Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Dinner for One: Beyond Cheese Toast and Cereal Bowls

A long time ago, a Sunday School class I attended discussed the difference between men and women. I will never forget what one guy said, "The difference is when her husband is away, a wife will eat cheese toast. When the wife is away, the guy will go out and eat a big ole steak dinner."

Wow. So true. Ever since then, I have tried somewhat unsuccessfully to not be that woman that eats cheese toast. Being allergic to wheat helps with that but then I just eat a bowl of granola or oatmeal. Sad but true.

Some of you can't imagine dinner alone. But the day will come. Everyone is sick but you or visiting Grandma or you have indeed watched all the chicks fly from the nest.

Here are some of my tricks:

Fresh veggies: Visit the local salad bar. Buy the good stuff in small quantities. Even if it is just for one meal. You may cringe at seeming to spend more than buying the raw veggies and doing it yourself, but between having greater variety and watching unused carrots and lettuce heads shrivel, it’s a money saver. There’s no law against buying one sweet potato or ear of corn either.

Most stores have great salad bars these days. Even with meat and all the add ons.


Meat and freezer-friendly veggies:  If you have a leftover chicken breast or, like ManO, extra corn on the cob, put them in individual bags (snack sized are perfect when you are trying to eat smaller portions.) The ingredients will be ready and waiting for you when you need them. No excuses.  

Why yes that's single serving of frozen custard when I need it next to the single-serve chicken breast and veggies.


Gourmet simplicity: If you are going to go with cheese toast or cereal, make it a treat rather than a martyr’s sacrifice. Get some bread from the local bakery or even the grocery store.  Broil Gruyere and apples on multi-grain farm bread. Mix up a dried fruit and nut cream cheese spread to put on a bagel. Load a bowl of plain cereal with fresh fruit from the farmer’s market and almonds. Treat yourself well.


Presentation: Set the table for yourself. Pick a flower growing in the yard and put it in a bud vase. Have some sparkling water or add lemon and cucumber to chilled water. Turn on some relaxing music and enjoy your time alone. This works well when you bring home take out.

I love my grandmother's china and my zinnias!

And just occasionally, even if you have to save up for it, treat yourself to a nice steak or whatever meal out!

So what is your go to dinner for one? Are you a “cheese toast” person? Do you indulge in all the foods your partner or family don’t like?

18 comments:

  1. Haha! That is a really funny quote!

    I think I really am a cheese toast person. I grew up eating fancy cheeses and toasted bread, then moved to France where they bring fancy cheese and toasted bread to a whole new level. I don't get to eat that now, with cooking for a whole family. My husband thinks it's the weirdest meal ever, even when I've added sliced hard salami or some other cold cut type thing. Nope, if it's not made hot, then it's not dinner.

    So, when no one needs a meal and I get to choose? Cheese and toast all the way, and it's a luxury!

    Maybe some wine, too. I drank wine with dinner for years and years, and now I live in an alcohol-free house. So, if hubby is gone, sometimes I'll buy a bottle. ( Of course I don't drink the whole think at once!) But it's nice to have a glass without offending anyone. Definite luxury!

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    1. I think the guy was referring to the kind made with Wonder Bread and processed cheese slices. I am such a fan of cheese trays. Even better gourmet cheese is in! Glad you found a way to treat yourself well.

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  2. weird you mentioned cheese toast - lst night when I couldnt' sleep I was on facebook and a classmate had posted a pic of her dinner- a huge bowl of homemade gumbo -a nd a slice of cheese toast and everyone was posting they wanted some of that gumbo and I posted I wanted the cheese toast! and she said she can do the cheese toast any time. for us it was sort of a treat when we were kids because t meant my mom had to keep a close eye on the oven instead of sitting and reading the newspaper.
    I live alone so I"m almost always eating alone - lots of leftovers and quick meals. I dont do the salad bar thing though but I've heard of it - my grocery doesn't have a salad bar or I'd be more tempted. I've also frozen leftovers for later meals
    Susanna

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  3. Our schedules have always been at odds here, so I either eat alone.... and I'm great at skipping meals because I'll get busy and forget... or there's a huge crowd and I'll dream of q-u-i-e-t!!!! So this isn't a problem here, but I smiled at how sweet that place setting was! I will never do that, LOL, but I appreciate the beauty... generally if I'm on my own I'm grabbing quick/easy/often naughty and playing at the keyboard. Do paper towel plates count, Julie????

    Please say yes!

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    1. I do paper towels a lot - breakfast is sometimes on a paper towel but my hot tea is in a nice tea cup! :-)
      Susanna

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    2. Oh, now, Susanna, that's a great point! I do my coffee and tea in special mugs because that matters to me... So Julie, I do adjust that much. Food????? I'm happy with a tuna sandwich.

      But my coffee and tea need to be in special cups/mugs.... and I only use short dessert forks for dessert, because a long fork is so WRONG!!!! :)

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    3. I have duplicates of my favorite mugs in case I forget to wash!

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    4. they make special dessert forks?!
      susanna

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  4. LOL -- I most always eat alone. Not even a dog underfoot to clean up the crumbs!!! I make regular meals though and either eat the same thing for three days running or freeze some of it for quick meals when I'm super busy. And I have really simple tastes anyway so cheese toast would be an approved supper for me...but I'd use rye bread or spelt bread and real cheddar cheese. :-) And probably add a bowl of tomato soup as well.

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    1. Rye and swiss with tomato... Now there's a sandwich supper I can wrap my heart around!!!! One of my favorites.

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    2. yep I'm with you Kav! well except for the no meat and I still have a dog underfoot. Lunch today with be the 3rd in a row for me of fwhat I fixed for lunch yesterday and I still have a serving of it at home.
      Susanna

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    3. what's spelt bread? I've only had rye wtih the turkey ruben at jason's deli - not a huge fan or at least wasn't the last time I tried it with anything else.
      Susanna who doesn't feel so guilty having 2 of the same Christmas mug now that someone else has admitted to having duplicates for the same reason! :-)

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  5. YEs they do. Anything to make you say, I am thinking of ME!

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  6. I tend to eat southern veggie plate when it's just me. None of my guys would ever eat that for dinner...:)

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  7. Guilty. Eating a salad in front of the puter right now.

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  8. I'm a cheese toast person all the way! I eat that most days for breakfast (lately, it's Swiss and cheddar on a low carb tortilla). But I also have it at dinner sometimes. I like to use up extra whole wheat hotdog and hamburger buns by broiling them with cheddar cheese on them. :)

    Tonight, hubby wasn't going to make it home for dinner. So my daughter and I ate oatmeal with cranberries and walnuts (and brown sugar, of course). :)

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