I’m intrigued by the idea of eating all of my meals out of a single bowl. Not only would it reduce the tableware in my cabinets; I think it would make me more mindful, and more appreciative, of what I put in my body.
My ideal one bowl menu would look something like the following:
Breakfast: oatmeal. I don’t think there’s a more perfect minimalist food than oatmeal (or porridge, as they say here in the UK). It’s simple, it’s satisfying, and best of all, it has so much potential. Oatmeal is like a blank slate: simply add what you like according to the season or your mood. Some of my favorite “embellishments” include brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, blueberries, and cranberries (not all at once, of course!).
Lunch: hiyayakko. I discovered this simple, delicious dish a few years ago in Tokyo. It consists of a cold block of tofu, topped with green onions, dried tuna flakes (optional if vegetarian) and soy sauce. See this site for some (mouth-watering) photos and more details.
Snack: yogurt. I eat this every afternoon to keep healthy bacteria in my digestive system. I’ve been buying it at the store, but would someday like to make my own.
Dinner: steamed vegetables over rice. I’m happy to eat this perfectly plain, as I love to savor the individual taste of each vegetable. DH, however, has a more sophisticated palette than I do—so we usually add a sauce like Thai green curry, or ginger and garlic. Other dinner options would be a hearty soup, or a bowl of pasta.
I don’t think one bowl eating would be too difficult, and am hard-pressed to think of any favorite meals that require a plate. I also like the connection to Zen philosophy; itinerant monks used to carry one bowl to satisfy their need for sustenance while pursuing their spiritual path.
I imagine that eating from a single bowl would focus my attention on the contents—to contemplate it, celebrate it, and be thankful for it (instead of taking it for granted).
I would also have to wash it directly after each use, so that it would be ready for the next meal. No more dirty dishes piling up in the sink! :-)
I’d love to hear about your favorite minimalist meals, and your thoughts on one bowl eating!
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Cool post, I was thinking about this yesterday as I washed my favorite ceramic bowl for the 3rd time in one day!
I’m pretty much eating out of that one bowl right now, and I love it! Breakfast generally consists of an Israeli salad (tomato, cucumber and onion chopped small and topped with a small amount of Za’atar, salt and olive oil) and a hard boiled egg or two. Lunch is some variation on a veggie stir fry (just veggies, lots of veggies) and dinner is another salad with tuna, or lentils, or a different sort of salad (last night I tried an avocado and grapefruit one that I’m digging right now). Everything is locally grown and/or produced (side benefit to living in Israel is access to grapefruit and avocado this time of year!) except for the tuna.
Being minimalist and Primal at the same time just seems to make sense to me! Even if I’m not eating much chicken and no red meat at all…can’t find sources I like. That’ll have to wait ’til I’m back in the states.
Mmm, Jesse, your one bowl meals sound delicious!
I love to eat out of a bowl…with a large spoon, if possible.
I am also trying to serve my whole meal on a platter,
rather than in several serving bowls & plates, when there are more than just the two of us. Looks nice and less clean-up.
connie, I love uncluttered dining too! Why use three dishes when one will do?
I find your blog very interesting. Although I personally could not live a minimalist lifestyle, reading your blog certainly keeps me in check with what I bring into my home and has given me a different perspective regarding my posessions. I must say, I think thoughtfully before making purchases now. I found today’s post quite thought provoking. I do have a couple of questions. First, how do you feel when you enter someone’s home (like mine) who has a lot of stuff although well ordered and tidy? Do you feel clostrophobic? (sp) Second, do you ever have any creative hobby interests such as crochet or knitting as those would only take a skein of yarn and a crochet hook or knitting needles. What I find to be a huge contributor to our stuff is in our family of 5 we all have different hobbies and interests and we have many hobbies from camping to gardening, to various sports, to wood working, cooking, and all things crafting and creative. Our hobbies create a lot of stuff yet make us all happy so I don’t know how I can par that down.
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to produce an interesting and informative blog. I also like the spotlights where other readers share their minimalist stories.
Nancy
Thanks, Nancy–I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog!
