More Less Please

When you are a single, and most of us either are or will be one day, less is more. Especially when shopping at markets. Country marketing is best because you can find exactly the quantity of product you need: a large onion, a few carrots and potatoes, and so on. The best part of the latter is weekly, at least during the summer months, the fresh produce we desire and most of the time, it's naturally grown by those who care about what they are personally offering you. But not everyone has access to a market or perhaps they cannot get to one due to physical limitations. They are left to neighbourhood public grocery stores. We are told that the produce is fresh but frankly, it isn't "same day". And for very practical reasons. We solo shoppers do the best we can. If our freezers are accommodating enough we buy the bargain mega packages and repack when we get them home. During sales, one can load up on freezable items. Of course, that doesn't apply to fresh fruit and vegetables that need to be recent to allow the best vitamin content. But if you have found a bargain, and it's too much for one sitting, you can easily be your own Jolly Green You-Know-Who. The small sandwich bags, and please not the more expensive zip kind, are best for this task. A trip to the dollar store will give you, for little money, plastic bag closers that are secure and can be used over and over again. Check your cookbook to see how long you need to steam the veggie for safety and quality, so that you may enjoy it next week as well as today. The key to loading up the freezer with things to throw out is "less is more". Okay, I hear you say, but I don't want to go to all that trouble. Since when was food trouble? Turn off the TV and go to the stove and sink. Consider the effort good exercise! A friend of mine who was perfectly able to get out and about in her walker to the malls, had her meals brought in. She complained about them constantly. All she had to do was buy the food, invest in a small stainless steel skillet, slap the meat in to brown, then the veggies, add some water,  let it cook for a short time and voila: a nourishing and tasty dinner.  A student I know has one hot plate and a tiny fridge and makes perfect meals. If you need more flavour, add some fresh herbs that are also readily available right where you found the veggies. They can go into a vase that is green and fragrant as you pluck the leaves to add to your meals. Basil and parsley, rosemary and bay, are wonderful. Furthermore, it gives you something worthwhile to do and also alleviates boredom.