Kitchen Essentials for Your First Apartment
Congratulations! You have just moved into your first apartment. Even though your mind is probably already bustling with decor ideas from Pinterest and housewarming party planning, you must certainly not forget the most important part: furnishing your apartment!
When you’re living on your own, you definitely need to make sure you have everything you need right from the beginning to avoid stress later on. Setting up your apartment’s kitchen with all of the best supplies is a great way to get started.
It might be a little stressful or overwhelming to start thinking about all of the things you’ll need in your whole apartment, let alone your kitchen, but don’t worry. Keep reading to learn about the kitchen essentials you will definitely need in your first apartment.
Prep tools
Before you even think about stepping into the kitchen, you want to make sure you have all of the right prep tools to get started. Eventually, you’re going to get sick of Ramen noodles and instant mac and cheese, so you might as well get familiar with kitchen tools.
First, stock up on measuring equipment, like measuring cups or measuring spoons. When you’re cooking, playing the guessing game of how much of an ingredient to mix into your meal isn’t always wise. By measuring your ingredients, you will also be able to gauge how much of something is going into your meal exactly — you know, in case you’re trying to keep track of sodium or carb intake.
Also, be sure to acquire a colander (for draining pasta or rice!) and some mixing bowls. You will also need a couple of cutting boards (yes, more than one). You will need different cutting boards for your raw meats, your seafood, and your produce to avoid cross-contamination.
Speaking of cutting, you’ll definitely need a knife, or a few good knives: a chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a butter knife. Each one serves a different purpose and depending on how creative you plan to be in the kitchen, each one will definitely be useful in your kitchen.
Now that you’re on your own, you have space for unlimited creativity and experimentation in the kitchen. Make sure you have all of the right tools to make those colorful online recipes come to rich fruition. First, you will definitely need a saucepan and no, not just for ramen noodles. Saucepans are useful for preparing, well, sauces and side dishes alongside your main courses. But, yes, you can definitely make those ramen noodles too.
Next, pick up a frying pan. You will need it to scramble eggs, cook vegetables, and sauté meat. Definitely make sure to acquire a non-stick frying pan. They are way easier to clean so you can spend more time studying and doing your homework instead of violently wearing your sponges down against a fried stain that won’t budge.
When it comes to cooking utensils, like spatulas and spoons, lean towards wooden utensils. Plastic might not be too resistant to heat and metal utensils could burn you. Last, make sure to have a casserole dish and a baking dish. All of these tools and utensils will allow for efficiency and a stress-free cooking experience.
Eating
Of course, this is the most important part and purpose of having a kitchen, isn’t it? First, make sure you have enough dishes to get through the semester and all types of meal planning. It might seem obvious to stock up on bowls and plates, but make sure to also think about mugs and cups. If you’re low on cabinet space (apartments can be annoyingly tiny, after all), choose mugs over cups since they can contain both hot and cold beverages.
Next, make sure you actually have something to chow down with. Buy a whole set of eating utensils: forks, knives, spoons, and even chopsticks! It might seem cheaper and easier to stock up on plastic utensils, but let’s face it — when your parents come up for parents’ weekend, they aren’t going to want to eat from plastic forks and spoons. Even if the expenses seem daunting, don’t forget that if you have a lot of utensils, you won’t have to wash your dishes as often.
These are the ultimate essentials you will need to run your first successful kitchen out of your apartment. By stocking up on the right tools and utensils, you will never have to open a drawer or a cabinet in frustration again. Good luck and happy furnishing!