For me, cooking when I'm temporarily alone would be quite different than cooking when permanently alone.
I can understand not cooking up a storm when it's a temporary gig....but if one is living alone then I think you look at it differently.
I get hungry for certain things at certain times of the year and I would cook those things even if I lived alone. If someone was gone on just a temporary basis, I'd hold off, if it's something they like also.

I have certain things that I like that my partner doesn't, so if she has to be gone, I take that opportunity to enjoy those foods.

Nancy

I have to agree with Nancy. If I am alone for a short time, then I usually eat things that the rest of the family don't care for or I eat something quick.
I am sure that would be different if I lived alone all the time.
John, what does SWMBO stand for?
Lisa

If I am not cooking for my family (mostly dh), then I tend to ramp down my cooking efforts substantially. I spend a month with just the kids at our summer cottage, and while I make light dinners for them, I tend to subsist on things like tomato sandwiches.

Jo

On the rare occasion that I am alone for a meal, I wouldn't cook either. I'd get my favorite take-out meal (like Mexican). I do plenty of cooking for my family and deserve a break once in a while.

Ya, what Nancy and Lisa said. I make/eat things the missing people don't like. Or I generally eat whatever needs using up even if they don't match or make a real dish.

I agree with Nancy and Lisa. I have been with "my-still-not-ex" (HWMBO, and I am completely serious) for so long that, before him I didn't cook, but once he came around, I learned how to cook well. Now that he's gone, I alternate. In the beginning, I didn't cook much at all, glad for the break. Sometimes I make a huge pot of dirty rice and eat it all week, with nothing else except nibbles. Some days I experiment and make egg rolls with spicy dipping sauce, fried rice, and caramel chicken. Not that I want to eat that much food, but since they all have similar ingredients, I like to turn such into a "feast" just for me. Now I cook nice meals for no more reason than "I deserve it". Why did I make such great food for such a bum? ;) Nah, he did like my cooking and enjoyed eating it. Nonetheless, I too like cooking and enjoy eating it. Why I should I miss out when no one else is around? When he was there, I only nicked what he would never eat seizing my chance to eat what I normally couldn't. Yes, it's very different when you're in a dedicated relationship than when you're single. I completely delight in it when I can cook something for a loved one now.

Lisa,
SWMBO=she who must be obeyed. He's not totally serious.

It is very seldom that Moe isn't home. But in the past there were often times when he would be gone for days at a time and I still ate well. As much as I love cooking, I do it as much for myself as I do for Moe. I enjoy good food.

So if I'm by myself I will still cook a meal that pleases just me. Or when we lived in Toronto or Vancouver and there were lots more restaurants or interesting take out places I would go out or order in. Either way I would still eat well whether alone or not.

Ann

John,
Your bachelor dinner recipe reminds me of DH's bachelor dinner recipe...

Broccoli-tuna-cheese-rice
or
Broccoli-tuna-egg-rice
or
Peas-tuna-egg-rice
or
Peas-tuna-cheese-pasta
or... (you can see the theme here...)

One extra step though, he does cook the pasta or rice first. Once in a while, if DH is working late, DS and I have that for dinner. Pure comfort food... maybe it's a bit of a substitute when the companion is not around...

I really don't know what or IF I'd cook for myself. I don't think I've eaten a single dinner alone in my life; there is always somebody here!

I've been thinking a little about that now that we're older, wondering if I'd cook in the event of hub's demise, and I think I would, but without an appreciative audience, maybe not. One of my single dtrs cooks for herself once or twice a week, the other one eats Johnliu's ramen concoction once a day for supper and eats what her school provides for dinner every day so never so much as boils water for herself. I always wonder why on earth, since they both enjoy good food and know how to cook, they'd rather eat the junk they do instead of make something delicious. I hope I don't find out, too!

Sherry

I prefer not eating alone, however I still would cook for myself. I just wouldn't cook complete meals as I can get by on very little. Last night was an example, I cooked for just me and had roasted beets and fried asparagus and that was it. Or I might make a casserole and nothing else. Being alone, I still love to cook, just not complete meals.

