I have been getting some slack lately about not representing the single crowd who need to eat real food and do not possess the time or patience to bake cookies all day, every day. I hear you! All those cookies that I lovingly made were a tribute to my obsession for baking during the holidays. But if you want to cry ‘single’ then who am I to judge you as I am, in fact, more single than anybody could possible be?
Me + single = more single than you.
So let me run down a list of things that you must possess in your cupboards, fridge, and freezer in order to be a competent singleton. These are the basics and there is a slight possibility that my basics are not yours, so I suggest tweaking the list I have made. Once conquered, you can prepare a multitude of dishes in a matter of half an hour or less or more depending on how well you cook in the first place. Hey, I’ve watched Rachael Ray cook and she always looks so flustered after 30 minutes. I think they may need to give her an extra five. Let’s start, shall we?
1. Pasta: a variety of short and long. I like penne, rigatoni, ziti, orzo, orecchiette, shells, farfalle, linguine, thin spaghetti, tagliatelle. Whole wheat or fancy omega-3 or plain. It doesn’t matter because if you know how to cook pasta well then you can eat whatever you want.
2. Grains and what not: rice (whatever you think you can cook properly. But not the instant kind. Don’t be stupid), lentils, couscous, polenta (the instant kind), and nuts (almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, peanuts which we all know is not really a nut. I usually buy them unroasted.)
3. Stock in a box: low-sodium, organic chicken and beef broth. Vegetable stock tastes like limp veggies boiled in toilet water. No need to buy. So if you are a board certified vegetarian, then may God be with you.
4. Vegetables: onions (red for salads and salsas, Spanish or Vidalia for everything else, spring onion because I am Asian and we it eat all the time), potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, garlic (if you hate it, learn to love it) and everything else depending on the season.
5. Jarred / canned goods: Beans (white, black, chickpea and cannellini), tomato paste, whole or crushed tomatoes, pineapple, roasted red peppers
6. Meat: chicken (skinless, boneless breasted for easy, fast grilling, legs and thighs for everything), turkey sausage, spicy pork sausage, beef (ground for hamburgers and such, chuck and rib roast to braise, skirt and tri-steak to grill), pork (chops for grilling and pan-frying, loin roast for, wait for it….roasting)
7. Frozen stuff: keep strawberries, raspberries, corn, peas, spinach, fish (salmon, tilapia) and shrimp in the freezer. Shrimp defrosts in a matter of minutes so it’s great for fast meals.
8. Seasonal fruit: Fall/winter: apples, clementines, pears. Spring/summer: mangoes, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, tomatoes, melon, pineapple. And bananas always all the time. I am not sure where avocados should be placed in the seasonal categories, but I suggest keeping them handy as well. Quick guacamole or eaten with a bit of sugar as a snack does wonders for the stomach.
9. Citrus fruit: lime, lemon and orange. 
10. Fats and oils: unsalted butter always, vegetable oil for baking and frying, olive oil for cooking, extra virgin olive oil as a condiment
11. Cheese: Parmesan, mozzarella, feta, extra sharp cheddar, cream cheese
12. Chocolate in all its glory and all its forms: semi-sweet, bittersweet, Dutch processed cocoa powder (look for alkaline in the ingredients list)
13. Sugar: granulated, brown (dark or light)
14. Kosher salt for seasoning, fine salt for baking, pepper always freshly ground, red chili flakes, cinnamon
15. Baking: All-purpose unbleached flour, baking soda, baking powder
16. Bacon!! (Can I get another exclamation point?)
17. Large Grade A eggs. It should be a staple in your fridge. You can whip up an omelet to eat any time of the day.
18. Condiments: red wine vinegar, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ketchup (duh), mustard (dijon or spicy brown), hot sauce, maple syrup, honey
19. Herbs: Rosemary, thyme, basil, cilantro/parsley, and mint (Fresh is always best. Homegrown is even better.)
20. And of course, bread. Ciabatta, focaccia, pita, rye, whole wheat, whole grain, baguette…whatever suits your carb-fancy. Are tortillas considered bread? You should have tortillas around too. 
There’s my grocery list. I know there are things that I forgot to mention, but I think it’s a good start for the singleton who is busy with work and a social life. So fill your fridge with fresh fruits and vegetables, pack away pre-marinated meat in your freezer for easy prep, organize your cupboards with condiments and canned goods, and you are pretty much set to cook a meal for yourself and a companion, whether human, animal, or non-organic human-like form. Again, who am I to judge?
Next week: Easy, fast sides that you can prepare in a jiffy. Add a piece of grilled protein and you got dinner on a busy weekday.