I’ve always loved cooking, ever since I was tall enough to reach the counter while standing on a stool, so I knew I was going to go to college with some cookware. But, I knew that many kids either hated cooking or did not know how. Yet, I was shocked at how little cooking supplies some kids brought. Regardless of the size of your meal plan, here are the bare minimum kitchen utensils you need in college.
A Fork, Spoon, Bowl, and Plate
These may seem self-explanatory for kitchen utensils, but you would not believe the amount of times my friends would ask me to borrow a plate or bowl and spoon for cereal.
#ProTip: Do not leave any utensils in your lounge as your floor mates will view this as an opportunity to shop for their own fork. Look, everyone in college is broke, so anything in the lounge is fair game.
A Small Pot and Pan
You may not use these that much, but when you want to make that mac-and-cheese your mom sent in your care package, you will need a pot to make it in. A pan also comes in handy when you want real eggs for breakfast on Sunday instead of the ones in the caf.
A Rubber Spatula
The most important advice I can give anybody in college or someone who owns pots and pans, is to take care of them. Do not use a metal spoon/fork on them when cooking. The trick to saving money is to take care of the things you have, meaning do not scrape up your pans with metal. Invest in a cheap rubber spatula and be sure all your kitchen utensils are rubber/wooden.
A Colander
Again, if you want mac-and-cheese you will need to drain the macaroni. Unless you have the skill to drain water by balancing the lid over the pan, get yourself a colander.
Basic Measuring Spoons and Cups
You won’t need these kitchen utensils often, but when you need them no one else will have them. You’ll find that you want to bake your friend a cake for their birthday or throw your RA a party. They will come in handy for these random moments.
These are the bottom-line kitchen utensils you will need to get though dorm life. You might think I’m over-compensating and that they’ll only take up space in your room. But I promise you, when you are snowed in, have the freshman plague, or just want Spaghetti-Os, you will be thankful for having these on-hand.
