For the first time, I found myself cooking just for me—no kids, no extra plates, no leftovers that would be eaten by someone else in the house. It was a completely new experience and, honestly, an eye-opener.

Grocery shopping became a different kind of challenge. I had to resist the urge to buy too much, knowing that I wouldn’t have the usual crew to help eat everything. At the same time, I needed to meal plan carefully because, as a diabetic, skipping meals is not an option for me.

So, how do you plan meals for one without overbuying, overcooking, or getting stuck eating the same meal five nights in a row? Let me take you through my week of solo meal prep, smart ingredient use, and a little creativity in the kitchen.

Planning Meals for One: The Key to Not Overbuying or Wasting Food

One of the biggest challenges of cooking for one is making sure you’re not buying too much and letting food go to waste. I found that sticking to a few versatile ingredients and meal prepping smartly made all the difference.

The Plan:

• Buy ingredients that can be used in multiple meals.

• Cook once but eat twice (or more!) by repurposing leftovers.

• Keep things interesting by changing flavors and textures.

With that in mind, here’s how I made my week of delicious, well-balanced meals while keeping it simple, efficient, and waste-free.

A Big Batch of Spaghetti Sauce That Became Three Meals

The first thing I made was a big batch of Nonna’s spaghetti sauce—a hearty, comforting dish packed with flavor. I used:

✅ 1 lb ground beef

✅ mushrooms

✅ Bell peppers

✅ A new spice blend I was trying out

I cooked it all together into a rich, delicious sauce and immediately froze half so I wouldn’t have to eat spaghetti five nights in a row.

• Meal 1: Spaghetti with homemade sauce, served with a crisp green salad & Garlic Bread.

• Meal 2: The same sauce over rotini pasta for a little variety.

Lesson learned: Batch cooking + freezing portions = easy future meals.

Portobello Mushrooms: A Versatile Star Ingredient

Portobello mushrooms were another smart purchase this week. They’re meaty, flavorful, and can be used in breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

• Breakfast: I fried up a portobello and put it on a soft bun with Swiss cheese for a delicious, café-style breakfast sandwich.

• Dinner: I used the extra cooked mushrooms in another meal, pairing them with a fresh salad.

I love finding ingredients that can be used in multiple ways. These mushrooms were a perfect example of how a single ingredient can stretch across meals without feeling repetitive.

Fresh, Seasonal & Simple: Salmon with Asparagus

Another meal I made was salmon with asparagus, keeping things fresh and seasonal. Since asparagus is just starting to grow, I couldn’t resist picking some up.

I steamed the asparagus and made a homemade Béarnaise sauce—a rich, lemony sauce that added so much flavor.

• Dinner: Baked salmon, steamed asparagus, and Béarnaise sauce.

• Breakfast the next day: I used the leftover sauce with poached eggs and asparagus for an incredible brunch-style meal.

Lesson learned: Sauces are a great way to tie meals together and prevent food waste.

Lunches That Felt Gourmet: Homemade Pesto & Bacon Mayo Sandwiches

For lunch, I made the best sandwiches using homemade pesto and a simple but game-changing bacon mayo.

The sandwich layers:

✅ Homemade pesto

✅ Sliced tomatoes

✅ A smoky, flavorful bacon mayo (made with my new bacon-flavored seasoning)

✅ Swiss cheese

✅ A good-quality sandwich bun

This sandwich had so much flavor and was easy to whip up! Since I made extra pesto and bacon mayo, I used them in other meals, adding an extra layer of taste without extra effort.

Lesson learned: Condiments and spreads can take your meals to the next level.

Parmesan Chicken in the Air Fryer

Midway through the week, I decided to make something crispy and satisfying—Parmesan chicken in the air fryer.

• Super simple, quick, and so good.

• I made enough for two meals, one for dinner and one as leftovers.

This was one of my favorite meals, and if you want to see how I made it, you can catch the live video in my community group.

Lesson learned: Air fryers make cooking for one easy and fast.

What I Learned from My Week of Solo Cooking

By the end of the week, I realized that cooking for one isn’t as hard as I thought—as long as you plan smartly, make versatile meals, and embrace leftovers creatively.

My biggest takeaways:

✔️ Buy ingredients that work in multiple meals (mushrooms, sauces, condiments).

✔️ Cook once, eat twice (or more). Freezing portions helps prevent food boredom.

✔️ Mix up flavors and textures to keep meals exciting.

✔️ Use sauces and spreads to add variety without extra effort.

✔️ Air fryers make solo cooking easier (and more fun).

This was a totally new experience for me, but I have to say—it’s been eye-opening in the best way. I learned how to be intentional with my grocery shopping, make sure I had nutritious meals to keep my energy up, and waste less food.