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I need solo cooking ideas

animal companionanimal companion xenomortisRegistered User regular
edited October 2010 in Social Entropy++
So as bachelor college student off-campus without mealplan, I must fare for myself on the foodfront, finding solutions to foodproblems that are cheap and still good

I make a whole hell of a lot of
i-pasta-penne-rigate.jpg

penne and other easy macaroni products
mix in a little meat and they can be a pretty solid meal

but I am growing tired of the limited options I have

do y'all have solocook ideas that a dude can make on the cheap for the good

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animal companion on
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Posts

  • animal companionanimal companion xenomortis Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    what a large image of penne

    animal companion on
    VdxNI.jpg
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    make a huge steak

    like, the biggest one

    and then eat it all at once

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • PiptheFairPiptheFair Frequently not in boats. Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    find a hooker and then eat her

    PiptheFair on
  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    PiptheFair wrote: »
    find a hooker and then eat her

    That costs extra

    Hunter on
  • cadmunkycadmunky One hand on the bottle, The other a shaking fist.Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    hot dogs. and ketchup.

    and ramen.

    and ketchup.

    cadmunky on
    5955603848_aed2690084.jpg
    "Think of it as Evolution in Action"
  • thanimationsthanimations Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    McDonalds, everyday.

    thanimations on
  • CowSharkCowShark Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    CowShark on
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    anything but ramen

    that shit is nasty

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • MysstMysst King Monkey of Hedonism IslandRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Hunter wrote: »
    PiptheFair wrote: »
    find a hooker and then eat her

    That costs extra

    and then you gotta hit the clinic after

    Mysst on
    ikbUJdU.jpg
  • PiptheFairPiptheFair Frequently not in boats. Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Hunter wrote: »
    PiptheFair wrote: »
    find a hooker and then eat her

    That costs extra

    if you use a baseball bat you get your money back

    PiptheFair on
  • MysstMysst King Monkey of Hedonism IslandRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    cadmunky wrote: »
    hot dogs. and ketchup.

    and ramen.

    and ketchup.

    oh yeah, hotdogs man, can't beat a good hotdog meal

    hebrew national is my preferred brand because kosher means less offal? maybe?

    Mysst on
    ikbUJdU.jpg
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    KraftDinner.jpg

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • TossrockTossrock too weird to live too rare to dieRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Microwave cooking for oh god damnit

    Tossrock on
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  • lostwordslostwords Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Chicken breast and bacon and cheese

    Also get a job at your college's food place and eat for free. It's how I survived four years of college without a meal plan

    lostwords on
    rat.jpg tumbler? steam/ps3 thingie: lostwords Amazon Wishlist!
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    or and for a slow cooker

    get "pulled pork seasoning" baggie thing from the store

    buy cheapass pork loin

    mix two first things with water in slow cooker

    cook for 8 hours

    eat

    cum

    eat cum

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • cadmunkycadmunky One hand on the bottle, The other a shaking fist.Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    ProductBagChickenStrips.png
    +
    Lettuce.jpg
    +
    51pl6QpBKNL._SS280_.jpg
    +
    269442-new_kraft_ranch_dressing.jpg
    in a
    FlourTortillas.JPG

    feeds you forever.

    cadmunky on
    5955603848_aed2690084.jpg
    "Think of it as Evolution in Action"
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    pre-cooked chicken is always so salty

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    ugh ranch dressing

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • PiptheFairPiptheFair Frequently not in boats. Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    ugh ranch dressing

    you motherfucker

    PiptheFair on
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    FUCK ranch

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • thanimationsthanimations Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    FUCK YES ranch

    thanimations on
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    FUCK OFF

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • PiptheFairPiptheFair Frequently not in boats. Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    I'm gay

    PiptheFair on
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    PiptheFair wrote: »
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    PiptheFair wrote: »
    I'm gay

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • cadmunkycadmunky One hand on the bottle, The other a shaking fist.Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    modify for what you can afford. buy the 20 lb bags of frozen floor breasts, shred your own cheese, use mayonnaise ffs. just consolidate your necessities into an easy-to-cook meal with minimal cleanup. hell, it even works with a microwave.

    it's the college life. now go bang some sorority skanks.

    cadmunky on
    5955603848_aed2690084.jpg
    "Think of it as Evolution in Action"
  • StaleghotiStaleghoti Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Ranch dressing is a better condiment than it is a salad dressing

    Staleghoti on
    tmmysta-sig.png2wT1Q.gifYAH!YAH!STEAMYoutubeMixesPSN: Clintown
    Dear satan I wish for this or maybe some of this....oh and I'm a medium or a large.
  • mullymully Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    when i was single i basically lived off of tofu dogs, salads and lentil soup.

    mully on
  • HorseshoeHorseshoe Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    the "a man, a can, a plan" series of books kind of sounds like a joke

    but i've found some good stuff in there that is inexpensive and also not terrible for your health

    also they're board books and can take a lot of abuse like having things spilled on them, being dropped, etc

    Horseshoe on
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  • StaleStale Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Chicken Thighs.
    Rice.
    Tuna.
    Couscous.
    Bulk Noodles from an Asian Grocery.
    Ginger.
    Cilantro.
    Peanuts.
    Frozen Veggie Bags.
    Onions.
    Lime Juice.
    Soy Sauce.
    BBQ Sauce.


