A lot of us who stay away from our families end up going hungry every other night. With the ban on Maggi and the doubt after the ban was lifted, we are truly devoid of ‘food’. Hotels and pizzas are unaffordable beyond a few times a month and our kitchen skills are everything to laugh at.
So here is a list for all my brethren and sistern (?) of the away-from-home kinds, who live in far off cities, all alone, hungry in the night, morning and throughout the day. Read on for the kinds of MUST HAVE foods in your kitchen that will make you doubt life less and eat much more.
1. Potatoes
Slice and fry them to make extremely cheap French fries or boil and mash them. Either ways, they are super quick life savers.

Mashed Potatoes thehopelesshousewife
2. Nuts & Dry Fruits
Khajoor, pistas, cashews, peanuts, anjeer – keep them in the fridge always. They go beautifully with flakes or by themselves.
3. Corn Flakes or Oats
Look for bargains on local brands rather than the unfairly exorbitant foreign ones. Good to have on hand whenever.

A local brand. shopration
4. Fresh Fruits
Apples, chikoos, peaches, oranges, papaya, and pomegranate are fruits that last especially well in the fridge and are absolutely ready to eat, no cooking required!
5. Palak
This poor green leaf gets much less love than it deserves. Super versatile, just boil, mash, eat with bread or rice or make it into soup.

Add in some paneer and you have a full meal on hand! foodatnite
6. Cabbage
Another super versatile food, make sure you fry it well and then do what you shall with it, it will be a companion for life. Or bachelorhood, whichever is longer.
7. Rice
A no brainer. If you don’t have a cooker and rice at home, you do not have much hope.

Mashed Potatoes gschatharicemills
8. Curds
Mix in the fruits or the dry fruits or bacha sabji or have it with rice or have a cookie crumble yogurt.
9. Idli-Dosa Batter
Have it at home. Making dosas is easier and much cheaper and infinitely healthier than anything you can order.

Onion Uthappam chitrasfoodbook
10. Eggs
Also See

The bachelor life teaches people to appreciate eggs. Enough said.
11. Bread
Let’s thank the Mughals and the British for introducing us to bread. After you thank them, eat it.
12. Butter, Cheese, Mayo, Mustard
Use with discretion. Can expand waistlines and bills if used indiscriminately.
13. Milk
Cold coffee and milk shakes – ek glass and hunger relax.

Falooda. Add ice cream and Rose Essence. suggestkeyword
14. Laapshi Rawa
The coarser version of sadha rawa or semolina; just boil it with some jaggery and ghee and you have the easiest, most homemade kind of breakfast in literally minutes.
15. Tea & Biscuits
Another thing our Colonial masters gave us – tea and biscuits. Always have the house stocked with biscuits. ALWAYS.
We have tried to give the more basic versions of foods which are not costly and can be stored easily. We have deliberately not mentioned ready-to-cook foods because enough people and companies are selling those to you already.
What do you keep stocked to keep the hunger away?