One Bowl Eating: What & Why?

One Bowl Eating is my made-up method of serving healthy, delicious, balanced, single-serving meals in one bowl per person per meal. Here's why.

In July 2008 I realized I wanted to change the way I ate. I'd been regularly exercising and sleeping for 6 months, but my body was still way out of shape. I often ate my young kids' leftovers because I was too tired to cook "real" dinners for myself. I ate for comfort and to numb myself from the pain I was feeling as my marriage deteriorated. I had stomach aches frequently. On the outside, I was visibly overweight, yet also competent, productive and professionally successful. On the inside, I felt uncomfortable and ashamed.

I sought help. The story of the help I received may be a story for another rainy day. A key component of the help was to consistently follow a plan of weighed and measured eating, with no flour or sugar. I doubted I could keep this up for 2 meals in a row, yet decided to try, one meal at a time.

The first time I tried to prepare a meal that included 12 ounces of vegetables I almost panicked. I was sure this would be too time consuming and unpleasant-tasting. I had to create a system that worked for my palate and for my limited availability. With two young kids at home and a requirement to be main bread winner, I had little time for cooking.

Over time I created ways to prepare my own healthy, balanced meals in five minutes or less, even when I also prepared separate food for everyone else. I learned what foods to stock in the house and what to cook in bulk a few times each week. I learned how to dirty as few dishes as possible. I learned what tasted delicious and what tasted bland to me. I learned I can eat well without eating flour and sugar! Between late July and December, 60 pounds seemingly dropped off my body.

Throughout, friends and relatives expressed curiousity about my way of eating, because it seemed fresh, easy and healthy to them. So I started collecting the "recipes" I'd made up. And today, on this rainy Saturday while my kids are out with my soon-to-be-ex, I thought I'd start sharing them in this form.

There are days as a single mom that I feel so tired that I just wish someone would turn up to take care of *me*. Do others feel this way? If they do, and if they find me here, perhaps they will feel less alone in the struggle.

By going public here, I am in no way suggesting that if you follow my meal plan you will lose 60 pounds, or that you need to lose 60 pounds, or that I am any sort of food expert. It would be fun if we could share recipes and talk about how challenging it can be to serve healthy, delicious, quick meals to ourselves and our families. Frankly, I would benefit from the support too. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

2025 Postscript: These days I do eat some flour and sugar. I still use this method of food prep and these recipes, somewhat modified as I've now been a pescatarian for several years. I sometimes still wish someone would turn up to make me dinner, and sometimes my wish even comes true!