In the summer our CSA drowns us in vegetables so I end up doing a lot of stir fries. You don’t have to use Chinese sauces. I also like salad with sliced cold leftover meat. I do a lot of middle eastern type cooking. Lamb koftas warm up well. Hummus stays good forever.
Mostly I just cook for four and eat everything twice. I usually arrange it so that we aren’t eating the same thing two days in a row.
Doing a meal kit delivery service (our favorite has been Sun Basket) three nights a week gives me a break from planning and shopping (I don’t mind the actual cooking part). My husband and I go out a couple nights, and I can deal with thinking up two nights’ dinners. For several years, DH was traveling every other week, but now that he is working in town, I feel like dinner can’t just be cereal.
This is my little joke (but true) about being an empty nester that I often tell when talking to someone about to become one
Friend: We are about to be empty nesters. I’m sad. You’ve been one for years. What’s it like?
Me: Well you know what the best part of being an empty nester is? It’s 5 pm. Guess what I’m having for dinner ?
Friend: What?
Me: I have no idea!
Do you have meals that involve broiling? You can easily broil for one.
I agree with the poster who mentioned getting meat from the butcher counter.
I broil split chicken breast - apply mustard, garlic, melted butter both sides, broil skin side down for 17-ish minutes, flip and broil for another 15.
Another quick meal – use 1/2 lb. ground chicken or pork for two portions – saute onion, ginger, add and brown the meat with some garlic – next add 2 - 3 tablespoons soy, some honey or brown sugar, then water (4 T or so) with some cornstarch to thicken the sauce - microwave some green beans and toss in – serve with rice and fried egg on top (if you wish) and sprinkle fresh cilantro and mint on it all, to be especially good.
I second the idea of shrimp.
Make pesto and freeze - boil pasta, add pesto and some tomatoes, very quick.
I am now a single empty nester and I have not gotten into a good groove to even cook anything for dinner. My D is very concerned because I don’t even eat, too much bother. She bought a big bag of frozen shrimp from Trader Joe’s and stuck it in my freezer. It is working out great. Sauté some shrimp with veggies and heat up the Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice. Find some yummy sauces to add in. Or some sautéed shrimp with pasta. Grilled shrimp on a premade salad, etc
Having boneless, skinless chicken in the freezer is very handy for quick meals, especially if you also have frozen veggies and I do love the pre-made rice that is easily heated from Costco. If we weren’t allergic to shrimp, that sounds like an easy way to prepare a quick, great meal too.
Thoughtful D, @coralbrook!
Be careful about too much prepared food like Trader Joe’s. It can have a lot of sodium.
Fish. If you are cooking for one, and enjoy and have access to quality fish/seafood, it’s so much fun and so fast and easy to cook a couple of fish filets, or 3/4 scallops, or a few shrimp or one tuna steak. It’s as easy as making toast! I also enjoy soups where I make a big batch and freeze individual portions.
I made the NYT tarragon chicken and onions tonight after being reminded about it here. OMG it was sooooo good. I made it with one piece of boneless skinless thigh and cut the oil to half a tablespoon. I “marinated” it by rubbing the mixture over the chicken and wrapping in plastic for about 6 hours. I prepped it right after lunch time. Prep for that and cutting up the onion ( I used another half tablespoon of oil on the onions) was literally 7 minutes.
I am contemplating getting the 3 quart instant pot to make soups this winter. We are a family of two and it’s just a matter of time before I become a single empty nester. I do all my chopping of vegetables on Sunday and that saves time on weekday meals.
Love that joke in post # 22. Only change the time to 7 pm- we start thinking about what to have then. This morning I cooked some fish (Target’s whole grain breaded ones). Into the freezer and pull out a few for a quicker meal, sometimes thaw in microwave before using the toaster oven.
A toaster oven is wonderful, far less preheat and energy used.
Something to think about. Remember way back when there were just two of you? Revert to that. Biggest difference is your improved cooking skills. So much flexibility. After awhile you and spouse will develop new habits. So much nicer to not have to cook when all you want is that something simple- H can fend for himself. You may need to teach him some skills but it is worth the effort.
^^ Really good point that for most, there was a time years ago when you were only cooking for one or two. How did you do things then?
I agree with the prepared meals. Everything is given to you no thought just cook. I look forward to being an empty nester I can cook all of those interesting recipes that I don’t bother with because my kids won’t like it. I dread cooking now but I think it will be fun try new gourmet dishes.
I was an awful cook back in those days. Just saying…
^While I wouldn’t go so far as to say I was an awful cook, I certainly wasn’t great. More like mediocre. And I wasn’t paying much attention to nutrition, either, in my late 20s (hello, butter). The sheet pan dinners look like a good idea, will have to try some of those.
In my 20s, quite a few peers made free happy hour food their dinner. 
We have my mom here so won’t ever have a completely empty nest, but she eats very little so doesn’t affect cooking quantities much.
My recent favorite is just making big pots of soup (love my InstantPot!) and I leave half in the fridge and freeze half. The nights I don’t want to really cook (lol- most of them?), we eat soup. I make a different soup each week.
If I lived alone, my evening meals would be soup, salad, cereal, repeat. Maybe I would throw in a handful of shrimp in the salads, and chicken in the soups for protein.
We love hummus with veggies, olives, and warm pita bread for a quick dinner. We also use the pita bread to make our own veggie pizzas using whatever is in the fridge.
I started cooking for 6 at age 12 and cooked most meals for 5 by age 17. Did the planning and grocery shopping in HS. I am an excellent home cook. (still never cooked a live lobster). Give me your refrigerator and I will give you a meal. BUT so tired of the planning. H’s big complaint has always been that I make too much. Now that he is retired and finally cooking he understands that it is the figuring it out that is the biggest burden.
Bought a food saver a few months ago–it is fabulous and if I were a family of one I would still buy one.
I have always been a freezer everything person.
All of this said, H is leaving for the next three nights and I have no idea what I will eat! I will post here!I am poultry intolerant and that is beginning to include dairy. I was vegetarian for 35 yrs so 3 ounces of meat at a time (other than a delicious hamburger) is plenty. I wish I was thin but I am not and therefore need to watch all calories and, sadly, sodium. Hate sweets. Yikes–pity party here!
Planning is the hardest part. Making sure several people will eat what is served and it is nutritious. Hard when you ask H what he wants and his usual answer is “food” or “food, preferably cooked”. Mindreading skills required.
An empty nest means freedom. Your H can fend for himself most of the time. You can eat together but each mix up your own veggies unless you feel like cooking. Likewise with the other dishes. Frozen cooked pasta and rice may not be quite the same as fresh but makes a quick spontaneous meal so much easier. As H says “it’s just food”. *obviously not a gourmet or fussy.
There are no time of day rules either. Breakfast food for supper, leftover supper food or sandwiches for breakfast… Just be flexible. No law says meal times need to be fixed. 5pm, 7pm, 9pm- when you’re hungry. No example to be set for kids…
I like to cook and am good at it, but- enough is enough. So freeing to get out of the suppertime rut and obligation. Shift gears!