Living alone can give you more freedom and personal space for self-development. You can build daily routines without thinking of others, you get to have privacy and quiet time when you need it, and you can be as messy or as organized as you want. The catch is most people who live alone often exert less effort into preparing healthy meals.
This totally makes sense since you’ll only be cooking for yourself. Instant food products and takeaways are usually cheaper and more convenient. However, ready-made food will not be able to give your body the nutrients it needs. Whether it’s about inadequate cooking skills or lack of motivation, you must eat healthy. It’s the only way to fuel your body with energy and keep your mind fit. If you don’t know where to start, here are some easy steps for you to follow.
1. Limit your fresh-produce budget
The last thing you want to do here is to waste money. One way to avoid that is by limiting the fresh produce you purchase. These food products can go bad faster than others. Only buy what you can eat within a week or less. Most people who live alone tend to buy fresh produce in bulk, thinking they can save more. The problem is, there will be days that you’re too lazy to cook meals with them. If going to the grocery store multiple times a week is a hassle for you, you can opt for frozen veggies or fruit that you can stock on your fridge. You can make enough smoothies for a month by buying a club pack of frozen fruits.
2. Purchase your protein in bulk
If there’s one food type that’s great for bulk purchase, that’s protein. You can go with the usual protein sources such as eggs and chicken. Since chicken isn’t typically a cheap buy, it’s best to get larger packs of them and divide the parts into freezer bags. If you can buy them on sale, the better. Dairy products are another great source of protein and calcium, which are even more essential for older adults.
Buy dairy products only made with farm-fresh milk protein concentrates to ensure you’ll get all the essential nutritional needs. Plus, you can guarantee that the milk is produced following the proper health and safety standards. Some of the dairy products you can buy in bulk are cheese, yogurt, and ready-to-drink chocolate milk. Apart from dairy products, other healthy proteins you can buy are seeds and nuts, soy and tofu, beans, and fish.
3. Consider cooking in batches
Cooking in batches is the perfect solution if you often lack the motivation to cook meals every day. If you love pasta, you can prepare a massive lasagna that you can eat every day for a week. A huge pot of beans and rice is also a good option if you’re not picky. This might be a bit of a challenge if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like eating leftovers or could only eat something once.
On a positive note, cooking in batches can also save you a lot of time and money from preparing multiple meals. If you want variety, you can just prep up to four servings, so you have ready-made freezer meals for different recipes. Just be sure not to fill your freezer with too much food, Check it routinely, and always eat what you have in your freezer first. Place the prepared meals that quickly go bad in front so you won’t forget them.
4. Stick to your favorites
Living alone means you don’t have to worry about the preference of others, especially when it comes to food. So when planning your healthy meals, build them around the food you like and want to eat. Keep a balanced meal by including the necessary micronutrients or food groups. Your meals should have a bit of everything such as fat, carbohydrates, and proteins. You can get fat from nuts, egg yolk, cooking oil, and avocado. Good sources of carbohydrates, on the other hand, are rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, non-leafy green vegetables, and beans. Check out different recipes that include your favorite foods and print them out. Moreover, you can avoid leftovers if you prepare meals that you can and want to eat.
Living alone may permit you to slack off on household chores or decide how to structure your day. However, solo living doesn’t mean that you can go idle in eating healthy. Having a healthy diet doesn’t just give you the energy and motivation to tackle your daily tasks. But it also reduces your risks of acquiring serious diseases and illnesses.