I don't do much in the way of cooking when I'm on my own. When I do it's something really quick, something my husband doesn't care for, or something really bad like wings or pieorgi loaded with sour cream.

Mostly I order in or pick something up, again things he doesn't care for....or things that are really bad!

I also tend not to cook as much for myself. I cooked when the girls were home and Elery and I cook for each other. Elery does cook when he's alone, I don't as much.

Breakfast is just as likely to be skipped, or be a biscotti and coffee. Lunch is a big plate of whatever vegetables I have fresh, frozen or canned. Supper might be pancakes with eggs, but it's just as likely to be eggs without the pancakes. I will bake for the kids or dig some canned soup out of the basement, but I don't spend a lot of time cooking for myself, it kind of takes the fun out of it for me.

I mentioned once that I cook as a way to show people I care about them. Dad used to say that if I said a guy was taking me to supper he didn't even need to meet him but if I said I was cooking supper for someone, it was serious.

Annie

When I was single, I lived alone for over 10 years, so I learned to enjoy cooking for myself. Now, I cook for my husband and myself almost every night, unless we get a bee in our bonnet to go out somewhere.

He sings in a chorus one night a week, sometimes two, and I give him dinner far too early for me to eat myself, generally something quick and light.

So, then I have my evening to myself. Sometimes, I indulge myself in reprehensible junky foods that I would never serve him for a meal, like buffalo wings, frozen mini tacos or sausage and mash, but more often I cook myself a nice meal and revert for one evening to my singlehood habit of enjoying a nice meal and a nice book simultaneously.

The one real difference in my cooking habits since I got married is that now I cook a meal whether I really want to eat or not, and try to keep to a more or less regular meal schedule. When I was single, I cooked/ate when I was hungry, not at specific meal times. I might have dinner at 5 pm, or not until 10 pm, or not at all simply because I was involved in a book or a project and didn't think about food. I tended to eat one pretty large meal a day, with a couple of snacks here and there. Also, being the soup fiend that I am, often I would have a bowl of my good, homemade soup and some crackers or bread for dinner and leave it at that, but that is not normally an adequate dinner for a man who works long, physical days.

''I mentioned once that I cook as a way to show people I care about them.''

I usually roll my eyes when talk turns to ''what's your love language'' but there is probably something to it.

I love to cook for people. I enjoy cooking when I'm alone, but I've never really been alone for long periods of time.
I love the planning, shopping, prepping, all of it.

If I lived alone, I'd probably invite people over...alot!
And I tend to eat quick grab 'n' go stuff (muffin, banana, cheese stick, slab of ham, etc.).

It's definitely about the company for me!
And I can't have company and NOT plan something food related.

Deanna

DH & I spent 6 years together only on weekends. We had an apartment in NY where he stayed during the week & I stayed in Mystic. Only sometimes would I spend a couple weeks in NY. I cooked in Mystic & froze individual servings of entrees, sides, desserts, & snacks. DH would transport via our huge boat ice chest every week. I cooked for us both on the weekends.

I, OTOH, had the same opportunity to eat great POOF'd meals but rather just grabbed a carton of yogurt, a spoonful of peanut butter, or a slice of cheese & piece of fruit calling it "dinner". I didn't follow a schedule...usually ate when I realized I'd had nothing for the day. I didn't care enough about eating to even bother getting something from the freezer & walking it to the nuker. Just didn't have an appetite. But I loved cooking to fill the freezer for DH. He ate very well. I love cooking more than I love eating.

Now, he's retired & we're both in Mystic. Suddenly, I'm ravenous! Now granted, the steroids I have to take now have something to do with it but it's a lot more...it's having DH here to share a meal. There's no doubt in my mind that if I were permanently alone I wouldn't bother with much cooking.

I enjoy good food but (pre-spinal injury/stroke) I'd likely be involved with my piano, gardening, or painting/drawing & just never think much about eating. When I'm deeply involved in something food doesn't occur to me. DH, OTOH, wants 3 meals/day & gets grouchy if he misses one. :)

Bottom line, I enjoy cooking for others but would rarely (if ever) do much for just myself.