To answer your questions: 1. Visiting a home with a lot of stuff doesn’t really bother me, as I’m usually focused on the people there. :-) 2. My hobbies are writing, traveling, and learning languages; fortunately (for me), activities that don’t generate or require a lot of stuff. I’ve also dabbled a bit in jewelry making (all my supplies fit in a small zippered case).
I had a vietnamese colleague and friend for a number of years before he recently moved away, and he got me hooked on Pho, which is a Vietnamese soup that can have beef (or tofu), noodles, assorted veggies, bean sprouts and mint leaves in it, amongst other things. Very hearty and delicsious.
– Charley
Charley, I’m always on the lookout for good vegetarian Pho!
Why fixate on the end product (one bowl) and use processed food (pasta, tofu, tuna flakes). I would rather grow my own and use a bit of kitchen time and space to come up with simple dishes – sometimes served in a bowl, sometimes on a plate.
Less packaging, less shopping, less refrigeration, more local. Minimalist all the way down to the table.
Sometimes I think we tend to see only one bit of our lives/choices and ignore what it takes to get there.
Looking forward to reading more on your blog.
Sure, et, that would certainly be ideal!
I love all these blogs on personal finance, frugality and early retirement. New writings create these “aha” moments.
I have one large bowl that sits on my counter. It’s a beautiful bowl bought at Crate and Barrel. I’ve now had it 10 years and use it at least two times per day. But my bowl is a lot bigger than the one that you have pictured.
Life just doesn’t need to be complicated. Yesterday I took my father in law to lunch and I had the most delicious bean burrito. Instead of cheese, I asked for grilled onions. It was one of the best burritos I’ve ever had.
“Life just doesn’t need to be complicated”–so true, Michael, so true!
I have thought about doing this as well! I’d also forgo the spoon: just use chop sticks and sip. Now I’m going to try out hiyayakko, doesn’t seems too hard to prepare :)
Hi Chris! I’m with you on the chopsticks. Hope you like hiyayakko!
I’ve been cutting the kitchen clutter for a while now. Now that I do cook, I have a lot less stuff than when I didn’t cook!
Not quite down to one bowl yet, but the idea is intriguing. I’ll have to consider it.
But fewer dishes is definitely a boon. I once helped my friend clean her kitchen…they’d dirtied *everything* and they had a lot. It took me an hour and a half to wash it all, and we didn’t have room to set everything out to dry. My dishes take maybe five minutes. A single bowl would take even less!
Thanks for your comment, Fox–I think less clutter and less cleanup makes cooking a lot more fun!
I’ve been using one bowl ever since reading the wonderful book, One Bowl. (Can you guess what it’s about?)
I have a beautiful wooden bowl with a small wooden spoon and the experience of eating from the bowl, washing it, and then being done is an experience I relish. When I’m done with my meal, I add a little bit of water to rinse the bowl and then drink that so I don’t waste anything.
Thanks, Chris–I *have* to read this book! Just checked on Amazon, and it’s available on Kindle. :-)
About a month ago my wife and I put aside all of our dishes except two dinner plates, two salad plates, and two bowls. We realized that the reason there were dishes around was that we had access to too many dishes – it has greatly simplifide our lives when we did this – there are never more than six dishes to wash!
Great post… I like a plate for some stuff though. What we’re doing now works good for us.
Great move, Luke! We got rid of all our excess plates a few years ago, and love how it emptied our cabinets (and sink!). When we hosted Thanksgiving dinner last year, we simply borrowed tableware from family.
I love this – just today I purged 2 plates I never use because I mostly use bowls. I keep a few others for guests. I eat very simply but use a different bowl for each of my favorite meals – one for oatmeal, one for my rice dishes and one for pasta. It’s an aesthetic thing. Also, I’ve never had a kitchen or dining table. I’ve just always enjoyed sitting on the sofa or on the floor with cushions around the coffee table…as do any guests that come over.
Robyn, I agree–we find it much more relaxing to eat at the coffee table (we haven’t had a dining table in years).
A bowl? Ha! I could eat it out of the pot or the wok with the spoon and the knife I used to prepare it. Seriously, I used to do that. Now, being married, I have to keep up appearances, so I graciously transfer the food to a plate, for some reason :)
(Now I have been thinking of switching to raw food and simply drinking out of the blender. That would be a slight optimization.)
