All of this makes the bold assumption that you cook. Many, many singles don't. Some admit to cooking, but only for other people. We singles seem to have a confidence problem in the kitchen. We'll do it for others, but not for ourselves.
Cooking is actually far more cost-effective than relying on convenience foods.
It used to be that we headed to a restaurant to escape the grind, to enjoy a night out away from home. We wanted someone else to do the cooking and the cleanup, and we were quite happy to pay for that luxury. The NPD Group found that in 1996, more restaurant meals were taken out than eaten on premises. 1996 was the first year the pendulum swung in the other direction, and it marked the beginning of a trend that has continued and gained strength. The bottom line in 1998 is that consumers want their food prepared by a restaurant, but they don't necessarily want to eat it there.