Table for one
The sun has set, your stomach is growling and pizza delivery is one speed dial away. The temptation is real — especially if you’re alone and you’re a man. Research shows that men who live alone tend to have poorer diets than single-dwelling women and men with roommates. “Cooking meals for just one person can seem like more work than it is worth,” says Jim White, a registered dietitian in Virginia. But it is worth it since home cooking usually means eating something healthier and more budget-friendly, White says. Plus, it doesn’t have to be a lot of work. Here, pros share healthy, easy and appetite-quenching meals anyone can cook:
Sheet pan fajitas
If you have an oven, a sheet pan and a few ingredients, you can be a home chef. “Sheet pan meals are an excellent way to cook for one as they are less mess than traditional recipes and can make just the right amount of food,” White says. For fajitas, simply slice a chicken breast (or two) and some peppers, and toss them in minced garlic, olive oil, chili, cumin, paprika, coriander, salt and pepper. Spread it on a pan and roast at 400 degrees for 18 to 25 minutes — stopping to toss about halfway through. Squeeze on a little lime juice and, if you like, enjoy it with rice or tortillas. Ole!
Sheet pan sausage and veggies
Craving Italian more than Mexican? The sheet pan formula can deliver again. For this dish, White recommends cutting up a precooked chicken sausage, a few of your favorite veggies (broccoli, peppers, onions and Brussels sprouts all work) and a sweet potato into bite-sized pieces. Pop them on a pan, drizzle them with olive oil, salt, pepper and your favorite herbs and spices (oregano and red pepper flakes, perhaps?) and cook at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. “These dishes [include] protein, vegetables, fiber-rich carbohydrates and heart-healthy fats,” White says. “Compared to restaurant meals, these recipes boast a lower-sodium and saturated fat content.”
Beans and greens
If you assume eating meatless means going hungry, you haven’t experienced the stick-to-your-bones power of legumes — think lentils, chickpeas and black beans — which are packed with protein and iron. Plus, “they’re cheap and can live in your cupboard — ready for you anytime,” says Joel Gamoran, the New York City-based national chef for Sur La Table (and a carnivore). Try, for instance, sauteing lentils and black beans with a leafy green like spinach or kale. Top it with a fried egg (or two) and don’t be afraid to douse it all in Sriracha, Gamoran says. “It’s cheap, nutritious and super easy to whip up,” he says.
Mix-and-match meats
Must eat meat? Reserve some time on Sunday to prepare mix-and-matchable meals for the weekdays ahead, Gamoran recommends. “Roast a huge tray of veggies, cook off some grains like farro or whole-wheat pasta and cook a ton of meat,” like chicken or fish, he says. (For the fish, opt for frozen, since it’s frozen at the peak of freshness and cheaper than fresh versions.) Just like that, your week is set — maybe salmon, pasta and broccoli on Monday and chicken, farro and roasted carrots on Tuesday. “It sounds annoying and hard to do, but after two weeks of doing it, you will be hooked — and save a ton of money,” Gamoran says.
Grilled steak and asparagus
When Michelle Dudash, a registered dietitian nutritionist and chef in Carmel, Indiana, eats alone, she often grills a piece of fish with a vegetable like zucchini. For her husband, it’s grilled steak and asparagus. “Grilling leaves your kitchen clean — or at least doesn’t add to the chaos,” Dudash says. It can be super healthy, too. If you opt for steak, pick a leaner option like tenderloin or flatiron, which are relatively low in saturated fat and packed with protein, B vitamins, zinc and iron, Dudash says. “You’ll likely feel way better afterward than ordering takeout and will do your body a favor,” she says. “You’ll save money, too.”
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5 Dude-Friendly Meal Ideas for One originally appeared on usnews.com