LOL, ERE–sure, “one pot eating” can certainly work if you’re single! I hope you blog about your blender meals if you try it. :-)
As a Frenchie, i like to have bowls and plates fitted to each meal or ingredients. It is my own way to enjoy everyday life, it’s my own way to say that I deserve to be cared of ( I have just been gooing through an awful divorce). I know that for the time beeing it is essential not to get drowned. I even use a tray just because I love it. I have no diswsher and i do the washing up when each meal is over.
Of course I may change my mind in the future.
Hi nicole 86! It’s interesting to hear the opposite side–how *multiple* dishes can enhance one’s enjoyment of a meal. Thanks for sharing!
Intriguing idea. I have just swapped eight bowls of different sizes for four all purpose bowls so I should use them! I certainly try to pare down my kitchen stuff, just keeping a few plates and extra cutlery for visitors. I also wont use more than two saucepans per meal now! Gets interesting trying to work out what to cook in what saucepan! Cuts down on the washing up! I think I will try this as it will cut down on portion size. Big dinner plates are very deceiving.
Frances, that’s a great point about it cutting down on portion size!
I love bowls! I prefer them to plates. Wish I could get rid of most of my dishes, but there is too much sentimental attachment at this point. Corelle set from when first married, our 1st “real” set, my mother’s (inherited), 8 plates my Dad bought in Japan (inherited), plates from partner’s mother (inherited). I even have 3 sets of silverware: 1 real silver from my mother, every day flatware from my mother and 1 from when married. It really is too much, but the emotional hurdle is large and even if I made the leap, my partner wouldn’t.
Hi Marie! If you ever decide to pare down, perhaps you could keep one or two place settings from each set. That way, you can preserve the sentiment without the excess. It would make quite an eclectic (and interesting) dining table! :-)
One bowl meals are wonderful! Soups are fabulous. Cook them in a large stockpot or saucepan, then ladle it into the bowl. Stews, same thing. I vastly prefer bowls to plates as well – there’s something comforting about cradling them, and the pottery ones my father-in-law makes feel wonderful in the hand. We still have plates, since my hubby likes steak and such, but since we’ve moved into a smaller house (1,040 square feet) and have a teeny kitchen, I purged a lot of stuff.
In a former post, you mentioned how much kitchen clutter can pile up. It’s astonishing. Having a few wonderful handmade pottery bowls, some vintage silverware, and cloth napkins to me sounds like heaven!
Ooh, Meg, those handmade pottery bowls sound lovely! (I’d love to take a ceramics class and *make* my one bowl. :-) )
We have the one bowl rule in our home right now
One wider bowl, one normal bowl. Works fine between the 2 of us.
Very cool, Everyday Minimalist!
ERE/Jacob,
that’s how I camp…eat out of the pot I cooked it in. But even living solo I just like it better to eat out of a bowl…which I’m going to do with my pasta right now.
Robyn, that reminded me of camping too!
Hi there.. came across your blog.. nice concept! it is good way to keep my weight too..
Hi Xpat! I agree, one bowl eating would also be beneficial for the waistline!
This post really resonated within me. I will definitely try this! Our dishwasher broke last month, and now I am even more cognizant of having to wash/dry so many dishes! We do live simply, but I think the one bowl eating is indeed a mindful practice.
By the way, I wanted to tell you that I really enjoy your blog. I receive your posts via daily email, and they really brighten my day and also validate that I am not alone in my quest to live simply. Thank you, and please keep posting.
Sonya K., if I could give you our dishwasher, I would (we never use it). I really appreciate your lovely words, and am happy to hear you’re enjoying the blog!
