WOW! You guys are all so organised!!
I don't usually try to cook anything if I have unexpected guests for morning or afternoon tea. It's generally the Elders man/girl or the Insurance guy. I always have cakes in the freezer anyway and the bickie barrel is never empty!
I mostly have to make last minute nibblies when people call in for drinks and stay for ages. That's when the cream cheese and tuna comes in handy, also Salsa and corn chips.
For last minute meals, I would probably make something with pasta. I always have dried mushrooms and UHT cream in my cupboard and frozen or fresh bacon and generally have eggs, so it's quite often carbonara.
I cleaned out my pantry today and it took me almost all day!! I don't believe the amount of stuff I have. Five sorts of rice, for heaven's sake! Every nut, grain, seed and pasta shape know to man, every sort of sugar, every dried fruit there is.... I shouldn't ever have to worry about not having anything to cook!