P.S. This is not something I WANT to do; I'd prefer to check-out of my reality right now and do nothing. But Reality also is...this will be my life now and perhaps for many years. I have a real fear of dumping my old self on my kids to take care of...IF I don't get a grip and take care of myself, healthwise.

Yup....that's me....crappy fast food & junk and a glass of wine to go with it. The hardest time of day for me, besides waking up in tears, realizing Ritchie isn't there, is happy hour, right before dinner. We'd both have a glass of wine (not the bottle) or cocktail (A cocktail, singular), while we shared our day with one another. Trying to keep the wine garnished with tears to a reasonable minimum, but the food is still junk.
I lived alone for a cumulative 15 adult years before meeting my husband, and LOVED it. This is different. Trying to remember what I did about meals. One thing I remembered; batch cooking and freezing reasonable portions in Mason jars. I just got home from the store with 2 cartons of them in 2 sizes. I'll try and do that again.
First effort will be Weight Watchers Favorite Vegetable soup...essentially, any non-starchy vegetables you like, in a chicken or beef broth, with whatever seasonings you like. The only time I put protein in it is if I have a little crab, since crab is very low fat. It's the start of a healthy meal. I'm going to try this week.

Thank you for reminding me I can freeze soups. Can anybody, anywhere manage to make a small batch of soup? :-) Not I.

I have found omelets to be a handy go-to meal when I feel BLAH and nothing sounds worth-the-effort. You can toss anything/ everything into an omelet...or keep it simple.

I'm in only Month-3 of living alone...ever. It's all brand new.

I have lost 18 lbs since my wife passed 4 months ago. My dgt the opposite. She has gained because of fast food. It is so hard to cook when you have absolutely no apetite or energy for that matter. I keep
telling myself I will get back into the swing of things with time.

Oh yes...no appetite and no energy. I relate. And if I were more youthful, physically...I'd just go with the flow until I felt like getting back into the swing of life. But nearing 69 years of age...eeeek...I cannot count on any physical-bounce-back . My bounce no longer works so good. I think I'm too young to die...but I KNOW I'm too old to neglect my health.

It's different for everybody though...as we learn here.

This post made me laugh cause I just left a big bowl of clam chowder I made for two elderly women in my neighborhood because YOU just can make many things for ONE...its hard.

One thing is grocery shopping sometimes nothing sounds good to cook nothing. I sure like just eating what I want when I want but again the cooking part for one still remains the same....not much going on there.

My deer and birds love my frozen things I finally throw out especially bread that gets old

I am a widow for over four years, and I guess I have gotten back to some normalcy. I eat , and I am buying groceries regularly, but I frequently find myself thinking "not again, I don't want to eat alone ", and I go to some place where I can be among people.

Also I usually eat at some simple places such as Panera, or First Watch, but I am not experiencing any discomfort telling a host "a table for one" if I go to a restaurant.

Without a doubt, I would've preferred if every time I am eating out, I would have a friend or friends with me, but since I cannot expect this to happen, I just go to places alone.
Sometimes, I am not even hungry, just want to be out among people,

First of all , I am tired to eating near TV, secondly, I tend to overeat when I eat solo. I think it is because most of my life a kitchen was a significant part of my family life, a place is the house associated with warmth, fun, togetherness, so the contrast of being there alone is too drastic.
Seems as I feel stressed out when I cook and eat there, so I overeat to numb that feeling.
Still, since I need to watch my money, my time and my health, I am more and more learning to cook for one.

Besides, because there is a trend of singleness in many large cities, many grocery stores began to accommodate that demographic group and sell in much smaller packages, so less waste buying produce, and other perishable food.

Still, I just hope cooking, eating, laughing while entertaining family and friends in my kitchen is not just a history.
I love cooking, especially creative dishes , and want to go back to it. I am thrilled seeing someone really enjoying tasty meal and a beautifully decorated table. I even used to love watching my cat or my dog eating, Replying to your post, I have realize this part of life is missing, I think I will start inviting my friends to cook together something interesting, and share the expense for the ingredients.
Hope all of us find "normalcy", whatever it means to each of us
Thank you for your evocative post.

I am 5 months out. Last night was the first time I have gone grocery shopping without breaking down. It is so hard to see all of the things I would purchase for Mark. Many weeks I did not shop, or I'd picking things up in non-grocery stores, just basic necessities. I know I am not eating healthy. I had lost 30 lbs in the 2 months my husband was in the hospital prior to passing, but I think I have now gained most of it back. Like many, I spent the last 10 years being a caregiver while working full time, I don't know how to take care of myself anymore. It's all a learning process. I am slowly trying to do things to help myself on this lonely journey.

Maxine44 Thanks for the laugh today. I loved the way you put it. I quess we reach an age where who cares. Its all about survival and I have to say I survived these last 14 months, with some days barely eating. If you look at it in another way Our minds and bodies can take alot. I learned to lean on the one, who I put first in my life, and his name is Jesus! Looking back which is something we're not suspose to do, I haved definitely reached a milestone in my life...

I go to the store and just end up walking around for hours not knowing what to get. My husband loved his meat and potatoes. He use to grill the best darn ribeye steaks. Since he's gone now, I haven't been able to eat any beef. I've bought a roast a couple of times, cooked it, had 2 bites and tossed the rest. I've been eating alot of carbs lately myself. I end up eating out alot too, but usually just have chicken sandwich.

So, I go to the store, pick up meat, set it back down, pick up a smaller, put it back, still too much. I talked to the butcher, he splits it up, so I have just enough for 1. I go to Deli, buy 1/2 pound of something. I try to watch the breads... oh I love bread... (diabetic), So, I eat a lot of stuff on crackers. Eat a can of soup, or something that is one-person food. So I was out of miracle whip.....I bought 2. Son tells me, I am good for the next year....lol......I buy the little dollar things of carrots and celery at walmart, in the produce. I want a real homemade meal. Seems like restaurants open cans of vegetables.....yuck.....but if I cook a meal, lasts me 3 days... then I am sick of it.....

it took me awhile to get my appetite back. I almost got pneumonia because I let myself go after Cindy passed. Take care of yourself, it's what he would've wanted for you. That's what I had to remind myself.

I really don't mind going to the grocery store if I can do it without kids around. I really do not cook; or at best I am a lousy cook. My husband was a decent cook. There is, however, the deli in the local Price Chopper that has wonderful whole roasted chickens. I can make pasta sauce, so there's food for two meals. I am ashamed of some of the stuff I feed my kids. At this point it is whatever they can hold in their hands and eat in the car on the drive to school. Lunchables work for the school lunch. I got it covered.

Maggie

Same thing here, Maggie, 'cept it's Harris Teeter. They run a $4.99 whole roasted chicken special on Fridays, and I can get three good meals out of that sucker. I think I need to start a post on how to stretch your food dollar, lol.