<p>D will be living in a grad student dorm in a suite with three other residents, all sharing a kitchen that has appliances but nothing else. I want to help her make a list of some kitchen basics that will enable her to do some simple cooking (I’m talking scrambled eggs and pasta type fare), but I have to assume that 1) space will be at a premium, and 2) by the end of the year, some of the items will be lost or broken or lent and never returned, so I want to keep the volume small and the overall cost low. So far I’ve listed a few plates, bowls and sets of silverware to eat with (with the plates and bowls microwave safe), a medium sauce pan w/lid, a medium non-stick skillet w/lid, a microwave-safe serving-size bowl w/lid, some wooden spoons, a non-scratch spatula, a cutting board, a paring knife, a larger knife, maybe an inexpensive blender for breakfast smoothies. If she’s ever inspired to bake, I think she’ll do best just to pick up some disposable aluminum foil pans from the supermarket. It’s been an awfully long time since I’ve equipped a kitchen, and it’s hard for me to figure out what I could get by with if I had a minimal budget. For example, for my cooking style, I feel like I couldn’t live without my silicon basting brush, microplane grater and multiple-sized whisks, but they’re hardly a necessity for my D–or for anyone, actually.</p>
<p>My daughter will be moving into an apartment style dorm this fall. The 6 girls put together a list and are slowly checking off the items. One suggestion I have is to shop your own closet before buying things.You will probably have lots of kitchen things which you no longer use or are duplicates that you don’t care if they never return. I found my old everyday flatware to donate to the group. </p>
<p>Don’t forget oven mitts, sponges, and can opener.</p>
<p>You mentioned grad student dorm so I assume a grad student? I would guess that the others have lived in apts and have collected an assortment of kitchen stuff. You are 100% correct that at the end things will be missing, broken, and there are items left over and NO ONE wants to claim them. Lucky you if you are the last one moving out. </p>
<p>I would add though just one 9 x 13 Pyrex pan. With the pots I would stay away from non stick. Busy students don’t always wash things properly or use the right tools. You end up with pots and pans with all kinds of scratches …finish peeling off. We found that in a number of vacation rentals.</p>
<p>Even though you are accomplished in the kitchen, as you go through your day so what you touch over and over. The basics will become clear.</p>
<p>My son was too far away for me to send him my items. Fortunately, there was a Targets right next to BB&B. We (son & rm/mt) walked thru Target’s kitchen section. To make a list, I would do this at local store. At Targets, we got whole set of pots & pans for $50 (red, with glass lids).</p>
<p>I couldn’t liive without baking sheets and brownie pan, and found sets of baking things (including cooling rack), sets of utensils in a jug, and tupperware. Cleaning supplies, like dust pin, broom, brush, etc.</p>
<p>When I was a teenager, my dad took a six month job about eight hours away. My parents were on a tight budget, and the kitchen basics he had were: one plate, one cup, one fork, one knife, and one small nonstick frying pan. </p>
<p>IMHO, you’ve got more than the minimum already covered.</p>
<p>pyrex/glass measuring cups (1C, 2C & 4C) can be used for measuring, pouring and in microwave…my S finds he uses 2C one a lot.
Blender.
Muffin tins can be used for baked goods, as well as eggs, meatloaf, etc.
Good idea if the cutting board can go in the dishwasher…
Some Gladware in various sizes for storing leftovers, veggies, fruits…</p>
<p>Are those sharing the kitchen in contact and are the lists being shared? Because other wise you can end up with a lot of pots, pans, and other dupes. When I shared with three others, we just shopped once we got there at the second hand store around what some of us brought. All basically throw awasy or leave 'em there stuff, though one girl did have her own set of dishes which we did not share. She only used them. We got a bunch of mismatched plates, I remembe for general use. </p>
<p>A trip to a Dollar shop, Good Will and then maybe Walmart once your there is probably in good order. IF you have throwaways and extras at home, and she can bring them, those can give it all a start. The others may be doing the same.</p>
<p>We couldn’t live without a cookie sheet and a 13x9. We don’t bake all that often but we use them to cook almost everything… We bake a lot of frozen chicken breasts. We usually line either one with foil to help with clean up.</p>
<p>My D will be in a suite with a kitchen too. She had most of those basics in her dorm room so she could make mac n cheese occasionally. I’m not getting too much more now that she’ll be in the suite. She will still have a meal plan so those basics should be fine. Maybe a cookie sheet and a 9 x 13 pan- didn’t send those to the dorm. And I told her she could take my magic bullet instead of a blender.</p>
<p>My roommate and I tried once to strain pasta with a tennis racket. It didn’t work. But we laughed til we peed our pants, so it was a good day after all.</p>
<p>This is the thread I was going to start today. Need to refresh memory of the true “basics” to equip a kitchen for not-so-serious chefs (that’s my S!). I know there was a past thread that had an actual list - easy to read and then weed out things you don’t think your kitchen needed. Anyone happen to have that bookmarked?</p>
<p>I was thinking of even small appliances:
Toaster
Blender
Hand mixer
Coffee maker</p>
<p>Baking:
Cooling rack
9x13
8x8
Pie pan (pyrex) (for warming up things)
Cookie Sheet or jelly roll type sheet
Muffin pan (my kids love muffins) + paper liners</p>
<p>Cutlery
Utensils (Tongs, spatula, flipper, slotted spoon, ladle)
Silverware
Cups (unbreakable!)
