I make burritos. Black beans with cheese, ranch, and hot sauce, they are my quick to go meal that I love. But since I live alone 90% of my meals are eaten alone, so I do cook full meals too.

Well, some of us are always cooking for one, so to me it is a funny question. I make all the same things I would make if I were cooking for two, four, six, eight infinity. I eat my delicious leftovers and I freeze things too. And give them away. But I am a very good home cook so it comes very naturally to me.

I also had a great influence in my early 20s, an older male friend who had been a bachelor into his early 40s. He told me he made a full dinner and sat his dining room table every night to eat it. Sounded so sophisticated! I'm still not quite there (in my 50s) but I still aspire to his self-respect!

A dish that's been in heavy rotation since I've been cooking for just myself is sauteed vegetables over a mix of quinoa and cous-cous.

I put equal parts quinoa and couscous into a pot with double the water and a small sliver of butter. While that's simmering I saute whatever veggies I have on hand. My preference lately has been to throw on some nutritional yeast at the very end but just for variety I've also used vegetarian worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar and honey.

Top with some grated goat cheese and I've got a healthy, satisfying dinner in about 15 minutes.

Before I got married, I definitely cooked real meals for one. Good food is worth it! Now when my husband is out of town, I still cook, but I do more simple meals. And every now and then I make not-so-good things that I love but would feel like a terrible wife if I served to my husband (i.e. Shells & Cheese).

Shrimp tacos with a side of yogurt with fruit and granola. I keep frozen shrimp around just for this, there are almost always tortillas in my house, and I add whatever veggies might be around. Healthy and well-balanced.

I typically cook for 2.
When I cook for 1 I tend to make pan hash or anything my partner doesn't enjoy that I do (fish, braised dishes, mild curries, ...). Typically I cook in the same amount of time as when I cook for 2; so I don't make elaborate dishes.

My go-to is a quesadilla, with shredded cheese, black bean salsa and hummus. So delicious.

Also, to comment on the eating out article, I dine out with my hubby quite often, and we always just order what we want, and don't take into account "your dining partner's wishes". Do other couples do that?!?

I hated cooking for one at first but over the past two years I have come to love it. If I feel like cooking something elaborate then I do & just freeze the leftovers or invite friends over. And it is really nice to not have anyone else depending on me for meals-so if I am tired and eat scrambled eggs for dinner three days in a row there is no one to complain about it!

@ bryn, I'd say the only time my husband and I do that is if we can't decide, so we each get something we both like with the intent to share. But for the most part, dining out is WHEN I can get the things he doesn't like!

I have two roommates so I rarely cook for just myself, but when I do it tends to be basic and relatively healthy. Cut up fresh fruit and veggies and a simple chicken or egg salad, maybe with some cheese. Something like that. Or, a bowl of cereal.

I'll often make french toast for dinner; or refried bean tostadas with cheese and hot sauce; or a big salad; or steak, mashed potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms and onions. Bruschetta is a yummy one person meal. I've been on a crepes kick lately.

When my husband is out of town I cook things I love that he doesn't like to eat: shepherd's pie because he's not a potato fan, red beans and rice or ten-bean soup because he doesn't like beans, etc.

If I'm not up to cooking big meals then I make eggs or eat an avocado sandwich like the one pictured above.

I think cooking for one, whether simple or extravagant, is all about making what you like to eat rather than catering to others' tastes as well as your own.

Like many of the other posters, I always cook for one and rarely tone it down. The last two nights have been good though.

I went to a pasta making class recently, and turns out with a kitchenaid attachment, making homemade pasta for one is really quick and easy - in fact I prefer it to trying to make homemade pasta for a crew which can be so time consuming. One egg, half a cup of flour, pinch of salt and a bit of olive oil. It took me about 10 mins to bring the dough together, roll and cut. Then I saute whatever veg I have in my fridge with some good olive oil and lemon juice. Delish.

Last night I opted for searing some fresh snap peas on high heat, squeezing some lemon juice on top, tossing with some good olive oil, and shaving some cheese I had left over from a dinner party on Saturday (well lets be honest, shaving A LOT of cheese - an Umbracio)

Like many of you, I often cook for two. That said, my husband it out of town a lot and so I then eat a lot of stuff that he doesn't like or I experiment with new recipes. The third option, and least desirable, is that I often don't feel like taking the time to cook something special just for myself, especially when I wait too long and find that I'm past the point of simple hunger. (First world problem!)

