We understand that cooking for may be viewed as uninspiring -  the time and effort to make a single serving can be demotivating, especially after a long day.

Luckily, there are some easy solutions to reinvigorate your kitchen mojo and create quick, delicious meals for one! Here’s our top six tips:

1. Plan ahead

Spend a little bit of time planning what you’ll cook for the week and shop accordingly. Think about choosing recipes with similar ingredients to avoid food waste.

2. Get into batch cooking

If you cook a standard recipe that feeds four people, you’ll have leftovers for lunch the next day and be able to freeze the rest. Imagine how great it will be to be grab a tasty meal out of the freezer after a busy workday!

3. Have staples at hand

If you have a pantry stocked with staple ingredients (i.e.  pasta, rice, beans, lentils, quinoa and herbs/spices), all you need is some protein and veges to whip up a meal. It’s also a good idea to have frozen veges in the freezer. Here are 4 recipes ideas based on pantry staples.

4. Go for one-pan wonders

Go for recipes you can cook in one-pan and save on the washing up! Stir fries, simple pasta dishes and soups are all great ideas that will leave you with leftovers to eat and/or freeze.

5. Invest in an air fryer

An air fryer is a great investment for those cooking regularly for one. Air fryers can cook a wide variety of food (in small portions if you wish) quickly, with easy preparation using less oil. Many types of New Zealand pork cuts can be cooked in an air fryer. Click here to find out more.

6. Cook protein to use as a base

We can recommend making a serve of pulled pork which you can then use in a variety of ways - tacos one night, then sliders or pizza the next. What pulled pork you don’t use, freeze for later.

4 pork recipes perfect for one

Hoisin Pork Yaki Udon

Budget friendly and on the table in less than 30 minutes. Half the recipe if you’ll have enough for dinner and lunch the next day. Or make the full serve if you are keen on more leftovers.

Pork and Rocket Pasta

Who doesn’t love a good pasta dish? This one ticks the boxes of quick, easy and tasty.

Spicy Thai Pork Cakes

If you love Thai flavours and are after something light, these pork cakes will hit the spot. Great re-created into a salad the next day for lunch.

Meal Prep Soy Caramel Pork and Veggies

If you’re into prepping meals for the week (be it lunch and/or dinner), this one’s for you. Substitute the vegetables for what you like and what’s available.

Remember, one of the main benefits of cooking for one is that you can cook exactly what you want to. Experiment with flavours and seasonings that interest you – you can be as creative as you like!

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