How to kit out a student kitchen

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Posted at 4:02PM, 07 September 2012 by Lily Barclay - Writer, bbcgoodfood.com

When it comes to cooking, students don't always get the best press. Aren't they all munching on toasties in front of Homes Under the Hammer? But let's face it, a cupboard full of broken pots and pans and a couple of electric rings would leave the most experienced of cooks feeling uninspired.

Being packed off to uni with the right kit is bound to raise spirits as well as keep the scurvy at bay. Communal cooking is a great way of finding a sense of home as well as saving money. Here's what we couldn't live without…

Pans

The wok
Stir-fries are a bit of a lifeline for the student posse; they are fast, cheap and tend to contain a few vegetables too. Invest in a big enough wok and they are a great way of feeding a crowd. You should be able to find a good deal on woks at most major supermarkets.

Feeling flush?

Non-stick frying pan
Treat it well and a non-stick pan can be a friend for life, it's brilliant for cheap, speedy dishes like omelette and pancakes and should lessen cooking disasters for the new chef. That said, if a helpful housemate takes to your new pan with a wire brush things could turn ugly, so it might be worth keeping it under lock and key.

Budget busting

Standard frying pan
A standard pan should see you through university life (and beyond) in one piece. Use a bit of extra oil and any potential sticky situations should be avoided. If you buy a reasonably-sized pan you can also use it in place of a wok.

Slow-cooking

Slow cookers might seem a bit more The Good Life than The Young Ones but they're a great way of eating well on a budget. With a slow cooker by your side you'll be able to turn the cheapest cuts of meat into something spectacular, and with minimum preparation time too.

Feeling flash?

There are lots of pros to buying a slow cooker, for starters they are energy efficient (read bill-saving) and if you set your timer before leaving the house, you can arrive home from lectures to a freshly cooked hot meal, it'll feel just like home. Our product round up Sarah Sysum found that medium and small cookers provided a more reliable heat distribution, while you should be able to pick up a good-sized model for around £50.

Budget busting

You can pick up a small slow cooker for as cheap as £19.99, but if that's too much you can simply use a heavy based stew or casserole pot. We'd really recommend scouring your local charity shops too as there are some fantastic cooking pot bargains to be had.

Other essentials

One good knife - will make the world of difference to your cooking experience if you can invest or 'borrow' one from home.

Chopping board - a cheap and colourful selection of plastic boards is a good idea for hygiene, as it makes it very easy to differentiate between meat/fish/vegetable boards.

Fish slices - brilliant when it comes to the art of keeping an omelette in one piece, as well as transporting fish of course.

Double-sided oven glove - because it is best to be on the safe side (especially if you are operating in a hung over daze).

Can opener - savers brands of beans etc tend to still be lacking the pull ring tab, so if you are shopping on a budget one of these is essential.

Microwave - it may not be the stuff of Masterchef, but when it comes to cheap and a fast meals, like porridge and jacket potatoes, the microwave definitely has its uses.

Tupperware container - great for helping you store leftover food safely, as well as transporting money-saving packed lunches.

Hand blender - you should be able to pick up a supermarket economy one of these for about £6 - fantastic for whizzing together a quick smoothie or soup for one.

Bottle opener - goes without saying.

That's the equipment sorted. Now you just need to work out what to cook!

What kitchen equipment could you not have lived without? We'd love to hear your thoughts…

Comments

Ishamel

9 September 2012, 11:04AM
Ishamel

I'd like to second the slow cooker idea. My lovely boyfriend got me one for a present and in second year, when I had a fridge in my room, I was able to make delicious meals every morning which would be ready by teatime - and all without having to leave my bedroom! Truly the lazy cook's best friend.

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Apple Pie

12 September 2012, 2:50PM
Apple Pie

When I was a student - many years ago - I had an electric frypan with a slow cooker insert. With that I could cook anything - even bake cakes. Brilliant piece of kit. They disappeared for a while - but have reappeared.

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SarahF_26

13 September 2012, 9:28AM
SarahF_26

A toaster and a toasted sandwich maker are good to have. Rice cookers are good too, if there's the space.

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Manda

13 September 2012, 1:08PM
Manda

I'm a student and my most commonly used utencils are my massive non-stick frying pan with lid - it does as a wok/ normal pan for boiling and a frying pan, baking tray, cassorol dish with lid for when I've more ime or feeding mates too (stew and dumplings hmmm) and my microwavable rice cooker it's one of my favorates put in the rice add a stock cube and some hurbs to liven it up I can also add in choped vedge to my rice to reduce the number of pots I use too. One more thing I feel I should say say is its better to cook in bulk and so make for 4 eat 1 and have the others in your sandwich boxes to freaze depending on what your cooking,or to eat another day its not uncommen to have the same thing 4 days in a row but if you have a range of seasoning/herbs/spices you can tweek it if you prefer

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trinaz

15 September 2012, 9:48PM
trinaz

Slow cookers are great things... esp to come home to a amazing smell after a hard day!

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