I've never lived alone, so it's rare that I'll get the chance to eat dinner by myself. When I cook shared meals, I experiment with new things, and place an emphasis on creating balanced meals, which are then shared at the kitchen table.

When I do get the chance to eat by myself, I usually delve into the fridge and pantry, amassing a plate that looks like it has enough calories to keep me satisfied, but might be made up of completely random items. With an excitement reminiscent of childhood nights with the babysitter, I eat my foraged meal on the sofa, watching television. It's delightful. Oh, and I always try to make sure I've scrounged up some sort of dessert.

That bread with avocado looks yummy...
I used to cook for myself and it depended on my cooking mood if I made elaborate meals or simple ones. I now cook for me and my husband and the meals still depend on the mood. I don't think the amount I cook has varied much, it's just that I used to save leftovers for the next day (and the next day, if needed).

I make the sames things for one that I make for two, only when I'm alone I have leftovers for lunch instead of frozen burritos (don't hate- I love my frozen burritos).

Occasionally I'm likely to make slightly more elaborate things if I'm by myself, just because my wife is the one who's always hungry, and I often sacrifice complicated dishes in order to get something on the table faster.

My favorite solo meal is breakfast for dinner, eggs and potatoes German-style, but a close follow-up is a pasta from the pantry (only meaning it could have everything in the dish). My favorite warm weather meal requires no cooking at all, gazpacho and an open-faced sandwich using Acme walnut bread with fresh arugula and a puree of basil, goat cheese, garlic and olive oil.

Now one thing that made cooking single portions far easier (because I'd been used to cooking for a crowd) was investing in sets of mini-skillets, I bought two 8" stainless skillets and two 7" cast iron skillets, made it easier to scale down recipes to feed just one or two - and - when cooking for two makes it easier to cook-to-taste for each person.

two words: Steam Bags!
you can prepare a small meal (with meat, veggies, carbs) in 10 min. No washing pots/pants...easy!

my fiance is not a breakfast person, and it's pretty much my favorite meal ever. so if he's not around, i pretty much always make myself breakfast - fried eggs over medium, bacon, toast with butter and jam, yogurt with fruit. he also hates hates HATES tomatoes (what a freak, right?!), so i don't ever really make spaghetti with tomato sauce any more, i do sort of miss that. but he makes up for it in other ways :)

I love cooking for myself, but it is a challenge to use ingredients in a timely manner. My go-to "quick" meals are spaghetti aglio olio (Rachael Ray version), black bean tacos, and pasta topped with chopped tomatoes, crushed red pepper, toasted breadcrumbs and parmesan (also, parsley if I have it). The blessing/curse of cooking for oneself is that making a "family" sized recipe can last a week... but it can last a week...

I, like many others, still cook for 2, 3, 4 when cooking just for myself. If the husband is out of town, I might just go get some take out, or I might make something he doesn't like very much or doesn't appreciate, then I savor it with some nice wine or champagne and enjoy.

When I was in law school and college and I lived alone (glorious!), my go-to was egg noodles tossed in a little bit of butter and sour cream, salt, pepper, and chives. That explains so much of my current body landscape ;)

One of my favourite meals I make for myself is fried liver and zucchini with parmesean, since my husband doesn't like liver or zucchini. I also like to look on cooking blogs like this one and pick whatever looks interesting to make for myself without worrying if someone else won't like it.
And if I screw it up no one will know.

My hubby's very adventurous when it comes to food (lovely man!) but there are still a few things he just won't eat. Stuff that I love, unfortunately. When he's not home, I go all out and feast on all the stuff he hates. Anchovies! Shellfish! Steamed pork! Yumm. Also it makes me a little less sad and lonely. =/

my go to is a whole roasted chicken. easiest thing ever and the leftovers can be used in so many ways (tacos, quesadillas, mixed with lentils, soups, etc). if i don't feel like cooking, i'll make something super quick like a grilled cheese sandwich, fried egg in a basket, or a green juice (broccoli, cucumber, asparagus, spinach, and green apple)

If its summer and the tomatoes and eggplant are ripe, I make eggplant stacks. (For some silly reason, my husband doesn't like this dish even though he enjoys the individual ingredients in other forms.) But any other time of year, it really just depends on my mood and appetite. I am not a cereal and milk kind of gal when I'm by myself. I tend to go all out and don't mind making a fuss just for dining solo, including the necessary glass of wine (or two), a proper place setting at the table and some good tunes as background music.

