It is about that time for parents to send their kids off to college, some for the first time. I have a college student myself; my oldest daughter is beginning her sophomore year at University. To make sure your kid eats well, send them off with some kitchen appliances that will help them start on a good foot.
College Dining is Expensive
As a result of having a kid in University, I have learned that kids eat a lot, especially college kids. They need to feed their brains with all the thinking, learning (partying), and studying they do. In addition, I’ve learned eating out is expensive, even eating on campus in the campus dining hall is expensive. Not to mention the pandemic that the world is going through has made eating out harder.
Freshman/ College Weight Gain
Additionally, there is that freshman 15-20. For those of you who do not know what that is, it is when students gain about 15- 20 pounds or more because of what they are eating. I remember from when I was in college, we ate a lot of junk food during the first half of my freshman year. But that got old quickly and rather expensive, and I desired real food. I also see the snacks my daughter buys to keep her going, and some of it is not very healthy.
Save on Dining Cost and Gain Life Experience
Well, there is always a workaround. Why not send your college bounds off with some great kitchen tools that will cut their dining cost and give them some life experience by feeding themselves, making parents proud on all fronts. I am here to help you with my top 5 great kitchen appliances to give your college student. These are in no specific order and I will leave my amazon link to each item just in case you want to order them and can not find them at a good price near you.
Electric and/or Butane Cooking Burner
Most college students have 24-hour access to a microwave, but what happens when you want to really cook a good meal in your dorm room that requires more than a microwave? You invest in an Electric or Butane Cooking Burner. I am suggesting both because they are both good to have, but for those who are more comfortable with cooking with electric over gas, there are options for cooking burners. I would suggest the single burner because they are smaller, but I know there are 2 burner electric options. A cooking burner opens up so many options for preparing good, healthy, and filling meals that can last for more than just one meal. That will definitely save on money and increase overall health because they will know what they are eating.
Wok/Pan
If you are going to cooking meals in your dorm room, you need to have a pan to cook in right? And because the dorm rooms are typically small, students don’t want to have 5 different pans like they would at home. One good pan is all you need, preferable a non-stick pan large enough to where you can make multiple food items in and has a lid. Try a wok; a wok pan is so versatile. You can boil water, fry, steam, stir-fry, even toast your bread. All pans/woks are not equal, so you need to find a very good wok, and it does not have to be expensive. I recommend this Nonstick Fry Wok with Lid – 12” Nonstick Skillet, Stir Fry Pans (100% PFOA, and APEO Free).
Personal Blender
Everyone should have a blender, not just college students, in my humble opinion. Blenders are good for so many things, but especially smoothies. Gone are the days of full-size blenders or even what I would consider a small blender like the Magic Bullet Blender. We are now in the days of personal blenders; the kind you can fill and throw in your bag and blend your smoothie when you are ready to on the go. These personal blenders are rechargeable by USB and as I mentioned very portable. There are so many, but I recommend the 380ml or 1.6 cups Supkitdin Portable Blender/Personal Mixer.
Toaster Oven/Air Fryer
I can not say enough about this Instant Omnihttps://amzn.to/33uxGN3 Oven/Airfryer. It is one of the best small kitchen appliances I have ever purchased. This appliance is ideal for college students because they can toast bread or waffles, cook a pizza, make air-fried chicken, or even bake brownies. This can take the place of an oven if you are cooking for a few people and in a small space.
Mini Fridge
A mini-fridge is a must when you are away at college and in a dorm room. This will save on food waste and also allow kids to store their food and drink safely. I found this Midea 3.1 Cu. Ft. Compact Refrigerator on Amazon that would work well.
In conclusion, as we send our kids off to University to gain knowledge and experiences, we can equip them with tools that will help them succeed, especially when it comes to feeding themselves. I believe these 5 kitchen appliances will help your student(s) succeed in the kitchen, which will help fuel their bodies and minds to be successful as a unit.
I hope this helps someone, and if you have other kitchen appliances that you think would be a great addition to my list, leave it in the comments below. And remember to Cook, Eat and Enjoy.
This cookbook is all about getting people to eat their veggies with no hold bars on the language. The recipes are veggie-focused but do not sacrifice flavor. They also have a few other books in the collections. Additionally, they have a website and a Podcast.
If you are looking for another cookbook that is centered around whole-foods and a plant-based diet, this one is your winner with over 200 recipes.
If you have an Air Fryer or thinking about getting one, this is the cookbook for you, giving you 600 recipes specifically for the Air Fryer. Everything from fried to Baked meals.
If you have an Instant Pot, this is the cookbook for you with 800 recipes.
This book is very popular and actually has a series on Netflix. This book explains the whys and fundamentals of good cooking.
This particular coffee maker got my attention because of, again, it’s many functions and it brews several sizes of beverages. I also love that I can use this to make tea, hot chocolate, and even apple cider. This particular machine has water temperature control which is helpful because I don’t like my drinks extremely hot. There are so many options and brands of K-cups, that it would be hard to become bored with exploring the different type of drinks I could make.
I currently have a hand mixer, which does what it’s supposed to do when I am making cakes. But this lovely red beauty (and they have different colors) does so much. It can mix bread and pasta dough; it has
I really want these. “Soon my precious” (in my creepy voice).
This particular gadget holds 12 spices, but you can stack up to 4, so that is 48 spices. Yes, I can definitely use this in my kitchen, then I can use the cabinet where my spices currently reside for something else… (Thinking and smiling about the possibilities).
This gem is great because I can get a bunch of them for cereal, beans, pasta and more and leave them on the counter against the wall; and my counter would look organized. Or I can leave them in the pantry and have an easy time locating what I need and my pantry will be organized. Oh, and they come in different shapes or singles. These remind of the old bubble gum machines, so there is that nostalgia coming up again.
