I can cook meals for four but somehow meals for two or one end up always being meals for about one extra person. This is great if an unexpected guest arrives but otherwise, without a freezer, the extra leftover food becomes a bit of a waste.
Thankfully there are several ways to avoid this problem. The first is to measure things properly. My cooking style is definitely experimental when it comes to portion size. Add a bit of this, an extra handful of that, and suddenly a one person dish is a filling the biggest saucepan. So, I have fallen in love with one utensil in particular, my rice cup. I got it free last year at a green event and I use it religiously now. Before I used any small cup that came to hand and it worked almost as well.
Two cups of rice, 4 cups of boiling water and 6 minutes (stir) then four minutes in the microwave and you have perfect rice for two. For one person just halve all the quantities. No waste.
Another way of dealing with waste is to use it up rather than avoid it all together. I love meals that start as one thing and end as another. Leftover roast from a Sunday can turn into a stew on a Monday, chili on a Tuesday, Soup on a Wednesday and so on. Adding a few extra ingredients goes a long way. Leftover veg or rice and curry make the most delicious sandwich and wrap fillers that make Monday morning blues just disappear.
So that's my message for the week. Size matters. Whether it's the amount we eat, the amount we use or the amount we waste. Pick up a cup and take control.
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