Hi there
cant quite remember how i came across your blog recently but subscribed to your feed. you are an inspiration. i had been watching the tv show HOARDERS and even though i am no where near that frame of mind found myself finding bits of what was said by the people profiled there that hit home. i started remembering how much happier i was when i first left home and basically had nothing to my name. so i am working on letting go bit by bit.
i was going to ask about your kitchen situation and also hobby situation but found you addressed that above. those 2 in particular are what i think will be my hardest areas to deal with. also my mother died recently and while i know she lies in memories and not in things i am having a hard time letting go of a lot of things i really had no interest in before her death. perhaps it is too soon to deal with right now. we will see.
looking forward to your future posts and catching up on some past ones. many thanks.
almost forgot…i had this bookmarked for a while to check to see if our library had or could get…about one bowl eating…seemed to fit in with today’s topic.
http://www.amazon.com/One-Bowl-Guide-Eating-Spirit/dp/1569246270
Thanks Karen, it’s wonderful to have you here! I hope I can be of some help as you start your minimalist journey.
I thought it would be harder for us to keep a minimalist kitchen, as DH is an excellent (and enthusiastic) cook. However, we’re actually finding it fun to work with the bare minimum. :-) As for hobbies, I’ve just never been into activities that require loads of equipment or supplies; if I were, though, I would choose my favorite ONE, and work at developing expertise in it.
I’m so sorry to hear about your mother, and would recommend letting some time pass before you deal with the heirlooms. Start with the other (less emotional) items in your life first.
I haven’t checked my library for the book yet, but it’s on my reading list!
On review…same book as Chris above mentioned.
:-)
Making your own yogurt is very easy and delicious! Kristen (at thefrugalgirl) has a very easy recipe to follow.
http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2009/10/how-to-make-homemade-yogurt-2/
I actually have a yogurt maker because I couldn’t get the cooler/thermos idea to work for me. It’s delicious! I eat a lot more of it now that it’s so cheap and easy. And it feels cleaner and better for me, too. I can make it really thick if I want or thinner if I’m in that kind of mood. And my partner now eats yogurt, too! :-)
Molly, thank you *so much* for this wonderful link; I definitely have to try this!
Miss Minimalist:
I make my yogurt using a starter cup of Greek that I get at the grocery store, and some whole milk. Heat the milk on the stove to just short of boiling (eyeballing it is fine), pour it in a bowl, and put it in the fridge to cool until it’s lukewarm. For me, that’s when I can dip my finger all the way to the bottom of the bowl without it being too hot. Mix in your starter yogurt and leave it in a toaster oven set to “keep warm” overnight. In the morning, you should have yogurt. I find a regular cup of store-bought yogurt makes about a quart bowl of homemade.
FYI, I know, minimalist kitchen, but I LOVE my toaster oven. In addition to toasting, broiling meat (my big oven has no broiler), baking casseroles, etc., I can set it to low and use it in lieu of a microwave to heat stuff up. Much more versatile, and if you have ceramic dishes you can even throw your leftovers in in the same container, less cleanup than reheating on the stove.
Wow, Erin, thanks for these fantastic instructions! If I ever own a toaster oven, I will certainly give it a go. :-)
just today found this site, what a breath of fresh air! we just moved (fam of 4) and i got a huge buzz tossing stuff out! i thought if i purged, i’d ‘miss out’ ha, so opposite! i tossed a ton of kitchen stuff–much of it was a gift, but gosh, it was clogging me down so out it went.
i had a potter make us some ‘bowls’ for this same ideas years ago. only ours are pretty big, but mostly, have this big old handle on it. these can be for a drink, salsa to dip chips, or soup/stew, anything at all. when building this new house, i had one spot in the kitchen left for open shelves to show these lovely things, which adds a lot to the enjoyment of them. they are art, and they represnet the simple living i aim for.
Chewie, thanks for your comment — your bowls sound gorgeous, and I’m so glad you’re enjoying the purging! (That’s one of the reasons I love moving!) :-)
I discovered your site through Unclutterer.com, and after having read several posts, I am convinced that you are a no less than revolutionary thinker. I have had minimalist leanings all my life, perhaps because of my Zen Buddhist artist mom, or perhaps because of my messy dad and his 1000 books and clutter (mom suffered for years trying to get him to declutter!) My live-in BF of 10 years is a wonderful person but unfortunately shares my dad’s love of books and clutter. I am having some success with him, however. After reading about the white bedroom, I ran into my bedroom to see how I could make it all-white. Well, it already IS 90% white with a few neutrals and color accents!(White walls, too: I love them) When I read your comments, I realized that I had discovered a kindred spirit. I already practice many of your minimalist techniques, but I could do better–I would love to get rid of the TV and stereo and BF’s collection of 500+ CDs, but they belong to him and I have to allow him to gently evolve toward the light! Anyway, thank you for such a thought-provoking blog. You are doing a great service to humanity in promoting “’tis a gift to be simple, ’tis a gift to be free.”
