Whether your student is just starting out in a dorm room with just a mini-fridge and a microwave, or has moved into an apartment and needs to build a kitchen from scratch, we’ve got your back. Here’s a list of essential tools for young cooks, perfect for the nights when pizza delivery simply won’t cut it.
1. Perfect Pasta in Minutes
Skip the drive-thru and make your own hearty, delicious lunch or dinner in the dorm. This pasta cooker is made for your microwave and makes two servings of pasta or grains in under 10 minutes. It’ll be a go-to for late-night meals, too.
2. A Breakfast Must-Have
It’s easy to skip breakfast when you have a hectic schedule. But this microwave breakfast cooker makes nutritious meals quick and easy. It makes a fresh breakfast sandwich in less than 2 minutes. Plus, you can even make a sandwich for lunch in no time like a Quick Turkey Florentine Sandwich and Microwave Philly Cheesesteak Wrap.
3. Microwave Cooking Essential
You won’t have to worry about burning your hands on hot bowls or freezing your fingers when you eat cold food like ice cream any more. A microwave-safe bowl cozy lets you heat your food and then makes it painless to hold the bowl and enjoy your food while it’s still hot.
4. Pizza Night (Because You Know It Will Happen)
Pizza nights are inevitable in college—some may even say they’re a necessity. Whether you’re cooking frozen pizza or making it from scratch, you need the essentials. Get a pizza stone for the oven and a personal-size pizza stone to use in a microwave or toaster oven. You’ll also need a pizza cutter to cut through slices and crust easily.
5. A Tastier Movie Night
Make your own healthier microwave popcorn at home and avoid the greasy butter. The reusable popcorn maker uses regular kernels and means students can season their popcorn with whatever they like (we love garlic salt) and control portion size, too.
6. Kitchen Basics
Coated utility knives are the workhorses of the kitchen, and a few nice knives are especially key when a student is just learning to cook. A basic kitchen tool set contains coated knives along with flexible cutting mats (each one comes with helpful cooking tips and tricks printed right on its surface) and sturdy utensils for the beginning cook.
7. A Hot Breakfast on the Quick
A scrambled egg on a weekday morning always feels like a treat, but it’s especially true when you’re a hungry student. The ceramic egg cooker makes microwave eggs in a snap, and, as a bonus, it also works to cook oatmeal and even a mug cake.
8. Two-in-one Tool
Most experienced cooks have more spoons and scrapers than they know what to do with, but for the cook who is just starting, the two-in-one scraper saves space and does a lot: it scoops, scrapes, and serves. Tiny but mighty.
9. Stain-Proof Storage
Store your leftovers and heat them in the same container. These leakproof glass containers come in a variety of sizes and have lids that snap securely in place. The 5¼-cup container is perfect for leftovers and the 3-cup container is great for a sandwich on the go.
10. On-the-Go Lunch
Layer a salad in the mason jar and you’ll have a fresh meal for lunch. The set comes with a lunch box, fork, spoon, and a snack jar that’s perfect for yogurt and other snacks. The salad jar has a lid that holds salad dressing to keep veggies and greens from getting soggy.
11. The Key to Soup or Broth
It’s the kind of tool that you forget you don’t have until you need it. The smooth-edge can opener prevents sharp edges and a magnet plucks the lid right off.
12. Multifunctional Bowl
The small batter bowl isn’t your everyday bowl. This workhorse doubles as a measuring cup—and a pour spout and handle make it even more convenient. It works great in the microwave, and the included lid turns it into a storage container.
13. Stainless-Steel Storage
College kids need tools that have multi-functions, and this utensil holder has it all: it spins for easy access, it matches any decor with its simple finish, and an included spoon holder that slides out of the base makes it even more convenient.
14. Weekend Breakfast (and More)
When it’s Sunday morning and you’re missing home, pancakes will hit the spot. The shaker bottle makes quick work of a weekend treat, and, better yet, also works great for scrambled eggs and protein shakes when you’re pressed for time.
15. For the Graduate
Slow cooking is a beginner cook’s best friend—and great for young cooks in their first home or apartment. You can easily remove this pan from the slow cooker stand and it can go from the oven to the stovetop to the dinner table. It’s safe to put in the fridge and even in the freezer.
This post has been updated since its original publication.
