abasket

Yeah, cookbook to me means a compilation of recipes from home.

Otherwise, use the internet! It's not very often I use my actual cookbooks.

LongPrime

Minimalist cooking.
1- wok for stirfry, fry, boiling, serving dish.
1- pair chopsticks
1- wok spatula with curved sides to act as a spoon/ladle/stirrer

Maximumist cooking
1 wok for stirfry
1 wok for fry
1 wok for boiling
1 wok for rice cooking
1 work for serving to guest
5-1/2 pair of chops. one for each wok plus one stir to replace the lost stick.
5 wok spatulas.

akck

The internet is great for finding recipes when you have an idea of what you want, but a cookbook with pictures of every dish came in handy when they didn't have a clue as to what they wanted. They could browse through it and see something that looked good to try.

We eventually made a notebook of favorite recipes for each of them, but the cell phone was used more extensively. It was handy for them to call home and ask what they needed for a recipe when they shopping. Sometimes, we even had to tell them where to look (fortunately grocery stores keep things in the same general areas).

CountingDown

S2 would starve to death without a pasta strainer/colander.

mom60

I just confirmed with my son's housing office. His apartment kitchen has a stove and refrigerator and nothing else. No microwave, no dishwasher. My son does not know his roommates so I am going to have to push him to contact them to figure out who should bring what. No sense having 3 of everything.

bookiemom

I still have the $1 serrated-edge knife I bought for my first apartment in 1972 and a small broiling pan my mom bought me at that time and I still use them both. The knife still cuts and the pan is rather dented, but they are both a good size and have such history to me!

I just bought my D a couple of good knives for her apartment as that was something she and her roomie didn't have. (Cost way more than $1 though.)

binx

mom60 - don't know how far away your S goes to school. We have found it very convenient to buy a lot of things online and have them shipped. WalMart, Target, IKEA, etc. I would do this with anything we didn't already own. The stuff I sent with my S was stuff I had duplicates of. If I didn't, I would have made him buy them there, or ordered them online.

dmd77

If you think you're going to be shipping a lot of stuff that you're buying there, enrolling in Amazon.com's $79/year two-day shipping can be worth it. Amazon Prime sellers sell just about everything you could need, even food.

my-3-sons

This thread is very helpful and timely. I'm going to Miami next week to help recent grad S set up his first apartment. Between S and his roommate, they have a chair and 4 cup coffee pot. This should be interesting!

JustAMomOf4

RE: George Foreman Grills

What size do your kids have? I have two kids moving into apartments and they both want one.

kathiep

I got a two burger one free when I bought a toaster so that's what my son has.

Puzzled88

My kids also have the smallest one. Even that takes up quite a bit of counter space in their teeny, tiny apartment kitchens. I think it cost somewhere between $15 and $20 at Target.

violadad

07Dad mentioned a tool kit, and I'll second it. Flashlight, extra batteries, and a small tool kit. Nothing major, just a hammer, pliers (slipjoint and needlenose), slotted and phillips screwdrivers or a good 4 in 1 type, plus a smaller slotted and #0 phillips for electronics applications. Utility knife with retractable blade, 6" & 8" combination wrenches. 16' tape measure or 12' folding carpenters ruler. A roll of duct tape. A pack of the electricians cable ties, in a variety size pack.

Very basic. Don't buy the cheap stuff. Sears Craftsman, Home Depot Husky, comparable quality are fine and have lifetime replacement guarantees. Bargain bin, asian/chinese imports are garbage, poorly machined, easily break and are often safety hazards.

If he/she wants or needs more, then they've probably already amassed a beginner's kit or beyond.

I'd advise the same for anyone's s or d. These basics are constantly handy, and should also be included for freshmens' "what to take to college" lists, regardless of if it's dorm or off campus living.

Buy a plunger, a "plumbers friend" in they're living in an apartment. Shared digs mean shared bathrooms. What ends up in drains (kitchen and bath) will fill volumes. Hopefully it will reside in a closet, never used. But best to be safe than sorry. Trust me, when they'll need it, there is NO substitute. And oftimes, speed is of the essence, and waiting for maintenance can be a PITA.

07DAD

Musts include a fire extinguisher and burn salve (and discussions about what NOT to put on a burn)

My S loves his bedroom to be dark. When I was helping him move into his single apartment, he wondered aloud how would be the best way to block out the sun that would come in one window. I was able to craft black-out curtains for the odd shaped window out of an inexpresive black-out panel I bought at Target by cutting it down and pinning it.

Yep, I suggest (in addition to making sure even sons have the basic know how) some sewing/project items--like good sissors, safety pins, needles and basic thread colors.

marite

In 3rd grade, my Ss did a quilt, S2 remembered enough sewing skills to mend a favorite pair of trousers!
Thanks for the reminder about a sewing kit.