Thanks for your kind words, Suzanne! I love writing this blog because it enables me to “meet” kindred souls. I knew I couldn’t be the only one who loves white walls and empty spaces. :-) As far as the BF goes: just keep doing what you’re doing, and there’s a good chance your minimalism will start to rub off on him.
Oooh, this idea intrigued me when I recently read elsewhere about how Gandhi only kept 6 possessions, one of them being one bowl for eating.
I have a favorite plate and a favorite shallow pasta bowl, but I think I could let them go in favor of the one-dish-only guideline.
I even have my favorite one item eating ware already in mind and in house to keep — and they all match! One large ceramic bowl, one black/white “cats” motif ceramic mug, and one set of black-handled flatware. As long as I have protein with every meal (diabetic), this would be a painless way for me to better control portion sizes too; if it fits in the bowl, it’s not necessarily too much. Thanks for the tip!
Patch, I’m so glad you like the idea — and your minimalist tableware sounds perfect!
I imagine it would be weird eating a sandwich out of a bowl…
But an interesting idea nonetheless.
Interesting. Have just come across your site, we’ve been living a fairly simple life these past few years and I think that while I would never call myself a minimalist, I do like to pare down when I can. I visited a monastry in France some years ago and all our meals were delivered to us with one bowl, one cup and a spoon (no other utensils) it worked fine!
Wonderful article mm. Have you tried steamed veggies on quinoa? It’s better than rice in my opinion. Also, I love kefir too. I’m trying hard to lead more of a minimalist lifestyle. I’m a landscape painter who also does portraits, so I would love to learn how to lead a simpler life without so much baggage, including a car (which I need for outdoor shows now). Keep up the great work!
Making your own yogurt is so easy, and it’s so amazing every time, when it works! 1) Boil a glass bowl in water, leave on a dishtowel to air dry. 2) Heat milk to 185 degrees (to kill the bad bacteria), cool to 110 degrees (a good temp for yogurt cultures to grow). 3) Drop a spoonful of yogurt (50 cents for a small cup of the plain stuff, or use yogurt starter) and mix around. 4) Pour into sterilized glass bowl, cover. 5) Put bowl in a cardboard box on top of an auto-shutoff heating pad, close the top. 6) Wait 7 hours, stir, refrigerate.
I still own a lot of dishware and cookware since the grown kids show up regularly with crowds of friends for holidays – or just any time – and I love to feed them. But I am extremely frugal with food itself. For example, all vegetable trimmings (stems, peelings, stalks, whatever) go into a large plastic container in the freezer. When it’s full I dump it in a big pot with water and brew up wonderful veggie broth to use in all kinds of cooking. The cooked-down trimmings themselves go into the ancient Cuisinart and then into the dogs’ dinners. Nothing that is or ever was even slightly edible goes out with the trash.
Wow, I’m really impressed with your food saving!
Normally I dont peel veg but I made a vegetable soup last month & didn’t know if i could do anything with the peelings (and nowhere to compost them) but maybe i’ll make a broth to keep for the startings of another soup next time :)
I’m in college, and I cook ALL the time. Very simple things like lentils or indian flat bread. On a college budget, I find that if I buy one fruit and one veggie, it lasts me about a week if I’m cooking for myself. The fried food all around campus tends to make me sick, so I cook for myself and others, which I guess is my hobby. At first, I thought “No way, I can tailor it down to one bowl.” And then realised that I was already eating out of only one bowl, I just had the others on hand for entertainment!
I love your blog, and I feel that if I start minimalist habits NOW, it’ll follow me forever; I want the one box of cookware to STAY one box of cookware and one college-sized mini-fridge to STAY a college-sized mini-fridge. Thanks for your inspiration!
