[TalnSG]

What you probably should focus on is small portions and buying fresh ingredients daily, or every other day. At first that will seem like a hassle, but eventually it will become habit and you will appreciate the fresh quality, despite the more frequent buying trips. This will cut down on the need for storage and space to cook.

Soups and rice prepared with multiple portions will probably be ok. Rice gets used up quickly. Soup can be kept at room temp for a while as long as it can be brought to a boil before eating it, but be careful about the ingredients. Meats in soups spoil faster than vegetables and broth at room temp. If you want a thick soup, puree veggies. Don't be tempted to add any form of milk. Creamed soups do not keep well without refrigeration and they can't be boiled without lots of practice.

I haven't lived in Japan, but I went through this when I remodeled my kitchen. Doing it myself meant I was living with only a hot plate & microwave for several months, so I had the same issues MMM mentioned with it just being easier to eat out. But that got old and sometimes expensive.