Discussions

Being on a budget preparing meals end up buying the same boring food being single might have the odd guest what do you do to change up meals ?

Spices are the main thing, it’s easy to spice things up. Or reusing left overs in casseroles

Try gradually purchasing items to get a stocked pantry. The easiest way to make meals on a budget it to purchase the proteins/veg on the weekly basis and use what you have in the pantry to compliment. Just don't buy everything all at once. That can be pretty pricey. Start small.

A lot of the same principals for a large family (my situation) would also apply to a single person, just on a different scale. I find the key to keeping to a budget and having good variety is planning.  
 
For example, if we have a roast chicken dinner (we often do on Sundays), I have a plan to use up that chicken in different ways. So, this week we had chicken dinner on Sunday, then seasame chicken with rice and broccoli yesterday, and tonight we're having soup made from the carcass and leftover scraps. So it's all chicken, but it's all very different meals.  
 
So you might cook a small fryer chicken for yourself (or get a rotissery chicken from Sobeys or Superstore), and then plan to use up the protein in other meals later in the week.  
 
We often utilize freezer cooking as well, which can be great for a single person. Where I might make 2 or 3 lasagnas (one for now, and anothers for the freezer), you might make a single lasagna recipe but divide it into 3 small pans - eat one now and freeze the other 2 for different days. It's a good way to make a reasonable amount of a meal that you enjoy, but only eat a portion of it now and save the rest for weeks or a couple of months down the road. Lots of meals can be prepared and the ingredients frozen uncooked, so you're getting a fresh-cooked meal instead of reheated leftovers. Pinterest has tons of ideas.

When we are done with a chicken or turkey, the bones are boiled and the broth saved for future use.  
 
Buy a larger chicken/turkey and freeze what you don't eat. It can be cubed before it is frozen. Then you can use that instead of ground beef.  
 
Hope this helps.

I’ll make a roast chicken or beef or pulled pork and then use the leftover meat in different ways, such as, wraps, quesadillas, sandwiches, soup, salad, add to pasta or casserole. Then you can switch those up with different ingredients, say if I’m making wraps with chicken then I might add pesto, some uncle bens garden rice, spinach, cucumber and ranch or I might add fajitas seasoning, Spanish rice, cooked peppers and onion, cheese, lettuce and sour cream.  
Easy to make one thing, different ways!

Agreed that spices/sauces can help change things up but also the way your cooking your food. To use an oven,stove top, cockpot, etc can change the flavour of your food drastically. Browning your meat before it goes into the crockpot helps add flavour. I also agree with buying stuff for the pantry and using that to add to your protein and fresh produce. Pick up those things when you see them on sale for a good price such as canned goods, sauces, etc. Also change your veggies. Instead of always going for carrots and celery for most of your veggies. Find ways to introduce beets, parsnips, fennel, leeks. Will also help change flavours and keep things exciting

You a pm!