You know the story: It’s late, you just got home from work, you’re alone, and you have zero desire to pull out your pots and pans to make dinner for yourself. 

But before you reach for that box of neon orange mac and cheese (or organic white cheddar—don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s better for you), just wait a second: Cooking for one isn’t as bad as it sounds. One shopping trip to pick up the essentials, and from here on out, you can have a delicious dinner on the table (or couch) in no time.

The full article is on TDM – I have a new column, aptly called “Salt & Pepper”! Read on to see how to stock your kitchen with the best possible ingredients, so you can have dinner on the fly whenever you want. Oh, and I’ve included some super simple recipes as well!