Why is cooking for two so hard?? If there was a number for how much food (and money) was wasted between me and my husband in our first couple years married, it would appall us all. We were stuck in this cycle of eating out, feeling bad that we were eating out so much so we would buy a bunch of groceries, then not use any of it because it seemed an inconvenience to try to figure out how to cook it, let it go bad, throw it away, and repeat. Grabbing a pizza or Taco Bell and then going home to eat it while we watched our favorite show became our routine. And saying, “it’s to go please” each time we went out left me feeling so dependent and tiresome.

It is still a work in progress now four years into this cooking for two gig, but we have found a few favorite tips and tricks for us that I’ll be sharing.

Number one: Plan When You Can. Don’t go to the grocery store hungry, if you’re like me, you’ll end up with a pantry full of lil Debbie snacks, chips and pretzels and little to no items to be used for full fledged meals. It’s also helpful to avoid getting in the car and playing the “I don’t care where we go” game. This leads to convenient fast food, not to mention arguments with the spouse. We try to chat about what we want to eat or need to shop for each Sunday night.

Number two: Start Small. You don’t have to become a chef overnight and create a grand, impressive meal. Yes, we all love our grandma and grandpa’s, maybe even our parent’s cooking. But the truth is, they had to start somewhere too and this skill definitely takes practice. So start with maybe planning a lunch for you and your spouse. Take the classic grilled cheese and give it a twist with tomatoes, bacon, or avocado. 

Number three: Keep it Simple. This goes hand in hand with starting small. Maybe we should label it 2a. But when it comes to dinners, we love the easy but tasty and bloated-taco-bell-y free ones. One of our favorites is Chicken Rice Bowls. Here’s what you need:

• 4-6 servings of Rice (we use jasmine or minute)
• 2 cups of Chicken (rotisserie from Costco is great but buying extra breasts and grilling it is great too! Plus, you can freeze or store extras)
• Any toppings you want, we like:
  • Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
  • Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
  • Cucumbers, cut into slices
  • 1 can Black beans
  • 1 can Corn
• Ranch and BBQ sauce

All you have to do is cook the rice and chicken if you buy it raw and then throw it all into a bowl and you’re done! My husband loves these and I always make extras for lunches the next day. 

Number four: Invest in Appliances. Don’t underestimate the power of Ninja. I mean Ninja products. Or any pressure cooker, crock pot or blender. Even air fryers are amazing. They require minimal preparation time and there are countless recipes via Pinterest to try. A dinner I made up the other night has been hands down the best meal me and my husband have had and it took all of 20 minutes. I call them Sweet Potato Fry Nachos. You need:

• Ground turkey (buy the smaller pack- 16oz) 
• Sweet potatoes (we buy between 4 and 6)
• Taco seasoning 
• 1 Onion
• 1 can Black beans
• 1 can Corn 

Toppings:

• Cheese
• Sour cream
• Salsa
• Cilantro lime dressing

• Avocado oil spray or a little bit of your choice of oil for the fries (you shouldn’t nee more than a tablespoon or two)
• An air fryer

Instructions: 

1. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees.
2. Dice the onion and chop the sweet potatoes into fry shapes. 
3. Cook the ground turkey and onions on the stove, season with taco seasonings
4. Spray the fries with oil, salt and pepper
5. Place half of the fries in the air fryer and set for 8-10 minutes, you will need to turn them half way through.
6. Repeat step 5 until all fries are cooked. It is important to lay them all flat in the tray so they cook evenly.
7. Warm up your toppings if you desire
8. Lay the fries, cheese and toppings on a baking pan and broil until cheese is melted.
9. Top with sour cream, greek yogurt and any dressings you choose
10. Enjoy!

You could even make it even easier by buying pre-cut sweet potato fries, and nacho cheese to bypass putting it in the oven or microwave. It isn’t a perfect recipe, but you have the idea to make it into your own!

Overall, eating for two can be hard, yet can be some of the most fun memories you will make with your partner! Remember you don’t have to go big everytime. And you don’t have to banish those McD’s or Taco Bell runs entirely. (winks*) But starting somewhere with open communication and active work will with time, help you find joy in meal planning with your spouse!