Living on your own for the first time? One of the most overwhelming things to think about is how to cook for yourself. The first time I ever needed to do this was when I lived in an apartment in Boston the summer after my junior year of college. Since I planned to fly home, I needed all of my kitchen stuff to fit into one box that I shipped separately. Luckily, this experience showed me that a minimal kitchen can still be highly functional and most-importantly, cost-effective, especially when you are just starting out.
After having cooked for myself for over a year now, I’m excited to share with you my list of kitchen essentials that will allow you to whip up anything from pancakes to stir fries, to pies. While all the things on my list may not fit into one box anymore, this is still a fairly minimal list that is very easy to manage and pack up.
Cooking Necessities:
- Two pots (one big one small)
- Three frying pans (small, medium, large)
- Colander
- Three different sized mixing bowls
- At least two cutting boards (one plastic for meat)
- Blender
- Liquid measuring cup
- Dry measuring cups
- Tongs
- Spatula
- Two mixing spoons
- Pronged mixing spoon (for pastas)
- Whisk
- Baking pan, square and rectangular
- Cookie sheet
- Edged baking sheet
- Can opener
- Bottle/wine opener
- Paring knife
- Bread knife
- Heavy duty knife
- Cheese grater (optional)
- Pie dish (optional)
- Dish towels
- Oven mitt
Eating Necessities
- Big plates
- Small plates
- Small bowls
- Shallow wide bowls
- Cereal bowls
- Drinking glasses
- Mugs
- Wine glasses
- Forks, knives, spoons
- Plastic/glass containers for leftovers
Tips for Saving Money on Kitchen Stuff
Forming this collection of kitchen supplies may seem daunting at first especially if you don’t have anything, yet, however, there are some great ways to save money.
1. Split the cost with a roommate
Luckily, I had a wonderful roommate last year who I shared all these things with. One of my biggest tips would be to coordinate with whoever you’re living with to stock your kitchen with all it needs. Make sure to clearly communicate what each of you already has and where the gaps are. When filling those gaps, instead of splitting the bill down the middle, just allocate different items to each person so that they all have clear owners and there’s no squabbling when you move on to your next living situation.
By taking the extra time to coordinate, you avoid the stress of a messy kitchen filled with duplicates and harness the power of a shared dollar!
2. Check the dollar store first
If there’s one thing I picked up from my Dad, it is shopping at the dollar store. Surprisingly, the dollar store has some great deals on many kitchen necessities. I had the best luck finding things like spatulas and mixing spoons there. However, you can find a lot more stuff on this list, too. When getting things at the dollar store, make sure to ask yourself whether the quality will hold up long-enough to make it worth it.
3. Buy as you go
If there’s things on this list that you don’t think you would necessarily use, then skip it at first and wait until you find an occasion that you would actually use it. A lot of things on this list were purchased after I had already moved into my apartment (see pie plate and cheese grater). Saving a purchase for later not only ensures you only buy things you need but also saves on upfront costs.
4. Name brands are not necessary
Unless you’re an avid chef, don’t worry about getting name brand pots and pans. Sure, they may be nice to have and may even cook food better and more evenly, however, the reality of life as a twenty-something year old is that things will get damaged or misplaced especially amid the chaos of multiple roommates. My roommate and I cooked almost every single day, and our budget-friendly cookware withstood it all!