Unfortunately, with a 3yr old in the house, those dining for one moments are few and far between.

Wow, you all seem quite inspired! It's a running joke with my husband- when he's away he always asks what I ate and then guesses: Pizza, Mac 'n cheese, or Cereal. Usually he's right. He is way more intent on "proper nutrition" than I am so when he's away it's my chance to be happily lazy and eat lots of cheese or breakfast for dinner :)

I live alone, so it's really hard to make things sometimes just as one meal. I get so burnt out on leftovers...I also find it hard to shop at the grocery, especially because I like to mainly eat fresh produce, which goes bad quickly. I mostly just snack around on things instead of cooking a meal really.

I make a huge batch of lasagna or chili or whatever I can throw in the oven or the slow cooker, then freeze it and have my meals for the week all ready.

Nine words: Laurie Colwin - Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant.

My SO has been gone for about two weeks now. And I realized that I either don't eat dinner or I just make myself a grilled ham and cheese. I do treat myself with nice breads and fancy cheeses for the grilled cheese.

Oh, misplacedtexan, I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that :)

My go-to meal when I'm eating alone is pasta with cheese on it. That's it. I also eat it far too often, sometimes 3 times a week.

I get in major ruts and usually do variations on a veggie-centric theme: salad with beans, stir fry with tofu or tempeh, or a baked sweet potato with bbq sauce and melted cheese.

I don't mind cooking for myself but cleaning up all those dishes two times a day because I don't have a dishwasher is a drag. I usually cook a steak or a pork chop and then a salad.

I consider myself a pretty good cook and my family agrees (when I cook for them). On my own, my staple is anything I can make with tortillas. Quesadillas, salad wraps, fajitas, etc. Can't get enough of them. Quick and easy. It just works for me.

When I lived alone before, I ate a lot of beans and rice. Now that I'm married and am used to cooking, I tend to cook the same things I would if someone were here. Plus with this time of year I am doing a lot of grilling even when my spouse is gone.

Curries! Thai & Japanese, mainly. Dinner & lunch in one go. Or homemade pasta sauce (onions, garlic, eggplant or peppers or whatever & overripe tomatoes) & pasta. Several times a week for years. Enough variety in the spices & ingredients to keep it fresh.

I eat takeout in front of my monitor and cry. O_O'

Whole Wheat tomato couscous with peas, a poached egg, shaved parm and a little truffle oil. Runny egg yolk+truffle oil and tomato = 1 very happy girl.

But if it's hot I'll just have a salad with Tuna. Not quite as delicious.

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but the majority of my blog is based on cooking for one. Cereal/ takeout/ Ramen aren't a single person's only options! :)

I have a food blog featuring recipes for one!
www.lampnsofa.wordpress.com
Check it out!

I put an egg on it. (It's like putting a bird on it, only different.) I make myself scrambled egg 'breakfast' tacos, or put a fried egg on top of veggies, cous cous, potatoes, or rice. Egg + stuff. Yum.

Oh man! I am so incredibly happy to have clicked through to this page today! I get so depressed cooking just for myself, and I'm awful with leftovers as I don't own a microwave (by choice). I am totally bookmarking this post! (And kvmolen's blog!)

When I DO cook for one, though, I am a pasta-cooking machine. I finally got a decent sauce recipe, or I just toss it with EVOO. Also, black beans and rice are a usual go to (apparently for a lot of other people too!), along with quesadillas, breakfast-y things, and pre-packaged salads (expensive BUT SO EASY).

When it's just me, I'm perfectly happy with a hummus sandwich. I put hummus, lettuce and tomato into a pita. A no-brainer, but delicious AND healthy.

Sardine sandwiches are another go-to.

Stella and popcorn from the stove...extra butter and sea salt.

