The recipes are no particular problem if the person has the curiosity to learn the basic principles of catch, kill, (skin when needed), cut, burn, eat.

In the US, it is exceedingly difficult to find cooking utensils appropriate for cooking for just one person (or even for just two). The "sets" of utensils that are the most economical way of getting the basics are invariably aimed at MWC families with delusions of hosting large banquets. The recently widowed probably has cookware of this kind.

A person cooking just for one doesn't need a 16 quart rendering (soup) pot, or even two quart (the most common size) sauce pans, and it's virtually impossible to find a sauce pan smaller than 2 qt that has a lid that will fit, even if you search for "individual item purchases."

A particular factor that needs to be considered is that most markets in the US package virtually all meats in "family size" units, so it's a good idea to break down the packages and freeze the (uncooked) individual portions for storage. This means the freezer, especially if it's just the unit in the 'fridge, will likely be needed for the supply of things waiting to be cooked, and there won't be a lot of space for leftovers.

Cooking larger portions and saving what isn't eaten at the first sitting does not work well for most singles. The tendency is to just try to eat it all within two or three days, which results in a monotonous diet, or to stuff them in the "experimental lab cooler" (a.k.a. refrigerator) to see what color they'll be when (if) you get around to tossing them.

Preparing portions in advance for cooking one meal at a time, with choices at hand in the freezer, works much better for most. This comes fairly easily for some, but may be a very difficult concept for others.

In most cases, it's best to let the single person choose what to do, since the advantages of "your" system aren't sufficient to justify attacking the independence of another person. Ask if (s)he wants help before foisting a bunch of recipe books on him or her. Most elders are a lot more capable than the kids think they are - although it usually doesn't hurt to pay some attention to how they're doing and to provide help when they request it.

John