Sydney Lykins // Clemson University
A look inside one of Clemson's residence hall kitchens.
College cooking is often lackluster, to say the least. Juggling classes, activities, homework, studying and a social life can often make mealtimes an afterthought, or worse, ignored altogether. But there’s no reason for students not to have the know-how or equipment to prepare decent meals for themselves in any apartment or dorm kitchen they may find themselves in. This article will be the first of a series dedicated to teaching the modern college student how to cook for themselves, even if they’ve never touched a frying pan in their lives.
To begin, we’ll focus on the equipment you need to start cooking for yourself. First, you need a knife. While matching knife sets may be a necessity in full kitchens, they’re impractical for college. Here, you can get by with just one.
A chef’s knife, anywhere from 6 to 10 inches and straight-edged, is your best friend in the kitchen — able to handle basically any task you need a knife for. While chef’s knives can be famous for ludicrous prices on the high-end, mid-range chef’s knives are where you will find the most bang for your buck.
For a versatile, durable and well-crafted option, Victorinox’s 8-inch Chef Knife, priced at an average of $50, will give you all the quality you need without breaking the bank. One knife, along with a cutting board, will be the true workhorse to start you off.
Next, pots and pans. Again, a set really isn’t needed for day to day use. A solid, decent-sized frying pan, either nonstick or stainless steel, depending on your preference, is often enough to handle most of your sauté or stovetop needs. For anything that requires boiling, all you’ll need is one medium to large stockpot and one saucepan, preferably both with lids. Farberware is an excellent budget option for any type of cookware. Remember that a spatula or other utensil is essential, and that metal ones should not be used on nonstick surfaces.
For oven items, metal baking sheets are a must. Sturdy and built for heat, these can be covered in aluminum foil for easy cleaning, and are a must-have for anyone planning to use their oven. Start with regular cookie sheets for their versatility, and then, if needed, expand to muffin trays or loaf pans. Brand doesn’t really matter here, as a sheet of metal is really just a sheet of metal.
Finally, a set of measuring spoons and cups is essential for any kitchen. A good measuring spoon set should have spoons from a quarter teaspoon to a full tablespoon, and a good measuring cup should be Pyrex — or plastic for use in the microwave — and hold about 3 to 4 cups.