Another thing, after I've prepared a huge family holiday meal I then don't want to eat. I either don't eat at all or just pick at a small plate. Then, hours later I'll fix myself leftovers (love leftovers!). When the kids were all home it was frequently the same thing. After fixing a big family dinner I didn't want to eat. So, I'd fix something light, or leftovers again, after the kids were down. After cooking a big meal I'm just not hungry anymore. I could definitely work as a chef & not gain a single pound. Being around all that food...I'd never be hungry.

/tricia

I'd rather cook for people than go out to dinner most of the time. Don't get me wrong, I don't always want to cook and I do love restaurants, but usually I love having company. I love having parties big and small, and they always involve all sorts of food I cook myself. I love the planning, shopping, prepping, all of it, too!

We were sitting here quietly at noon today when our son called and asked us if we'd like to go to a ballgame with him and his family tonight. You bet I do! I flew into the kitchen and boiled potatoes and eggs for potato salad, made coleslaw and got the pork shoulder into the pressure cooker for barbequed pork sandwiches. I still have to husk the corn, but I can't wait till that wonderful family gets here in half an hour or so!

I cook because I like to eat good food. The problem with living alone (which I have done most of my life) is no matter how good the soup or pasta sauce or cake or whatever it is that you make is, you end up with tons of leftovers which becomes tortuous after a while. And I will not throw out anything that is remotely edible. So this awesome pasta caponata I made last month became "Revenge of the Pasta Caponata" after about ten days. So when I have company I tend to make all the new, substantial recipes I would like to try, so I tend to "overdo" for friend gatherings for that reason. But I am somewhat self serving in this since it is my one chance to stretch my culinary wings. On my own, it is mostly VERY simple things during the week, (like tonight I am having nachos for dinner) and then things over the weekend I can freeze in portions during the week, (like enchiladas, roasted vegetables, bean soup, bread, etc.). Company's coming and I will make a pie, or a cake, or something like eggplant parmesean!
I'm trying to curb my entertaining excess, I have come to realize I don't enjoy my friends company as much if I am sweating the details on an overly elaborate dish or extensive menu, or risking some new recipe.

About not wanting to eat after doing a lot of cooking - that is familiar.

If I've been cooking for a while, even just an hour, I no longer have any interest in eating. I'll have two bites, then get up and work on the next course plating. It is as if I need to spend a certain amount of time with food, but whether it is cooking it, or eating it, doesn't matter.

And about preferring to cook for dinner parties, than to dine in restaurants - definitely!. The only thing is, I find it hard to entertain friends and cook at the same time. How do you manage to have your act sufficiently together? Fortunately, SWMBO loves entertaining. I only have to cook while grunting politely. I can manage that.

John, my kitchen is the room where everyone gathers. My friends will lean on the island or sit at the table and chat while I do whatever I need to do. Cooking IS entertainment in my world.

I have never had nor attended a cocktail party, nor do I know anyone here who has. Dinner parties tend to be informal and everyone stacks the dishes in the sink and then sits around with a drink and gossips or talks about whatever the current topic of interest is.

Everyone leaves by 10 or 11, I stick the dishes in the dishwasher, start it and go to bed.

We live a wild life, LOL.

One of my family traditions was cooking dinner for the family Christmas party. It started at about 20, became 30, 35, 40+. Now we had it at the Townhall or at Amanda's in the garage because Dave has a big garage. Everyone cooks, but at one time I was cramming 40 people into my house and cooking for all of them. I did a lot of advance planning...

Annie

It's easier to host big parties now that I have "staff," John. We have six adult kids who have four spouses now, so when the 20 of us (including the gkids and my mom) are together, they know their roles. (It's always hectic when we're all together, though. When our kids are together, they still play like kids and it's hard to get them to "focus" until I put my foot down!) When we include other people (we've had 90 people at a time), same thing: everyone has a job before and during the party.

