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The First Apartment Checklist for Foodies

Imagine this: you’ve just moved into your first apartment and are all settled in except for the fact that your kitchen is empty. Since you’re a foodie, this is super problematic. You need your food and you need it now. It’s okay, fellow foodie. With the help of this first apartment checklist, I’ve got you covered with a bunch of kitchen supplies that you should head out and purchase for your apartment.

1. A major fridge

leftovers tea coffee
Denise Uy

Of course this is the first item on this first apartment checklist. Why? Because all of your food and drinks are in need of a home to keep them safe from everyone else while you’re away, which is where a fridge comes into play. 

2. A mini fridge

reduce food waste tea beer
Collette Block

Keep this mini fridge in your room in your apartment. Store all of your good wines, liquor, and food items that only you and you alone can have. Why? Because your name is now Joey and you don’t share food or alcohol. It also comes with a freezer and microwave just for you.

3. A functional microwave

how to ripen avocados coffee beer
Leanna Smith

You want leftovers and don’t want to waste a lot of time warming them up. What do you need? A microwave.

4. An oven

apartment meals milk cheese
Annie Pinto

Go ahead, make this recipe. I dare you. Bet you can’t do it without an oven.

5. A dishwasher

Your dishes need to be washed at some point or another, and you’ll probably be too tired to wash them all, which is where a dishwasher comes in.

6. Measuring cups

Nobody has the time to measure everything out themselves, which is where measuring cups come into play.

7. Labeled measuring spoons

When a recipe needs you to measure things, you probably just nod your head and hope that you’re not messing up the recipe. Measuring spoons just want to help you out.  

8. A Blender

kitchen appliance juice
Christin Urso

If you don’t have a blender, how are you supposed to make your morning smoothie? More importantly, how are you going to make any of these recipes without a blender?

9. Real people cups

first apartment checklist coffee tea
Kaitlyn Thayer

Plastic cups are great and all, but they’re wasteful. 

10. Real people forks, spoons, and knives

Healthyish wine coffee
Jordan Burns

When cooking food in your apartment, plastic utensils just won’t cut it anymore. They’ll stab you in the wrist and then break on you, so they’re pretty unreliable. Invest in some real people utensils that’ll love you for you. 

11. Plates

first apartment checklist cheese vegetable
Marie Chantal Marauta

Plates are key for eating off us since they’re the home to our food. 

12. Wine glasses

elicit Wine Project wine champagne
Jaime Wilson

As we go through life, we find ourselves needing more alcohol than we did when we were in college, which is why we need to upgrade the glasses that we hold our alcohol in. Long gone are the days of baby shot glasses and here are the days of filling our wine glasses up to the top and then drinking out of them.

13. A bottle opener

tailgating tips coffee pepper
Kathleen Lee

There are several uses for bottles. We can drink from them, or use them as pretty decorations around the house, or as the future homes to plants. In order to do any of those things, we need to open them (duh). Don’t use and risk breaking your keys like me (sorry, mom). Be an adult and use a bottle opener to open your bottles. 

14. Coffee mugs

chain coffee shops coffee cappuccino
Alex Frank

Everyone needs caffeine, and that’s where coffee comes in. Plastic and paper cups just won’t cut it, but coffee mugs will help keep your hands warm. 

15. Pots and pans

organized pantry kettle coffee
Katherine Baker

Pans are for eggs and pancakes. Pots are for hot things. You need both because eggs, pancakes, and warm things are all essential food groups on the food pyramid. 

16. Big baking bowls

what is queso vegetable cheese
Emma Lally

How else do you think you’re going to become Betty Crocker 2.0 if you have nothing to bake with? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Get some bowls.

17. Colander 

TikTok Recipe pasta spaghetti
Alex Frank

How else will you drain your spaghetti? 

18. Coffee maker

eat before Running coffee espresso

Coffee makers have one job and one job only, and that’s to make your coffee for you. Most people can’t live without coffee, which is why having a coffee maker is necessary.

19. Water filter

raw water water alcohol
Liz Pope

While this is unnecessary to have, some people just really want their water to be filtered.

20. Toaster oven

what to eat with a stomach ache french toast sandwich
Aakanksha Joshi

You might be one of those people who can’t live without toast, in which case a toaster oven is essential. Also, you might want to try these 17 toaster oven recipes out.

21. Wine

butternut squash wine bottle pouring
Jocelyn Hsu

After moving into your apartment, you’ll want to treat yourself with some wine. Because, wine not?

Hopefully, most of these items are on your first apartment checklist for when you move into your apartment. All of these things are very important and can’t be forgotten about. 

Liz is a 25-year-old freelance writer that's based in Brooklyn, New York with her foster cat, Leif. Liz has received her start in the media world at Spoon University, and has acquired over 3.8 million views on her Spoon articles alone with millions more views on her syndicated content while finding her appreciation for consuming and producing branded content. Liz also has her articles syndicated on Business Insider, Insider, MSN, and Teen Vogue in addition to having her most popular article cited by Elite Daily. Liz has also contributed to YourTango and Entrepreneur.When Liz isn't writing, Liz is probably listening to music, walking around aimlessly like the hot mess that she is, cuddling with her cat, consuming new food dishes and drinks, at an event, at therapy with her one and only therapist that she absolutely adores, at an appointment with someone from her medical team, making up random dance moves in her bedroom, or figuring out what to do with herself. Liz's favorite cheese is feta and a pet peeve of hers is when people don't use the word "simultaneously" in the right manner.To get in touch with Liz, she can be reached at itslizab@gmail.com, @astrrisk on Instagram, and on LinkedIn. Liz is always down to be invited to an event or to talk about food, booze, and mental health. Liz's pronouns are she/her/hers.Please be patient when getting in touch with Liz - she probably is unaware as to what day it is, and might be dancing for her therapist.... to the Macarena, of course.