Meal Planning for One

Sooo, I'm trying to stay ahead of the busy grad student curve balls this semester - no excuse for eating junk!  I was wondering if anyone had suggestions to meal plan for one.  I have Plan to Eat which I'll be using that's for sure.  I'm seventy days or so from surgery and can eat anything, and I'm sticking to 40-50g of carbs a day or less (net).

What's the best way to freeze single 4oz portions for a month?  Can you freeze mason jars (dumb question, I know)? I'd prefer reusable options rather than ziplocks, but I'll do ziplocks if I must.

Thanks:)

You can buy reusable plastic restaurant take outfood containers w lids  at restaurant supply stores .  They're cheap ( Way way way cheaper than say Tupperware ) and freeze and dishwash ok .. good for two or  three uses each in my experience .  Just label what you put in there and take them out the plastic (run  ho****er over the container ) here you microwave on a plate .   Instant healthy tv dinners - as a former law student and now busy working person I lived and live on these pre-made healthy tv dinners .

Thanks so much!  That's a great idea!

Thank so much!  i like topic

Thanks you very much about this

Hi there !!

Congratulations on thinking ahead -- it is one sure way to have what you need on hand.

I had surgery several years ago, but found the very small tupperware like containers worked perfect. If i didn't feel like washing them I didn't have a lot of heart burn about throwing them out.

Best of luck to you!!

Donna,

I am also a single and while I haven't had surgery YET, looking forward to it sometime after the first of the year. Yes, you can freeze in mason jars. I use the 4 oz jars for everything!! I made sugar free jello the other day and it said there were 8 servings in the package as made - I made 11 servings in the little jars - so I saved a few calories! Yay. You can microwave the jars as long as you remove the lid and rings. One sort of yummy meal I make in mason jars (and freeze) is a meatball with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese. Not sure if that equals the amount of protein needed in a meal but works great with a salad or other side dish of veggies.

I tend to stay away from anything plastic that will go in the microwave so keep that in mind when choosing your containers.

I also make things like meat loaf in muffin cups and freeze them individually. I have not tried them in mason jars - might work but I find it just as easy to make in the muffin cups - I use a silicon muffin "pan".

Hope this helps.

Leal536

Where do you find the different size mason jars??

Alana

I just get my jars at the grocery store. Should be near the home goods like plastic wrap, storage bags, foil, that sort of thing. 

There are many different sizes. I use quart jars for storing things like dried beans; pint jars for storing left over soups (I can freeze in them - just be sure to leave the lid off until frozen as liquids expand during freezing); 4 oz jars for portion control. I have also purchased 4 oz jars with lids that have holes in them - great for making your own seasoning blends. 

Leanne