I usually do lots of sliced up fruits and veggies, plus a bean burrito and scoop of cottage cheese. Soups for one are also easy to make if you keep stock on hand and have a stick blender.

honeyhaze, have you tried cottage cheese on toast, topped with salsa? YUM.

Sauteed vegetables, maybe with some yogurt or toast on the side, and a glass of red wine.

This time of year, I often make tea sandwiches for lunch: good wheat bread, Whole Foods' low-fat veggie cream cheese, and English cucumber/ and or thinly sliced tomato/ and or smoked salmon. It's cool and delicious and perfect paired with a small cuppa Earl Grey. And no cooking!

Nothing. If there are no leftovers, I graze on cheese, charcuterie, whatever's in the fridge.

I cook for myself all the time, so I do all of the above - batches of one dish meals to last the week, sometimes just muesli and yogurt and fruit, sometimes a fried egg on something, occasionally a comfort meal like a cheddar cheese sandwich. When in grad school, I got into a rut of trying to make large dishes that would last, to be efficient and spend less time cooking, but in the last few years I've been experimenting more with putting together small simple meals to be eaten in just one sitting. Mark Bittman's 101 series in the New York Times a few years ago was really helpful with impromptu quick dishes from what's in the fridge, often grain based salads. It's been freeing to feel like I can cook without the burden of also trying to make several days worth of leftovers... the 101 salads, grilling, picnics, etc. are still available if you google New York Times, Bittman, and 101.

I love to cook things my husband doesn't really like. I make mizithra cheese spaghetti, pineapple anything, Chinese food, you name it. It is my time to get my tastes to myself.

I love to buy a cheap pizza and load it with exquisite cheeses and veggies. It's a simple pleasure, but delicious. And relatively healthy depending on the cheese:veggie ratio. :)

Everything! And, my fav breakfast is the image above; avocado sandwich!

I pretty much cook anything. But I guess it is different cooking for one because I can eat anything when alone but when you eat with someone you have to take their taste into account.

On the weekends I make huge vats of recipes that reheat well. When I get bored of the pasta gratin or stew of the week, however, I usually revert to a large plate of whatever vegetable is in season (often cooked with a slice or two of bacon) plus toast with a little cheese. In the winter the veggies get roasted, in the summer it's usually a saute.

If the cupboards are bare of veggies: scrambled eggs and toast. If I feel very tired and/or sorry for myself, popcorn and a large glass of wine. : )

I eat my dinner alone about 90% of the time, because my husband and I have opposite schedules. I like my no-pressure meals. A few examples: salad with slices of chicken or a boiled egg, breakfast tacos, brown rice and veggies, black beans and rice with slices of tomato. I usually cook a meal in the evening AFTER i've had my dinner. Those meals serve as my lunch for work and for his take to work meal.

@Trish1980 I like your attitude! :)

I generally cook alone as my boyfriend travels for work and also has wonky hours. I choose lots of soups (my favorite thing to make), lots of vegan dishes and curries. I LOVE leftovers! And it seems that when I cook alone, I choose the more difficult recipes that have me spending 3+ hours with prep and cook times.

I go on ingredient benders.

It's a Djion mustard moment. I'm putting it in/on everything I can think of. Breakfast was a poached egg, a teaspoon of Djion and a hash brown patty. Come to think of it, that was dinner last night too.

Last month it was brussels sprouts. I O.D.ed on sprout slaw, but am still loving them pan roasted with an onion/djion sauce.

Oh, you had me a Tucker Shaw!
I miss reading his stuff hard copy.

I might not "dine" alone, but I do eat well.
I keep a few sauces in my fridge or freezer and prep fresh veggies and tofu as needed.

When I lived alone, I'd make full meals for myself, plan menus, the whole 9. But now that I cook for a family, NOT cooking is a luxury. My go-to nobody's home meal is microwave nachos: grated cheddar on corn chips with some black beans spooned from the can, salsa from a jar. If I feel very fancy and energetic I will slice some scallions and avocado if I have it. Nuke for 30 secs, dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt: done.

I don't think I could stand to eat a bowl of cereal or a frozen meal or nachos or pizza Every Night just because I lived alone, though.

When I lived alone I lived on stir fried veggies with tofu... and occasionally a baked potato or an entire eggplant... and I can't lie, ice cream