Food is often seen as a shared experience. We cook to nurture others. We set the table for two or more. And when it’s just us? Cooking can feel… like a chore.
But it doesn’t have to.
Cooking for one can be a creative release, a personal ritual, even a party for one. Whether you’re vibing to your favorite playlist, facetiming a friend to show off your latest creation, or plating something just for yourself—cooking solo can be joyful, playful, and deeply satisfying.
At Just N Life, we believe food isn’t only about connection with others. Sometimes, it’s how we reconnect with ourselves.
So here are a few tips, tricks, and ideas to make solo cooking more fun—and maybe even the best part of your day.
Exploration is Everything
The best part about cooking is that you can do it for years and still have more to learn. Thanks to online recipes, food blogs, and social media creators, you can dive headfirst into your culinary exploration era.
Maybe it’s time to try a cuisine you’ve never cooked before. Maybe a new cooking show has you inspired. Or maybe you want to reconnect with your own cultural roots through food. Whether it’s cookbooks, TikTok recipes, or a documentary series on Netflix, the more curious you are, the more exciting cooking becomes.
Vibe Check
Whether you’re whipping up something quick or going full “I’m a chef tonight” mode, the vibe matters. Set the mood, and let cooking become something you look forward to.
Music helps. Personally, I have five playlists for different moods. If I’m making fresh pasta and want to feel like I’m on Top Chef, I throw on rock or heavy metal. For slower nights? Boygenius, The Strokes, The Killers, The Marías. When I’m trying something new and focusing in, I go classical.
Cooking is more than survival—it’s part of life. So put on your favorite record (mine right now is Superclean Vol. 1 & 2 by The Marías), pour a glass of wine, and turn dinner into a small ceremony just for you.
Waste Not, Want Not
One of the hardest parts of cooking for one is ingredient planning. Buying just enough for one meal can feel limiting. But buying more can feel wasteful—unless you think of ingredients as building blocks, not boxes to check off.
Here’s how we see it: Buy the ingredients. Use them creatively. Don’t be afraid to remix.
Let’s say you’re making a grilled chicken avocado club on sourdough. That one meal could become:
- Chicken salad the next day (just add mayo)
- Avocado toast with crispy bacon and arugula for breakfast
- Leftover sourdough croutons for a salad or a new batch of toast
- A big salad for lunch using that same arugula, tomatoes, and chicken
And if you’re planning a veggie-forward week, save your vegetable scraps to make homemade broth. It’s freezer-friendly and perfect for soup, risotto, or cooking grains later on.
When you start thinking in ingredients rather than recipes, cooking for one becomes a game. And waste? It becomes an opportunity.
When cooking becomes meaningful—maybe even purposeful—instead of just another task, something shifts.
Maybe it’s the quiet over the stove. The slow simmer of tomato sauce for homemade pasta. The sizzle of steak in your cast iron skillet as you baste it with garlic, butter, and thyme. Or maybe it’s just bobbing your head to Chappell Roan, glass of wine in hand, letting the day fall away.
These moments, small as they are, can turn cooking into something you get to do instead of something you have to do. A way to reset. A way to reconnect.
Cooking for one isn’t about proving anything—it’s about making space for yourself. Giving yourself the chance to explore, to create, and to enjoy food on your own terms. That’s the real joy. That’s the fun.
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