Cookerati

We’ve been collecting the gear for college all year.  My daughter made a list of what she wanted or needed and slowly has gotten them as presents for different occasions.  Although she’s still hoping the grill will show up, and we’ll need to go out and get a few more things,  she has most of what she needs.

Things to collect for dorm cooking:

• Microwave
• Small Fridge
• George Forman Grill
• Drink mixer – for smoothies of course
• Coffee Maker
• Small Crockpot
• Storage Bowls
• Serving Spoons
• Bowl
• Mug
• Plate
• Utensils for eating
• Cutting Board & Knife
• Pot Holders or Hot Pads (Silicon cleans easier)

Cleaning supplies:

• Dish Soap
• Scrubber
• Dish Towels
• Dish Cloth

Make sure any and all appliances meet the guidelines posted by the school.  Usually you can check the school website for guidelines.  You will only need one microwave or refrigerator for the dorm room.  Call your room mate to be and see what they have so you know what you still need. Storage can be a real problem in a dorm room, you want to minimize duplication when you can.

Things to consider about cooking in a dorm

Your fridge has very limited space, so optimize it by doing things a little differently.  If you drink a lot of milk, you might consider that to be one of the things you get in the cafeteria.  Buy some powdered milk and put into a storage container.  Make up milk as you need it for your cooking purposes.  I know some of you might not be thrilled with the idea of powdered milk, but it will suit your cooking needs.  Tuna is a really good dorm food because it’s in a can.  Critters can be a problem with dorm cooking so keep everything sealed and clean.  I get very upset with my kids because I find my dishes in their rooms after they’ve used them.  They’ll learn.

Don’t buy things in bulk

You don’t have the storage and you won’t use it up that fast.  If you do, leave it home and bring small quantities as needed.  Think of how big your serving will be and how often you will eat something.  You don’t want a container of left overs going bad because you only want that food once.  Get your fresh vegetables at the cafeteria. Bring things that have more than one purpose. You can put Salsa on top of potatoes or eggs, or as a dip for chips and on sandwiches. Queso is also good as a cheese topping for the same things.  Buy potatoes only a couple at a time.  They’re great in the microwave, but you don’t want a whole bag sitting around your room.

Instant Oatmeal is a great fast breakfast and takes up little room.  If you have a morning you are running late, a bowl of hot water in the microwave, dump in powdered milk and mix and you are ready to eat.  Powdered drink mixes take up less space than soda.  I use the little powdered tubes in my water at work every day for lunch.  Costs less and takes up very little space.  The boxes they come in take up more space than needed in my cabinet, so I take them all out and put them into a container.  Consolidation is the key to saving space.

Now is the time to think of these things.  Make your lists of what you would like to have in reserve for when you can’t make it to the cafeteria or when you run low on cash.  My husband ran out of money in college and lived off of peanut butter and crackers until his next paycheck came.  I always kept hot dogs and tuna on hand. I think my daughter’s staple will be Ramen Noodles, she eats it a lot. You don’t need a whole spice cabinet.  Onion powder and garlic powder can be great, but you may have to skip turmeric.

Cleanup

Think about cleanup, you don’t want a five course meal to clean after.  Dorm cooking is sometimes the fun late night cooking, or the fast between classes or on the way to work grab a meal.  Remember a Dorm room is also for hanging out in, sleeping and even studying in, so maybe you should leave some space for the rest of your life.