Now, when we have five or six other couples in for dinner, like most of us I plan the menu so most of it is done earlier in the day. I always ask one of the guests to be my sous chef for the last 15 minutes or so before dinner, give her/him an apron, and we go to it! Hub is like SWMBO, out there doing the hosting. We have a tiny kitchen, but with clear labels on things, and good order as to where I've put things for the the sous to do, it's fun in the kitchen! Really, that part of it is for cooking the scallops or steaks that take only a few minutes, mashing potatoes, tossing salads, icing glasses and pouring water, finishing the sides and taking them to the table. The dumbest thing I ever tried to serve was paella for 14. Now that was hard....my timing was waaaay off on that one.

Oh. And I grunt a lot, too. I'm pretty sure you do an adequate job of mingling with your guests and cooking at the same time. We all get our groove on in our own way.

I've lived alone for most of the past 12 years and I learned very quickly to take good care of myself. I don't eat out much, I make a good dinner most every night, and the nights I don't make dinner, I eat cookies.

I buy chicken and beef, I have Ikea frozen meatballs, Stouffers lasagna, prepared mashed potatoes, frozen veggies, pasta, etc. Now that I can get fresh food from the farmers market and my garden, I eat that.

I cook dinner most every night. I make the same sort of dinners I made for my family when there were 5 of us. Any leftovers go to work with me for lunch.

When an assortment of children and grandchildren are staying with me, for weeks, months, or years, I enjoy making dinner for all of us, even if the grandchildren don't eat much.

I've been alone for almost 18 years. I don't cook a lot for myself, but I do tend to ask people for dinner a lot. not a lot of "dinner parties" but just "come on over, I'll cook".
If I do get a huge yen for something like a corned beef or potroast, Ig et sick of it long before it's gone...so I seem to have lots of little doo-dads of stuff in my freezer.

about cooking for fun, I have a fairly new friend, a man younger than my son, with 2 teen aged boys who mow my lawn and shovel my snow...they're really good kids! Over the past year or so when Dad has come over to see how the kids are doing, I will say...how about a drink? and Shall I make dinner? ( his wife is a photographer, taking weddings, graduations pregnant moms and babies mostly...so works very often in the early evening)
He has said many times he wishes he could cook...and the older son watches Food Network and loves Alton Brown. I say any time....what do you want to learn? Well last night was the first lesson, at their house and I pretty much stood and pointed....and father and son, mostly son, made foccacia, blueberry grunt or cobbler or whatever you call it, a big mess of grilled veggies (there was only 1 oven) and his own quick frozen Canadian wall eye, rolled in ground pecans, panko and grated lemon rind, wild rice cooked with mushrooms and a simple salad with EVOO, balsamic vinegar, mushrooms and dried cranberries.
All turned out fabulously, the veggies were a bit over done for me, but they didn't want any crunch... and they are planning the next "party in the kitchen".

And I am another who when I have cooked lots of something, I really don't want to eat it....funeral lunches come to mind...seems I usually end up eating broken cookies and the bars that got stuck in the pan!

Yes....cooking is love, cooking is fun, cooking can be about companionship, cooking can be a service.
But you don't need to "cook" to keep from starving to death.
Linda C

Interesting topic.

I think I prefer cooking for just me. I can make it just exactly how I want it, and do whatever weird neurotic things I need to do, like take things in and out of the pan four times. I can eat whenever I'm hungry and can make time sensitive things. I can't imagine having a bunch of sunny-side up eggs perfectly cooked at the same time or making tacos for a family-- at least not without a deep fryer and those taco shape formers, which sounds like an awful ordeal-- but for one it's quick and easy and done in one little skillet and I can eat it before it cools too much. The chances of my friends appreciating the finesse I put into the meal are slim. If I had a friend who was a foodie, I think I'd love cooking for him or her. People are always saying it's hard to cook for one, but I don't understand why. Seems like almost everything can be made in an individual portion, and if I'm making a batch of something unhealthy, I just take the rest to work.