Tips to Make Cooking for Two Easy

Cooking for two can be a bit frustrating, especially when most recipes serve 4 or more and cooking tips are hard to find. These tips to make cooking for two easy along with shopping and preparation tricks will help you adjust to your empty nest effortlessly.

Daydream Flashback

When the kids were little, I remember dreaming of a romantic dinner for two. Just me and my hubby, candlelight and diet coke (not a wine fan). Looking deeply into each other’s eyes as the conversation flowed effortlessly. Sharing a nice, quiet meal with my favorite person was such a sweet dream!

This is the most common fairytale a mom could have! I could count on one hand, the times when that actually happened! It would be about 20 years before dinners-for-2 became the norm. Date nights were not a priority back then. We were all consumed with our family and could only sneak in the quiet stuff here and there.

The Real Picture

Life during those years was comparable to a circus! My clowns came to the ring and occasionally, complete chaos took place at dinner. This was the time that we actually all sat as a family. Time set aside for letting loose and sharing all of the details of our days. Especially since everyone was always going in different directions – dinnertime was a guarantee of uninterrupted communication and complete silliness. Freedom to say and be whatever you wanted.

I have to admit, every so often things got out of control.

Once, our daughter’s friend ate over. That night, there happened to be a small, food fight. Nothing horrible, just some flying mashed spuds. I didn’t think much of it, but the next day, I was with a group of parents at a hockey game and our little guest told everyone about our shenanigans! Some of the parents were appalled but I held my head high and informed them that I was the one that had started the fiasco. Even though our parenting skills may have been different than others, they worked for us. This craziness has continued into adulthood and has kept us a tight-knitted family.

Disclaimer: Our kids were raised in a home that was completely open. No subject was/is taboo and sometimes the rowdiness could knock your socks off, but we had great kids that we were/are proud of.

Oh, how I miss those days!

I miss the bonding; the silliness and I do miss the cooking. Preparing meals for a crowd was gratifying.

Here and Now

Years have passed and I am still cooking those same meals but now they are portioned for 2. I had to learn to make adjustments to those well-loved recipes. This was not an easy feat and I have a culinary background; I went to culinary school and competed for a few years. I did eventually figure it out and you will too by using these tips for making cooking for two easy.

Don’t be intimidated by making these changes and using these cooking tips. Cooking at home is good for your health and your wallet. Spend some time in the kitchen with your guy and watch your love life sizzle! Nothing better than a man that cooks!!

Make your life easier with these tips for making cooking for two easy!

Download your FREE copy of this Menu Planner Bundle and make your life easier! Click Here!

Start by setting aside an hour or two each week for planning. Read the suggested cooking tips, pick your recipes, make your list and use this handy meal planner and shopping list to organize it all. There are so many good sources on the internet that already have the recipes scaled for 2 portions. One of my favorite resources is The Taste of Home. Years ago, I had every cookbook that they published and every Saturday, I would plan my weekly menu directly from their recipes. Even though I love the feeling of an actual cookbook in my hands, using their website is much quicker and easier now. Check out their easy-to-follow recipes. You can find more recipes for two on my Pinterest Board. If you would rather just stick with the recipes you are comfortable with, then use this recipe conversion app or the conversion chart in my Meal Planning Bundle along with the following tips to make cooking for two easy.

Shopping Tips

• Stick with your list while shopping so you don’t forget any ingredients.
• Shop in bulk for meat and save money. Buy large cuts of meat, such as a roast, and cut in half.
• Use this Food Saver to package meat in portions and reduce spoilage and save money in the long run. Label and date each package and follow the storage guidelines that can be found in your Meals for Two Planner Package.
• Eliminate produce waste, use these GREEN bags or these containers to extend the life of fruits and vegetables.

• Stock up on canned goods and frozen vegetables but be sure to check expiration dates.
• Pay attention to prices. In some cases, it does not make sense (cents) to buy smaller items because the cost is going to be much higher. An example of this is milk. One gallon of 2% milk could be on sale for $1.49 and ½ gallon could cost $1.10! Ummm, No Thank You!
• Other products are worth paying a bit more for, so you do not have a lot of waste. Chips in small bags may cost more but you won’t throw away the bag when they go stale. Plus, they are easy-peasy for a quick snack.
• Sign-up for in-store reward programs. Coupons and cash savings rewards are common and make a difference in your budget.
• Shop on Wednesdays when crowds are the lowest. This will give you time to spend researching the best value for your meals. Wednesdays are also when the stores are fully stocked, and the freshest produce is available along with new offered specials for the week. Hump Day Rocks!
• If you don’t have a lot of time to shop, utilize the stores that have online shopping. This is a blast for me, and I really find it to be more efficient as I can browse, and price compare. No crowds, no fuss! Just drive up to the designated pick-up area and wait for your bags to be loaded. If only you could bring the employee home with you to unload too!

Preparation Tips

• Keep your meal planner on your fridge or someplace that is visible.
• Think ahead! Decide the night before what you would like to make for the next day and place your meat in the refrigerator to thaw. Always place the meat on a plate on the bottom shelf in the fridge for safety from contamination.
• If a slow cooker meal is planned, thaw your meat in the fridge 2 nights prior instead of 1.
• Organize your pantry or food cupboards with like foods so it is easy to grab the ingredients needed for your recipe. The more you have to search for items, the less likely you will want to cook.
• Divide produce into recipe serving sized bags for convenience.
• Check expiration dates on spices and herbs so there’s no scrambling when you are in the middle of cooking.
• Use the easy-to-use conversion chart in my Meal Planning Bundle to scale-down the recipe for 2 servings.

Cooking Tips

• Use these tips for making cooking for two easy and the handy conversion chart in my Meal Planning Bundle, to adjust your recipe to smaller portions. Some recipes, however, cannot be adjusted efficiently. Instead, plan on making the full recipe and freezing portions to use for later.
• Read the recipe before you begin cooking. Make sure you understand the steps.
• Cooking or baking times may decrease for lesser amounts of food.
• The first thing learned in culinary school is a French term: Mise en place (Mi Za Plas). This means “everything in its place.” To make cooking easy and enjoyable, gather everything you need before you start cooking. Have you ever seen Rachael Ray load her arms up with food and utensils?
• Turn on the radio or spend time talking with your hubby while you are cooking. Take this time to talk about your day.
• If you are using a slow cooker, make sure that you have one of the smaller models like this one. These work best if they are 1/2 to 2/3 full. Under-filled crockpots may not cook properly.
• Leftovers are either loved or hated. For me, leftovers are a treat for lunch the next day. On the other hand, my husband avoids them like the plague. Unless I transform them into a new meal and don’t tell him. Try taking that extra steak and cutting it into bite size pieces. Add some brown gravy, heat and serve over rice, mashed potatoes or noodles. Or slice the steak thinly and serve on top of your favorite salad.

Embrace the Change

This is a new and exciting time in your life! The kids have moved out and now you can rekindle the fire in your relationship. Do this with open arms and you will be surprised how easily you will fall in love with your new status. Read more about this season in your life and some tips to help you adjust, here and here.

At times, the entire brood does come for dinner and I am in my glory cooking for all of them. Chaos, laughter, love, and bonding continue, and I soak it up. When they leave, I sigh deeply, thank God for all of our blessings and then wearily, plop my butt into a chair.

Content in knowing that tomorrow, I will have that romantic dinner for two and fewer dishes to do!

What cooking tips do you use? I would love to know about any advice you have on tips to make cooking for two easy. Please share below in the comments or email me at lisa@gatherlovellc.com. Can’t wait to hear from you!