Everything I Brought to My College Kitchen | Practically CK

In this series, Practically CK, we will share our real-life food budgets, spending, and experience related to the practical realties of the college kitchen — as we live and struggle through it. Even though recipes and advice are integral to Collegetown Kitchen, this aspect is also central to the vision of our site as a practical, living guide.

Right now, as I pack for my sophomore year move-in just about 1 week, I am taking inventory of every item I packed.
This list is divided into 3 sections, necessities, electronics, and frivolities.

• The necessities are items it would be hard to cook properly without
• The electronics are not necessities but have real uses that I would not consider “just for fun”
• Most of the frivolities are baking-related equipment that is specific to my interest in baking. I do not expect anyone to bring this stuff with them.

A note: I am sharing my apartment with one friend, Andrea. I live 6 hours from Cornell, driving, and she lives in Panama, so we’ve arranged that I bring all the kitchen equipment as it is easier for both of us. You may need more or less dinnerware depending on how many people you live with!

Of the 72 items on the list, only 18 of them, 25%, (noted with an asterisk*) were purchased new FOR the apartment, the other items were things I already owned. Everything on the “frivolities” list is something I already had; I did not buy anything on that list for school.

Necessities – items that a normal person would probably want in their kitchen. 
Dinnerware

• 4 dinner plates* 
• 4 salad/dessert plates (what I actually like eating dinner from)*
• 4 soup/cereal bowls*
• 4 deep plates/bowls 
• 4 mason jars (to use as dinner glasses)
• 4 small glasses 
• 1 set flatware (from estate sale)
• 5 assorted coffee mugs 

Prep

• 2 small glass prep bowls
• 2 large metal mixing bowls 
• 1 medium metal mixing bowl

Cookware 

• 2 qt Ikea sauce pan* 
• 5 qt Ikea pot*
• 12” Lodge cast iron skillet*
• 10” All Clad stainless steel skillet (10 years old)
• 7 qt Le Creuset dutch oven (20 years old from Grandma; cheaper alternatives are great!)
• 10” and 8” non stick skillets* (cheap)
• 11 x 7” Ikea glass roasting dish*
• 14 x ”10” Ikea glass roasting dish*
• 2 half sheet baking pans (USA pan; old)
• 1 8×8” square baking pan (USA pan; old)

Tools 

• 1 colander*
• 3 pot holders*
• 1 trivet*
• 2 wire cooling racks
• Large silicone spatula
• Wooden spoon
• Can opener*
• Serrated bread knife*
• 2 chef’s knives (only 1 is really necessary)
• Paring knife
• 1 large and 1 small cutting board
• Microplane zester
• Vegetable peeler 
• Tongs
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Instant read thermometer
• Large metal spoon
• 4 dish towels
• 1 pair kitchen scissors/shears 

Electronics – not necessities, not really frivolous either, if you are a serious cook or baker you might consider getting these items. 

• Ninja blender*
• KitchenAid hand mixer*
• KitchenAid stand mixer (25 years old from Grandma)
• Small cuisinart food processor*
• 6 qt Instant pot* 

Frivolities – mostly baking things I have accumulated over the years, as you can tell nothing on this list was purchased for school but they are things I will probably use and want to have with me. 
Baking

• 3 silpats 
• Three 8” round cake pans
• Three 6” round cake pans
• Six thin 6” round cake pans (very unnecessary but take up no space and makes ombre cakes)
• Bundt pan 
• 12-well muffin tin
• 1 large and 1 medium offset spatula 
• Rotating cake stand
• Pastry scraper
• 2 standard loaf pans
• 2 xL loaf pans 
• 2 small silicone spatulas
• Tiny sieve
• Tiny whisk
• Small whisk
• Medium rainbow whisk
• Large balloon whisk
• Pastry brush
• Blowtorch
• Silicone bowl scraper
• Citrus press
• Meat pounder

Miscellaneous

• Pasta machine
• Tiny 4” skillet for eggs (mostly a joke; was $6 at whole foods)
• Mandoline slicer