While not one pot, a minimalist meal we have eaten for years is steamed vegies, cottage cheese and bread. The vegie are the most simple new potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips or what ever. Leftovers can be pureed the next with milk or cream sauce for a vegie soup.
I am losing weight with a diet of one bowl eating
A bowl for me must be the size of my fist, the optimal amount of food per meal
Other than with an oatmill breakfast, I use chopsticks, which forces me to take time with each meal
For liquid, I drink an 8 oz bottle of COLD tap water from the frig 30 minutes before a meal, then another bottle with my meal — These bottles are reused Coke plastic bottles (I prefer liquids other coffee out of a bottle)
The trick for me with dieting is slowing my mind down to realize I am eating
Oh, one other point about chopsticks: I use this method:
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-cheater-chopsticks-with-rubber-bands-259430/
I became pretty minimalist about 6 years ago….although judging by my recent research into the subject it was invented by some guy in America years later ; )….dont know where that leaves me…
I use a bowl and a plate and one of those camping things with a knife a fork and a spoon all in one…plus the all important corkscrew!…I admit to keeping two wine glasses tho.
Hi Francine – one of my favorite one bowl breakfasts comes from Helen Nearing in her “Simple Food for the Good Life” (I think that’s the title) book. In a bowl, microwave or heat up equal parts peanut butter and honey to soften, fill bowl with cooked wheat berries, add chopped apple and mix everything together. REALLY good, really simple. BTW, I’ve read a ton of books on minimalism, and I can sincerely say that your Joy of Less book is the best one I’ve read. Thank you!
That’s an intriguing idea. I think that anything that causes us to be more mindful of what we’re putting in our bodies is a good idea. I can see myself trying this out for a week or so–especially with crockpot foods for dinner. What I’m loving is the idea of filling a bowl of something really good for me to fuel my body for the day.
I love this idea! I’ve been wanting to do the same thing and have been searching for the perfect bowl. Do you have any suggestions on where to buy one? I especially like the bowls with built in chopstick holders. That way you have your one set of utensils built in too. :)
Oh, my goodness! I LOVE this idea! I’m reducing my dishes drastically and am down to 6 plates (too many still for 2 people with the occasional 2 guests). This is something I think I could definitely do. Thanks for the inspiration. BTW, I LOVE your blog. It’s so intelligent, well-written and edited. And appreciated!
Our family was traveling and living with just 1 wooden bowl for each person for about 6 mths. After every meal we had them all washed by hand (or while traveling they were often just wiped out with a little water and a towel). I loved that they were always available for the next meal. And rarely did we eat something that didn’t seem to suit being put in a bowl.
But I keep hearing that using a dishwasher is better for conserving water. With our larger family we decided to get some used dishes so we can load up the washer once a day and run that, and it helps keep the kitchen tidy since that’s where we store the dirty dishes.
If it were just dh and I, we would definitely go with just a bowl, or a lower- edged squarish dish that works great for all the salads we eat (but would also have a big enough edge to hold some soup if we wanted.)
Don’t forget that oatmeal can go savory, too.
I love the minimalist lifestyle. There is such freedom in it. You never feel bogged down. It’s ironic, because I was just thinking about this subject of “one bowl” the other day. I only have one question. What do you do when you have guests at your house. I would love to rid my cabinets of all dishes except for the one bowl. Not sure what I would do, however, if someone would happen to pay me a surprise visit! And I certainly wouldn’t want to stock paper plates for that occasion. I also love the idea of using chopsticks. It would certainly slow down the speed at which I eat!
I think my family could do this. Soup, salad, pasta, stir fry, oatmeal, fresh fruit and cottage cheese, even veggie-and-cheese-scrambled eggs could easily be eaten with just a bowl, spoon, and fork (I don’t have sporks). It would certainly simplify cleanup. I think I’d keep plates for company, though, since I often serve baked chicken or fish or pork roast when company comes (usually Sunday dinner).
May I just say “hi” to the other Karen whose posts I haven’t seen before (the lady with the larger family who was just traveling for six months) and the Karen who identifies herself as from Scotland? I’ve changed my tag to include my last initial so we won’t be confused, but it’s fun to see other minimalist Karens! Francine, thank you for providing this great forum! You are an inspiration!