Bachelor Chow: Staples

As I have stated in the past, cooking for yourself need not be a painstaking chore. There are plenty of foods out there designed to make meal time as stress free as possible. The list I have compiled below contains just a few basic food items that every bachelor kitchen should contain, as well as maintain, on a regular basis. These, my friends, are what I like to call "Man Food Staples":

1. Bread: This loaf of sliced delight is among the most versatile of all of the man staples. It can do well on its own as toast for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or an in between meal snack. Not only is it a great standalone item but it can often be paired with many other Man Food Staples to provide an even greater dining experience, as you will later see.
2. Butter: Whether in sticks or tubs this staple is a must. Believe me, you'd be surprised to find out how many of even the simplest foods call for butter, or margarine. It amazes me every time I am unable to cook something due to my own lack of butter. Combine it with Bread to make your toast some POP!
3. Pasta: It doesn't matter what kind of pasta shape you prefer, whether it be rigatoni or penne, pasta is among the easiest of easy foods to prepare for yourself. Oh, you say you're on a whole grain food kick? Don't worry your manly little five-o-clock shadow. There are plenty of whole grain pastas to choose from, just look for what looks like a box of chocolate noodles. You can also buy an array of different pasta sauces, but none of which i would call a staple. And if you don't have sauce (or don't like it) you can always toss some Butter and garlic powder in along with your noodles. I am also going to lump macaroni and cheese in with the pastas, slightly different it may be. Again, don't forget the Butter.
4. American Cheese Slices: Combine this with Butter and Bread. Grilled Cheese, need I say more?
5. Eggs: Eggs are also very versatile. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, eggs can make a great meal. Scramble or fry your eggs, and combine them with your Cheese, Butter, and Bread for a phenomenal breakfast (lunch, or dinner) sandwich.
6. Hot Dogs: Last but not least on my list are, what should be, the biggest staple of all Man Food Staples: Hot dogs. The hot dog is, perhaps the easiest of the bachelor meal to prepare. Put them in a pot of water and boil. It really doesn't matter how little you cook them, because all hot dogs are precooked to begin with. They're, basically, a heat and eat food, and one of my favorite. Personally, I am a fan of the natural casing hot dogs, but my favorites are the Glaziers. They're a natural casing dog, red in color, and taste like fun on a bun. And what about you veg heads and vegans? Don't fret none, for there are a few vegan friendly frank makers that offer a less tasty and less satisfying tofu dog. Wrap your wiener in Bread and your good to go. (Just a little tip: If you ever come home after a long night of drinking with your friends, and you're hungry but all your dogs are frozen, just do what I do. I discovered that if you toss a frozen package of frozen hot dogs into boiling water and let them sit for about 8-10 minutes, the packaging acts as a little pressurized steam cooker, cooking all your dogs relatively quickly. I don't recommend this method in the oven or on a grill.)

I also have a couple more items that, I would suggest, be in your cupboards as well, but wouldn't necessarily call them staples. First off, may I suggest canned goods such as anything Chef Boyardee (minus the Overstuffed Ravioli. Compared to the regular or mini raviolis, this stuff tastes like hot garbage), as well as soups and tuna.

I would also like to suggest the purchase of Yoplait Go-Gurts. Sure you could eat them out of the refrigerator but, in my experience, a Go-Gurt is more enjoyable, any time of year, after it has had a night to set in the freezer. Delicious. Flavors I'd recommend would be Berry Blue Blast, Cool Cotton Candy, Watermelon, Strawberry-Banana, Red Razzberry (something like that), and if they still make it, Strawberry Milkshake was good too.

These are what I found to be the basic food needs for bachelor existence. I hope you agree, and would love to hear what you think. Also, if you have a tough time with cooking eggs or grilled cheese, I fully intend on giving simple instruction in the future. So until next time remember, bachelor cooking isn't that hard.