<p>I’d skip the raw meat idea; for someone who’s never cooked and really isn’t keyed in to kitchen hygiene, that might not be a good idea for just a one-week period. For that short time, and not knowing how interested the OP’s son really is in experimenting in the kitchen, this is a survival list:</p>
<p>rotisserie chicken
block of cheese
bread
jar of peanut butter
sandwich stuff of choice
bag of apples
bag of frozen vegetables
box of pasta
jar of sauce
a couple of baking potatoes (very easy; can be topped with cheese and veg)
get some salt and pepper packets from a fast food place</p>
<p>The problem with cookbooks is that they tend to assume a kitchen stocked with the basics (spices, oil, etc.) and if the OP’s son is only going to be using a dorm kitchen for a week, it makes little sense to invest in all that stuff if it’s not going to be used afterwards.</p>
<p>I agree with NJSue’s list. My older son would buy a rotisserie chicken at least once a week. I did as another poster did and taught my kids about cooking before they left for college but it wasn’t until they were actually in a situation where they had to cook that they really cared and learned. I like getting those cooking dilemma phone calls - finally something I know more about than they do!</p>
<p>I would just point him to the internet and tell him to search to simple recipes. Just make sure he has the basic equipment and it sounds like he does.</p>
<p>He’s probably very smart, very capable. He’ll figure out something. If the dorm has other people staying over the break, then they can all pool their knowledge and resources and make dinners together.</p>
<p>FWIW, I started my kids on cooking scrambled eggs, pancakes when they were 8 (well, making coffee came first at 7). Then pasta. Then cookies. Now my 10yo son is able to put frozen whatever in the oven for snack/lunch. The point is, they can find their way around a kitchen even if they can’t make fancy meals.</p>
<p>I put a “cookbook” together as the boys moved out. They were all adept in the kitchen but the trick is getting used to a kitchen without all the requisite pantry supplies and spices or unusual equipment. On the top of each page I put a grocery list together and I used recipes that didn’t require any unusual “stuff.” I also sent a care package with basic spices to get them going. Even thought they were very comfortable in a kitchen and all had worked back of house at restaurants they were grateful for a guide for inexpensive and non-complex recipes. Kids can also use recipes that don’t feed an army or make a ton as they often don’t have freezer containers or even freezer space to package up food for a longer period of time. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t tell him a thing. The fun is in the trying. At this age you can be certain of two things…he won’t stave and he (probably) won’t kill himself in the attempt. </p>
<p>Cobrat…are you suggesting that these students go to conferences for which they have NOT paid the admission fee,mand are not members? What a stupid idea! STUPID. And even said in jest…it sounds STUPID.</p>
<p>To the OP…has your son ASKED for help? If not, I would just let him figure it out. He isn’t going to starve. Actually, I would let him figure it put anyway. I’m sure he can read, and use the Internet. There are YouTube videos for everything including assembling and cooking a grilled cheese sandwich. </p>
<p>I have great video of my son and his friend at age 12 or so trying to figure out how to use a simple hand held can opener. It was pretty darn amusing.</p>
<p>He can use the Internet to learn everything from boiling water to something fancy. It’s all about the process.</p>
<p>A few bags of veggies, tortilla wraps, rice and beans are cheap and easy. Throw in some sautéed chicken pieces and he is good to go for dinner.</p>
<p>Seriously when he realizes the pain in cleaning up and washing dishes he will find his way to Subway.</p>
<p>Well, I can’t really say that I “taught” my son to cook apart from making cookies and having the kids stand around or fetch things while simple cooking was happening. I’m not sure anyone “taught” me, either. I played with recipe books for fun and figured it out. My son found a pizza recipe online and makes the dough from scratch. It’s not hard. He can also cook pasta and hamburgers with no lessons needed. Sandwiches are not cooking. </p>
<p>Easy stir-fry:
Warm a little oil in a pan, chop up whatever vegetables and meat you like (chicken’s easy) into bite-sized pieces, cook it on med-med/high until it looks right, add a pre-made peanut, teriyaki or other sauce at the end. While the veggies/meat are cooking microwave a bag of Trader Joe’s (or other brand) pre-cooked frozen rice to throw it over. Any leftovers will keep well in the fridge or freezer.</p>
<p>A proper meal mom would approve of:
