A Winter Supper for One

Begin with appetite. Would you like something soft and hot from the oven, a bowl of soup, or leftovers that will make a very good supper with bread? Choose a meal that fits your energy and the time you have.

Ruth's potato, onion and cheese bake is a generous little oven dish. It suits an evening when you have time to let the potatoes cook properly. On a shorter evening, use food already prepared; this ritual does not depend on cooking from scratch.

Clear enough of the table to eat comfortably. Put down a plate or bowl, cutlery and a glass. Use a favourite piece of crockery if it would give you pleasure, including the one you tend to leave in the cupboard for visitors.

There is no need to set the whole table. One useful place can sit quite happily beside the ordinary life of the room.

Put your book nearby, choose something to watch later or leave a piece of music ready to play. Making this small decision now can save the rest of the evening from disappearing into a search for something to do.

You may prefer to read while you eat. You may prefer to taste supper first and move to the sofa afterwards. Both are ordinary, perfectly good ways to spend the evening.

Take the dish to the table when it is ready, observing any resting time in the recipe. Add the salad or bread you planned, sit down and let the meal be the thing you are doing for a little while.

If you have cooked more than you want tonight, set aside the extra according to the recipe's storage instructions. You do not have to finish a dish simply because it was made for one.

After eating, put away the food and do the small amount of clearing that will make tomorrow easier. Then return to the part of the evening you chose. A load of laundry or an unanswered message does not automatically have to occupy every remaining minute.

Ruth's supper is a useful reminder that a quiet plan is still a plan. It can have a beginning, something good in the middle and an ending that does not require an explanation.

Does it have to be a homemade meal? No. The ritual is about making an evening for yourself. Prepared food and leftovers can be part of it.

What if eating alone is not something I enjoy? Add the kind of company that suits you: a radio programme, a familiar show or a call before dinner. You do not have to enjoy silence to make yourself a good supper.

Can I do this when I usually eat with someone? Yes. It works for an occasional evening on your own as well as for everyday life.