    You can make about 400 dishes just from those alone. Combine 3 or 4 and boom, simple meal.

    Stale on
    easysig2.jpg
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Cook one or two big dishes on weekends (casserole, chili, load of pasta + sauce, whatever). Get yourself a bunch of single-serving size tupperware, fill them with what you've made, toss them in the fridge. Use them for lunch/dinner for the rest of the week.

    This works for breakfast too - make a big pot of steel-cut oatmeal, or a big batch of pancakes. You can freeze pancakes in plastic wrap, then put them in the toaster/toaster oven for breakfast.

    KalTorak on
  • SnowbeatSnowbeat i need something to kick this thing's ass over the lineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    i choose lime juice, bbq sauce, cilantro, and peanuts

    what do i get

    Snowbeat on
    Q1e6oi8.gif
  • wonderpugwonderpug Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Stale wrote: »
    Bulk Noodles from an Asian Grocery.

    If you have access to an asian grocery store then pretty much any dish becomes affordable. I can get a whole chicken for like 3-4 bucks, and it usually looks fresher than at the regular grocery stores. Also really inexpensive are individual pieces of chicken, if the incredibly easy process of roasting a whole chicken intimidates you. I think boneless skinless chicken breasts are cheaper than bone-in drumsticks at the regular store.

    wonderpug on
  • wonderpugwonderpug Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    i choose lime juice, bbq sauce, cilantro, and peanuts

    what do i get

    3540958233d7ca3e75c5z.jpg

    wonderpug on
  • StaleStale Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Snowbeat wrote: »
    i choose lime juice, bbq sauce, cilantro, and peanuts

    what do i get

    You get a peanut sauce that would probably not be terrible.

    Stale on
    easysig2.jpg
  • StaleStale Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Honestly, if budget is a concern and from the sounds of things you don't know your ass from a hole in the ground in the kitchen, Chicken Thighs will feed you well.

    This is my go-to answer anytime anyone asks this question for a simple reason.


    Chicken thighs are cheap, plentiful, filling, nutritious, flavorful, and most of all, very forgiving to a dip-shit cook. You have to put honest effort towards making them in-edible.

    Stale on
    easysig2.jpg
  • cadmunkycadmunky One hand on the bottle, The other a shaking fist.Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    mmmm, love me some thighs.

    also, if you're around a safeway or such, they usually put those roasters on sale after lunch time for like, $5 or something. buy a couple, take em home and pick em clean. pot of rice and a can of veggies.

    cadmunky on
    5955603848_aed2690084.jpg
    "Think of it as Evolution in Action"
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Leftover rice, meat, and veggies can be diced together and turned into fried rice with judicious application of soy sauce and maybe a little sesame oil.

    KalTorak on
  • JigrahJigrah Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I pretty much eat three dishes, everyday, for the past two years or so.

    For breakfast I have a Thomas whole wheat bagel, couples slices of turkey and two eggs cooked in the microwave. The microwave is awesome at cooking eggs, just get a circular Tupperware container, spray it with pam, put the two eggs in and scramble them with a fork. Nuke for 1:30, take out and then put the turkey on and nuke for another 20 seconds.

    By that time the bagel should be toasted and you are ready to eat.

    For lunch I have two chicken (ground) and bean burritos. Burrito meat stays good in the fridge, just whip up two lbs (make your own seasoning in bulk and use 2 tbls per lb of meat) throw it in the fridge and spoon it out over a tortilla and beans.

    Dinner is a casserole, 2 lbs chicken tenders or breasts cut into small pieces (or chicken thighs, whatever is on sale), two cups whole wheat pasta, 1 1/2 cup of both steamed broccoli and carrots, a whole red onion, cup of mushrooms, can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, 3/4 of that can of milk, half a bag of peas. Cook the chicken and boil the pasta before mixing it with everything else, put in a casserole dish at 350 for 15 minutes.

    Casserole tastes pretty good out of the oven, tolerable as left overs. Everything runs pretty cheap, usually for a snack I have cottage cheese and banana's.

    Jigrah on
  • cadmunkycadmunky One hand on the bottle, The other a shaking fist.Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    and a scrambled egg.

    do not forget the scrambled egg.

    cadmunky on
    5955603848_aed2690084.jpg
    "Think of it as Evolution in Action"
  • DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Stale wrote: »
    Chicken Thighs.
    Rice.
    Tuna.
    Couscous.
    Bulk Noodles from an Asian Grocery.
    Ginger.
    Cilantro.
    Peanuts.
    Frozen Veggie Bags.
    Onions.
    Lime Juice.
    Soy Sauce.
    BBQ Sauce.


    You can make about 400 dishes just from those alone. Combine 3 or 4 and boom, simple meal.

    Yeah, you take the basics-- chicken, ground beef, pork chops, rice, pasta... and add spices. Change things up a little. You can get a lot of variety on the cheap this way. Also, look for discounted meats. Those need to be eaten in frozen soon-- it is essentially the stuff that didn't sell from yesterday. You can nice cuts of meat cheap that way.

    My wife and I work different shifts, so there is a similar thing going on here. I usually make enough for three big servings, eat one for lunch, take to work for dinner break, and leave one for her dinner.

    DouglasDanger on
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