-and-eat solutions. Eating
fresh, local and homemade meals for singles
and doubles is a learned skill. Just like
cooking for five or six or more took time
and practice to develop, so too does cooking
for one or two. While we figure out the
details here, I hope you remember that food
matters – even when you’re the only one
sitting at the table.
Cookspiration by
Dietitians of Canada is a
free app that can help
you decide upon the
perfect dish to cure any
craving. To start things
off on the right track, the
app automatically
detects the current day
and time, thus providing
more preferred and
appropriate choices.
Tell us on Facebook about your adventures with food this month,
or tweet us @thehubWE #foodmatters
September 2014 - The HUB 7