If you live by yourself, do you make sure to have regular decent meals?

I do the best I can with what I need and want to eat. And I want to eat something that tastes good!

Before Covid, I spent a lot of time alone, house sitting for people. I have always been very health conscious, so I have always made myself, pretty healthy, regular meals, even if it was just a snack. Never been much of a junk food junkie, and not one to skip meals, or overeat.

During the pandemic, I have pretty much become the food preparer. I am the queen of healthy, delicious meals. I love to think about what I want to make, and figure out how I can make multiple meals with the same ingredients (the items I have on hand) to avoid having to go out to the store (now, with a mask) or earlier (ordering groceries to be delivered). I have not been to a restaurant, not even to order takeout, or delivery, since February of 2020.

One thing I do (on purpose) is to make extra portions of whatever I make, and package it up into individual portions to freeze, and have leftovers.

Good tupperware, plus labeling, is the best way to do that. Planning ahead is helpful too.

I also pick a day that works best for me, and do a few hours of food prep. Washing, peeling, slicing veggies, dividing them up, cooking some, blanching and freezing some, making soup, making plain pasta, cooking quinoa, creating a few salads with kale, or cabbage, or pasta salad, or roasting some vegetables to eat right away, to ise in another dish the next day (quiche, pizza, pasta, chili, soup etc) and freeze some. That way, I always have something ready to eat, ready to thaw, or ready to be put in the microwave or oven, and salads and raw veggies to grab out of the fridge. One day of prep makes for 2 weeks of easy meals.

When I was younger I always prepared what I guess I could call complete meals, even when I was living alone. A meat, starch, and veggie on a plate at almost every lunch and dinner. I grew up during the 4 food groups era, although I left off dairy very often.

Now, I’m lazier about it. Plus, I really need to eat healthier, which means less meat, so it winds up being less preparation.

When my husband is home I cook for him. I even bake a cake once in a while. When I’m alone I try to eat more beans, salads, and cereal. It’s not drastically different when I’m with my husband compared to alone, but there is some difference.

I have immediate and regrettable reactions to unhealthy food, and I like to cook, so I tend to eat high quality meals. It is rather boring to have to plan around eating pizza or goofy junk with friends, but I’m not giving up the fun social stuff because of a stupid gut damaged by radiation.

No. However I sleep when I am tired, and eat when I am hungry. I try to have simple meals and snacks handy.

Yes, I do now. I wasn’t always this attentive to good meals, but the last couple of years have gotten far, far better.

It’s a matter of just getting into a good habit.

A green veggie or salad with every dinner. A protein (fish, beef, chix) with dinner. Practically never have a carb or a starch.

No. I can’t eat much of anything anymore. I throw it all up.

@Jeruba I do. I have minimal prep meals. Seldom cook. I get my protein each
meal. I eat what I like. I don’t eat many fresh vegetables or salads.

When I’m home, my goal is to eat some protein, fruit and vegetables each day. I also eat nuts every day, usually. I don’t necessarily strive for healthy or hot or delicious from each meal that I have at home. If I’m out, I will strive for fiber usually, like a salad.

Sometimes dinner will be cereal and fruit, or cheese and crackers and fruit. It all depends on my mood, what’s available, if I’m tired or energetic.

My meal times are the structure around which I organise my day. I have breakfast at 8:00, lunch at around 13:00 and an evening meal at about 17:00. Breakfast is oatmeal with skimmed milk and a glass of fresh orange followed by a banana. Lunch is usually toast with cheese or honey and is really just an easy made snack to keep me going. My evening meals are more substantial and consist of mince (ground beef) with potatoes, or curried chicken with rice, or grilled salmon with boiled potatoes or spaghetti bolognaise.

I don’t like cooking so I make enough for five days and keep the remainder in the fridge. After five days I make another meal for the next five days. I try to have mixed frozen vegetables with every meal which I heat in the microwave and I occasionally finish off the evening meal with an apple. I also make minestrone soup from time to time and again, I make enough to last five or six days.

Generally, my wife and I eat together. She cooks most of our meals together and she is one hell of a cook. Every once in a while, I have to fend for myself, when she is out with her friends and there are no leftovers. Then I end up cooking something simple like eggs.

No.

I’ve been thinking about this question. I would say through the week I have more healthy food than not and I don’t eat junky snack foods but I do like and eat some sweets every day. I don’t necessarily eat three regular meals each day either. I usually have a lightish breakfast of toast and tea, lunch could be crackers and cheese or a sandwich or samosas and then a cooked meal at night. But if I go out for lunch with a friend and eat more than usual, I might just have a piece of toast at night. I tend to follow my appetite’s inclination rather than a list of must haves and I know as soon as I start overeating, I will gain weight, so that limits me. I struggle to put more fruits and vegetables into my week but I’ve been quite successful on cutting down on meat.

@janbb I hear you and agree 100%. You must always let your appetite dictate what you eat, and how much you eat. One thing I have started doing for my weight, and this is in spite of not really having a problem with obesity, is intermittent fasting. I avoid eating for 16 hours and then eat essentially what I want.

For instance, we typically finish dinner by 7 pm. Then I avoid any calorie intake until 11 am the next morning.

This system has worked like a charm for me.

Oh, my God, yes! And, when I get my own place, again, I will do the same. The only difference will be the fact that Instagram is now in existence. And, I will continue where I left off. :)

@King_Galaxius Hello and welcome to Fluther!