Mugs
Plates
Bowls
Mixing bowl or two
Measuring cup (liquid and dry)
Measuring spoons
Cutting board
Collander
Can opener (hand opener and one to puncture cans)
Couple pots with lids
Small/large fry pan
Water/juice pitcher
Pot holders</p>
<p>^^^^lol!! We have purchased many kitchen basics at thrift stores. You can get great prices and it doesn’t matter if they disappear at the end of the day. We bought a SS pasta pot with a built in strainer for $2! Also dishes, flatware etc. Great place to start. Target has a single serving blender for smoothies by Oster for $19 right now. The container doubles as a to-go cup. Perfect for dorms and small.</p>
<p>I figured that, takeitallin! Though I also lol’d a little at the list-- very complete. I myself didn’t have a cooling rack til a few years ago !</p>
<p>We outfitted my daughter’s kitchen suite with items mostly from Salvation Army, Goodwill and the dollar store. We did opt for the Macy’s ss cookware set that was on sale for $29 plus additional coupons. It included frying pan, 2 sauce pans and a stock pot and covers. We also bought the ss mixing bowls for $9.99 with an additional coupon. Measuring spoons, measuring cups, (ss for $2.99 each),colander, cutting board, pyrex baking dish, pyrex covered storage containers, knives,(farberware for about $1.99 to $3.99 per knife), mixer and iron came from a local discount store called Expect Discounts. The cutlery was a set of oneida silverplate, service of 12 that was found at Goodwill for $8.00, it is very pretty. I thought that most of the items would be broken or ruined, but everything except 1 pot has made it through 2 years!</p>
<p>Oh I have no trouble buying these items second hand, thrift, or whatever! Actually figured I’d hit the dollar store as well - a dollar store colander will work just fine!</p>
<p>I just put together some very basic stuff for S, who is living in a place with an excellent, well-priced cafeteria, but who will want to save $$ by cooking at least some of the time, and also might be on an odd schedule. As much as possible, we “shopped” at home. He did have to buy a few things when I didn’t have duplicates I was willing to give him. The idea was that nothing should be an item one would be heartbroken to lose, but it should all be functional. And it all had to fit into a milk crate from Staples. This is what we ended up with:</p>
<p>10 or 11" heavy stainless skillet suitable for searing, browning, and able to be put into the oven. (new, $18 at Christmas Tree Shop)
Dansk dutch oven-like enameled pot with lid, suitable for cooking on top of stove or in oven. Lid fits skillet. (used)
Medium heavy saucepan with lid (used)
8" baking pan (used)
Strainer (new)
Plastic measuring cups (used)
Pyrex 2-cup measuring cup (new)
Set of measuring spoons (used)
Can opener (new)
Heavy-duty curved serrated knife that doesn’t need sharpening and doubles as chef’s knife. (Chef Tony’s Rock and Chop used)
Whisk (used)
Heat-resistant silicone spatula/scraper (used)
Wooden spoon (used)
Oversized metal spoon (used)
Metal spatula/flipper (used)
Moka pot for strong coffee (used)
2 medium metal mixing bowls (used)
Cutting board (new)</p>
<p>Plus:</p>
<p>2 ea knife/fork/spoon random unmatched stainless found in drawers (used)
2 Adams dinner plates and 2 matching serving bowls, all that’s left unbroken (used)
2 oversized soup/cereal/whatever mugs (new)
1 glass (new)
a few cloth dish towels (new)</p>
<p>When <em>I</em> was a grad student in a shared apt I had a crepe pan, French terrine, souffle dish, and so forth. What a difference! :D</p>
!</p>
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