Buy a chicken breast, pour some Caesar’s salad dressing over it to marinade and let it sit for a few hours. Pan cook it. Serve it with a bagged salad or some fresh veggies. Red peppers are a hit in my house.</p>
<p>Cooking for a crowd:
Chili-buy a boxed mix, such as 3 Alarm Chili, which gives directions and contains all the spices you’ll need. The cook browns some hamburger and adds tomato sauce and water. Beans, onions and/or cheese are optional if he wants to get fancy. A pot of chili, a bag of tortilla chips and he’s got a meal to serve his friends.</p>
<p>You may want to tell him about how meats “release” when cooked. One mistake beginning cooks often make is to try to turn their meats too often. The meat doesn’t cook well and if it hasn’t released the cook ends up trying to scrape it from the pan.</p>
<p>Another gaffe my teenagers used to make is to burn foods by trying to cook everything on high.</p>
<p>I doubt that’s what she meant. At my son’s (small) school, located in a small suburban town, there is a constant and seemingly endless calendar of club/sport events, workshops, speaker events, dorm/social house gatherings, local community festivals, charity events, open houses…etc, that welcome and encourage drop-ins. I’m pretty confident if we dropped his meal plan tomorrow, armed with nothing more that the school activities calendar and the free bulletin of surrounding local events, he would always be just a few strides away from a snack and/or meal. </p>
<p>My S is in his 3rd year of college. He and his roommates cook regularly for themselves. I have to laugh because their female friends cook much less and actually come visit hoping for the guys to feed them!</p>
<p>Thanks! Lot’s of great brainstorming.
The raw meat idea, especially burger meat, does not appeal to me somehow.</p>
<p>Yes, he did ask for help with a list of things to purchase.
I am going for pasta, pasta sauce, eggs, tortillas, grated cheese, refried beans, some olive oil, frozen veggies, maybe bacon and lots of bananas !
Thank you!</p>
<p>Sounds like you have some good ideas for him and kudos to him for asking. For those posters who felt the need to judge why OP’s son didn’t already know how to cook - well, I’ve enjoyed reading about Kelowna’s son and cooking is probably the only thing he doesn’t know how to do - he is one very talented young man — hope he is doing well Kelowna! </p>
<p>My very bright son, who did actually know some cooking basics before leaving home, called cooking “doing battle with food”. Give him a broken-down car or something else to fix and he’s in his element. Cooking? Not so much. His sister is a chef-in-training. Go figure.</p>
<p>My son cooked for himself his last two years of college. In his first post-college group apartment, the system that ultimately emerged was that his four housemates paid him to source ingredients and make three dinners a week for the group (and guests, if they wanted). He loved that, because it gave him a chance to do more elaborate things than he would have done for himself, and with a decent budget. He is always trying to reverse-engineer dishes he likes in restaurants.</p>
<p>Anyway, he basically uses the web and Youtube to teach himself how to do things. He didn’t start from zero, though. When my kids left for college, they knew how to make pasta, omelets and other egg dishes, hamburgers, and easy chicken preparations. Vegetables and salad. They knew how to make their own pasta sauce, too. And of course cookies and brownies.</p>
<p>Really, I’m having trouble imagining a college student who doesn’t know how to boil water and put pasta in the pot. I did talk one kid through baking a chicken breast on the telephone with very good results.</p>
<p>I think my son’s culinary skills were limited to microwaving things and baking frozen pizzas when he left for college. I love to cook, but you can’t MAKE someone do it.</p>
<p>He started cooking during an internship term. I took him shopping and set him up with some of the easy basics cited above. He started really cooking during a year abroad. </p>
<p>I think it is one of those “when they’re ready, they’ll do it.” After all, look how many full-fledged adults almost never cook.</p>
<p>A few years ago, we started a routine with my son who lives at home after graduation. He is responsible to cook the family dinner one night a week. It’s great when all three of my kids are home. They each have to cook one family dinner. They downright enjoy it and I love to see how they figure out what to cook.</p>
<p>My son makes the following: drain and rinse a can of beans (he likes cannelloni, but kidney or black are good too). Saute a chopped tomato and onion (he can buy the container of pre-diced). Stir in the beans and heat until warm. Dump everything into one or two soft tortillas or wraps. Roll up and top with a jar of decent salsa. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Put under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Tasty and filling.</p>