Dorm life or apartment living close to campus may seem like a dream situation for the new college student until the reality of missing kitchen essentials hits. Moving from Mom’s completely stocked and well loved cooking area to the confines of a college kitchen can be difficult if no advance preparation is done. Dorm essentials for the kitchen vary from student to student and from college to college. Gathering information about available appliances, equipment, work space, and dorm life cooking rules will save dollars and prevent frustrating moments.
Ask About College Kitchen Equipment
If the living arrangements are in an apartment complex with a full kitchen, it is important to know if all appliances are provided. An efficiency apartment may have a mini refrigerator or may not have a stove. Knowing the equipment on hand allows for informed decisions on what items should be on the dorm shopping list.
A college kitchen on campus may have full sized appliances for shared use, but dorm rooms may be allowed small cooking items like microwaves or toaster ovens. Before shopping for dorm cooking utensils or storage items, learn what the cooking options are. For areas with only a microwave, invest in better quality microwavable dishes to last the entire year. For dorms which provide kitchen items, ask exactly what is available to prevent duplication.
Dorm Life Kitchen Items
When making the dorm shopping list, consider which appliances and utensils will actually be used. A novice cook preparing one meal a week will not need the utensil set-up of an experienced cook. If the student is an avid baker, consider purchasing a set of baking pans, cookie sheets, and other related items. The ability to make late night brownies may make the baking pan more essential than the casserole dish. Reduce expenditures and avoid having five popcorn poppers and no toaster in the dorm kitchen by discussing purchases with other students using the same kitchen.
To find the mix of items to best help the student feel more at home in a college kitchen, consider how much time the student will be spending there. Will most meals be eaten in the cafeteria? Is the kitchen just a back-up to the main planned eating arrangement? The dorm kitchen shopping list will differ based on the answers to these questions.
College Kitchen Pantry Items
When stocking the college kitchen pantry, consider how much secure storage space is available. Even a student with a meal plan for the campus cafeteria will want to make meals when classes run past serving hours, but must be able find a place to put the goods. Dorm food essentials include items easily stored as well as easily prepared. If dorm life includes access to a full sized refrigerator, frozen meals may be on the shopping list. For one with a mini fridge or limited cold storage, packaged or canned meals can fill the void.
Prepackaged snack items may be stored in the dorm room if space allows. Quick-grab breakfast items are essential for early class mornings. Visiting the dorm or apartment before stocking up on favorite snacks is advisable since many rooms have limited storage.
College Kitchens Go Green
A reliable hand can opener may the better choice of utensils over the electric opener. Not only does the go-green approach use less electricity but manual openers are also more portable and easily stored. Other green kitchen options include adding kitchen towels to replace the paper towels and stocking the cabinets with storage containers instead of single use plastic bags. If purchasing an appliance, check the energy star ratings to determine the efficiency of the item.
Figuring out what the college kitchen offers before shopping for dorm essentials will make adapting to new living arrangements easier for the student. Even though students are creative and make the best of the situation, planning ahead and stocking the college kitchen pantry makes transition less stressful for all. Considering the items needed and space available before the big move day allows more frugal shopping and cash savings to use for trips back home.
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