Grocery list for one person

The problem isn't quantity, it's package size

Someone living alone doesn't spend half of what a couple spends — they spend considerably more than half. The reason is that minimum package sizes don't divide. A head of lettuce, a five-pound bag of onions, a can of tomatoes: same size for one as for four, and the remainder goes in the trash.

So this list favors what you can buy loose, what keeps for weeks, and what freezes well. It isn't a list of small portions — it's a list of forgiving formats.

Freezing in portions is what makes it work

Cooking for one every night pays off in neither time nor money. What works is cooking four servings and freezing three, so most of the week is reheating.

• Right after shopping: split the chicken and freeze half; the whole loaf of bread goes in the freezer.
• When you cook: make four portions of rice, beans or stew and freeze three in single-serving containers.
• Label with the date. Without it, the freezer becomes a museum of unidentifiable objects.

Where bulk does pay off

On anything that doesn't spoil: rice, pasta, oil, canned goods, paper products. There the unit price rules and there's no risk.

And on frozen vegetables, which are the single best thing for someone living alone: take exactly what you're cooking, the rest stays in the drawer unharmed. It's the difference between eating vegetables daily and buying them with good intentions and tossing them Thursday.

Compared to ordering in

This cart runs about $55 and covers a full week. Two delivery orders cost the same and cover two dinners. The math isn't close: cooking for one is expensive next to cooking for four, but it's still far cheaper than the alternative.