I'm the only one in our house that is trying to lose weight. I buy food for
my breakfast and lunches in small quantities. Dinner is DH's job. We
generally have leftovers in the refrig and/or freezer. When I was working I
either made something up fresh for lunch or took leftovers. Now that I am
home for lunch it is usually leftovers or salad.

When I was single I tended to only make meals that were big enough for 2
servings. Maybe you can find a cookbook that is Cooking for 2. This would
give you left overs and the recipes have already been pared down to size.

LOL!

I can do it, but normally try to scale the recipe down.  My grandmother
often will make a large pot of soup, something that the rest of us won't
eat, so then on the days she's eating that I normally cook just enough for
myself, my husband and our 3 year old son, who eats like a bird or maybe
a mouse!

If I do make recipes that have more than 2 or 3 servings I will dish it out
in the kitchen, give everyone their portion, then put the rest away before
I decide I need seconds.  Leftovers will be for the next evening.

If I were on my own, I'd be doing the same.

I cook for 1 and I empty the dish... so same thing here, it would have been
20 point chili to me too :-)

Nathalie

I hear ya. It takes a great deal of internal strength to be able to
take something you really like and break it up into portion sizes and
THEN leave it alone...LOL I think that's why I hardly ever do
'recipes.' The spousal unit is happy with plain food - so we do
portions on the meat 'anything goes' on the vegetables.

I did make a pot of soup yesterday because winter is the one time we
both crave it. I used chicken broth, water, and all the not-so-fresh
veggies left in the frig. Then I added ONE QUARTER CUP of dry brown
rice. My GAWD!!!! That rice expanded enough to feed the street! No
wonder it's a staple in the third world. Mind you, the soup was
simmering for several hours so the expansion factor was much larger
than if I'd just cooked 1/4 cup of rice the regular way.

I'm eating soup for lunch all week.

Lynne
Highest Weight - 308
WW Start Weight this time around - 222.4
Weight this week - 217.4
Goal - 150 (Subject to change)
"Change doesn't happen while you're sitting around."

Doug. Yes. Leftovers are a big part of our lives, here in the armpit of
Texas. There is no such thing as a serving that doesn't leave something.

May I make a little suggestion? I used to say things to myself that were
remarkably similar to what you said here... "I've Never......"

Sure you can. First step is deciding to change. Second step is telling
yourself something different. WHO SAYS you can't? Well YOU say it. WHY?

Say something to yourself that is in your best interest. "I can eat normal
portions, in fact I ALWAYS eat normal portions" Maybe your head will laugh
at first, but you might be amazed if you try this daily (hourly) for a month
or so......

I used to tell myself (for years) that I could not get to a normal weight.
When I began telling myself I could it sure sounded like a big lie. Now What
Was The Real Lie?

Cooking for 3 is hard: cooking for one impossible for me!  I cook for 6
often, and put three portions in the freezer for another day.  Tonight's
quorn chilli is the other half of last week's.

Why not try doing a recipe for 4, serving one portion on the plate and
the other 3 into individual freezer containers for another three days?
Just pop lids on and freeze as soon as you finish eating and it's cool
enough to go in the freezer.  It's just another aspect of portion
control and eating properly.  Part of the discipline of the new way of
life, like exercise and drinking properly.

While I don't make too many casseroles these days, I do make things
like leg of lamb or roasts and a flank steak.  I will slice up and
package in serving size and freeze the extra.  Not quite like
absolutely freshly cooked but it works for me.  I have done the
occasional thing like that chili and have done the same thing - freeze
the excess after portioning it out.  My oatmeal and kasha is the same
- make multiple portions and use over the course of a few days or a
week.  

I'm single, too, and yes, it was a struggle at first,
but I can do it now. A good deal of things I make get
packed up and put in the freezer for future use. It's
great when you don't feel like cooking, which for me is
often.

I know you are not in the states, but did you know there is a Cooking for
Two cookbook that is sold in the WW meeting rooms?  My daughter had that
book at school with her and works well, since she only cooks for herself in
her dorm room.  That way she has a meal and another for lunch or dinner the
next day.   Only problem is when she tries to make this for her and her
boyfriend who is unusually thin (6 ft 2 in and about 125 lbs).  So the two
servings are not enough for him and her.

Debbie

I have difficulty cooking or designing a recipe for under 6 servings, DH
makes these and instantly takes the leftovers and portions  and freezes, he
even does this sometimes in advance if it is a food we both like a huge
amount.  Our freezer is in the garage so it makes it less available to just
get "one more", Lee