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Thank you for this AWESOME list of ideas!! I was so busy thinking about bedding and things like that – I hadn’t even thought about setting up the kitchen!! You’ve saved me from having to run around WalMart and buy sub-par products we’d end up replacing in a few weeks!
I’m glad you found it helpful. My daughter leaves next Thursday for college and has a whole boxful of PC tools 🙂 Did you get everything you needed? Have any questions about use and care?
I agree Janet, this list is fantastic! So glad to have it as a resource 🙂
I wish they had these things back when I went to college!
Are there any recipes for the micro cooker?
Buttery Dill Carrots
1 lb (450 g) baby carrots
(about 3 cups/750 mL)
¼ cup (50 mL) water
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) All-Purpose Dill Mix
1∕8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
Place carrots and water in Large Micro-
Cooker®. Cover and microwave on HIGH 6
minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender; drain.
Add butter, dill mix and salt; toss gently.
Yield: 6 servings
U.S. Nutrients per serving: Calories 45, Total Fat 2 g,
Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Carbohydrate 6 g,
Protein 1 g, Sodium 120 mg, Fiber 2 g
Cook’s Tip: Dried dill weed can be substituted for the
All-Purpose Dill Mix, if desired.
Quick Mashed Potatoes
1½ lbs (700 g) unpeeled
red potatoes, cubed
¼ cup (50 mL) milk
Salt and coarsely
ground black pepper
Optional mix-ins such as butter, pressed garlic
cloves, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar
cheese or chopped fresh parsley.
Place potatoes and enough water to cover
into Rice Cooker Plus. Cover; microwave on
HIGH 10–12 minutes or until potatoes are
tender. Carefully remove inner lid and drain
water. Add milk to potatoes; mash potatoes.
Add salt, black pepper and one or more mixins,
if desired; mix well.
Perfect Pasta
8 oz (250 g) uncooked
angel hair pasta
1½ cups (375 mL) chicken
broth
½ cup (125 mL) water
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp (15 mL) Lemon Pepper Rub (optional)
Break pasta in half. Combine pasta, broth
and water in Rice Cooker Plus. Microwave,
covered, on HIGH 6–8 minutes or until pasta
is tender. Carefully remove lid. Add butter,
parsley and rub, if desired. Toss pasta using
Chef’s Tongs until butter is incorporated.
Serve immediately.
Speedy Pearl Couscous
1¾ cups (425 mL) chicken
broth
11∕3 cups (325 mL) uncooked
pearl couscous
¼ cup (50 mL) toasted slivered almonds
1∕3 cup (75 mL) chopped fresh parsley
Pour broth into Large Micro-Cooker®;
microwave, covered, on HIGH 2–3 minutes
or until boiling. Add couscous; microwave,
covered, on MEDIUM (50% power) 5–7
minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Stir in almonds and parsley.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes
(about 12 oz/350 g each)
½ cup (125 mL) milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
Pierce potatoes in several places with a fork;
place on paper towels and microwave on
HIGH 14–16 minutes or until potatoes are
very tender. Transfer potatoes to Cutting
Board; cool slightly. In Micro-Cooker or Classic Batter Bowl,
combine milk, butter and salt. Microwave on
HIGH 1–2 minutes or until hot. Cut potatoes
in half lengthwise; carefully scoop flesh into
batter bowl. Mash until smooth.
Smoked Gouda Grits
3 cups (750 mL) chicken
broth
½ cup (125 mL) heavy
whipping cream
1 cup (250 mL) uncooked quick grits
4 oz (125 g) smoked Gouda cheese, grated
Place broth and cream in Large Micro-Cooker®.
Microwave, covered, on HIGH 3–5 minutes
or until hot. Add grits; cover and microwave
on HIGH 4–5 minutes or until thickened. Add
cheese; stir until cheese is melted.
Quick Polenta
2½ cups (625 mL) water
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) coarsely
ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2∕3 cup (150 mL) yellow cornmeal
2 tbsp (30 mL) heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
Place water, salt, black pepper and pressed
garlic in Large Micro-Cooker®; cover and
microwave on HIGH 3–5 minutes or until
water is steaming. Slowly whisk in cornmeal.
Microwave, covered, 2–4 minutes or until
polenta is tender. Whisk in cream and butter.
Yield: 4 servings
which is the micro cooker
Thank you for pointing out that you want to make sure you have microwave-safe bowls. My sister is moving into a dorm and needs to get kitchen supplies. I’ll have to help her find the best ones for her.