Me too. And I am a way more efficient and accomplished cook because of it (plus I have lost 30+ Lbs since). And frankly, I have a lot less respect for a number of restaurants these days. I get that they are struggling in these times… but the ones I am thinking of have had issues well before the pandemic.
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I hear you. I think I’m about the same as before in terms of my home-cook skills. Where I have learned is how to minimize the amount and frequency of my shopping trips—more reliance on pantry items, for sure. And I found that milk containing some percentage of fat will last past the sell-by date, in contrast to skim milk which always spoiled faster for me.
Because I’m putting more meals on the table on a daily basis, my weight crept up. Ugh. My husband is now at the most ideal weight of his adult life because he’s eating healthier at home. Slowly but surely I have been able to reverse the trend for me this year though it’s work.
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And if you go with lactose free milk it will last waaaaay longer… plus I have noticed no difference in cooking/baking with it. It is a bit more pricey, but worth it IMHO.
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My house is me, my millennial son (who is not picky other than an allergy to raw tomatoes…cooked are fine…and an understandable aversion to red peppers since they look the same as tomatoes in a dish). He doesnt like mushrooms but is okay with picking them out (texture).
Roomie and best friend is a chef…so sometimes the food is straight up fire if we’re in the mood to cook (if we are out of time, energy, and give-a-stuff it may be Chinese takeaway or frozen pizza).
The curmudgeon cat eats only cat food…except when we have tikka masala.
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Is this because it’s usually ultra pasteurized? I’ve noticed the same with organic milk.
I cook for myself and CDC, constant dining companion. I am not picky at all, my parents strongly influenced me to always give new foods a try. I love to cook and cdc has put me through the gauntlet: raw vegan, paleo or whatever they are calling it now, gluten free etc. What a wild ride! I would not have missed it for the world. And he does help with the cooking and cleanup and shopping. He loves vegetables and has been asking for more fish of all kinds. I do not ignore my own preferences, and I would be content with asparagus, steak and potatoes three times a week. So I am glad he asks for variety.
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Admire how you give a lot of attention to your meals for one. You are worth it!
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Mostly just myself and DH (I cook, he cleans). We are both working from home full-time at the moment but we fend for ourselves at lunchtime (leftovers or quick salads, mostly), so I typically cook just one meal a day. We are a low-carb household 95% of the time (the remaining 5% is devoted to indulging my love of levain baking). Our meals center around non-starchy vegetables, meat, eggs, nuts and dairy - I’m not big on low-carb substitutes or “frankenfoods.” DH is not a huge seafood lover, so most of our dinners include beef/pork/lamb/chicken, with the occasional salmon or shrimp dish thrown in (I get my seafood fix at lunch or when eating out).
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I think so, but not 100% certain.
These days I cook for just me, once a week for my bonus son (a full dinner with leftovers - he’s not picky), a couple of times a month dinner for kids & parents after our mid-week kiddo church service, soups for stressed families in my community as needed. When it’s just me I lean towards salads or cheese, fruit, & crackers. @LindaWhit is my role model for better cooking for 1 strategies & ideas.
Types of cooking: I lean towards chunky soups & plainer foods that show off the ingredients. I belong to a CSA who also has goats for cheese making. I buy a gallon of milk every couple of weeks from which I make yogurt.
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This is awesome! If you get to visit the goats, even better.
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I cook for my husband who is a meat, taters, gravy man with occasional mac and cheese and green beans. I also fix Sunday lunch every week for my 83 year old father in law who eats just about anything. If he doesn’t like something I send him, at least he keeps his mouth shut. His father was not that smart. I cook and meal prep on Sundays to have meals ready for the week as I work 9 or so hours each day except I work a regular 8 hour day on Fridays. I like to come home and have something ready. We usually do take out once a week on Fridays.
ETA- I am type 2 diabetic. I avoid the carbs-potatoes, rice, pasta, bread etc. I make salads or veggie soup for lunches. I am eating less red meat which is an issue because we are beef producers. LOL I used to weigh over 250 lbs until I was told I had to do do two shots of insulin and I said no. I now weigh 170. This weight loss was over a period of three or four years and I am still keeping it off. I am very conscious of what I eat and how if affects me.
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Barred owl, isn’t it?
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I do visit the goats. It’s kidding time so also great fun to watch the herd. My “compost” materials go to the chickens or pigs so I generally drive over a couple of times a week.
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How lucky you are to be able to visit the animals on the CSA farm. The farm that I frequent in summer used to have goats, chickens, pigs, and (briefly) a few beef cattle. I loved visiting with them and sharing our veggie scraps.
Most of the time I went there alone, and on the rare occasion when my husband joined me, the rooster became quite vocal. Maybe Mr. Rooster thought I was one of his hens and didn’t like another fellow around. 
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A pair have been serenading us every evening lately and the Sandhill cranes in the morning.
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I cook for me, myself and I 
But also for my wife and once a week - year round - I visit my father in his condo and cook for him.
I’m visiting my father tomorrow (Saturday) and will make him a huge Cote de Boeuf, fondant potatoes, red wine reduction sauce and sautéed vegetables.
I also do cook for friends and my big brother once in a while.
But honestly I started my cooking adventure to cook better than average restaurant level dishes.
I know chefs in the pro restaurant business and while eating their dishes I didn’t find anything, that I didn’t feel I could make as well or better at home.
So my continued goal is still to be able to constantly make dishes at home on pro restaurant level for me, myself and I 
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I forgot to mention that I pretty often cook or bake for friends who are sick or otherwise stressed - especially those with little kids or new babies. Most of them eat everything except for the vegetarians and vegans (who are slowly coming over to dairy). I tend not to socialize with very picky food folk because it can be a drag trying to accommodate preferences, whether going out or entertaining. I “broke up” with a neighbor friend (for non-food reasons) who not only claimed to be celiac but also unable to eat non-pastured pork, soy, eggplant, etc. It’s a relief not to concern myself with cross contamination anymore. Especially because I would often make separate dishes and they would remain untouched. Annoying.
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I lived 25-ish years in northeast and East central Florida, and am a big hiker and camper. On more than one occasion I had to retreat from my tent into the car to try to minimize the noise from the barred owls and pileated woodpeckers so I could get some sleep. Those suckers are loud.
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