Saturday, August 15, 2015

Living in Halls | Kitchen




Time to move onto the kitchen! If your dorm or halls doesn't have a kitchen or canteen, then its highly likely you are going to need your own equipment!


 A lot of my kitchen equipment came from Dunlem Mill or Marks and Spencer. We have always used pyrex measuring jugs and oven trays, I find that they are easier to hand wash and you aren't fighting with the grease and oil that tends to stick to oven trays. I don't know whether I was late or perhaps too easy to the uni buying party but when mum and I were looking for a pyrex measuring jug, we searched high and low, until finally we tried M&S, and low and behold they were stocked up on pyrex kitchen equipment!

Any here is my list of kitchen equipment to make your life easier in the kitchen!

1. Crockery- Plates, Bowls and anything you like to eat from! I brought mine from Dunelm. I brought three dinner plates, three side plates and three bowls. (I left one of each of the bowls and side plates at home - just incase I broke one at any point) This was perfect for me as I liked to do my washing up in the evening so I never was left without something to eat from! A small tip from me would be to buy some patterned plates, most people in my flat had Ikea plates and were constantly having arguments over who's stolen their plate. Where as my plates were black and white so I always know which ones were mine. (It might be fine, you might live with people who just don't care, or you might have people like who I lived with - constantly shouting 'Who's used my plates!' when they aren't in the cupboard or even washed up at the sink)

2. Cutlery - Knives, Forks and Spoons, similarly to the whole plate situation everybody else had cutlery from Ikea as well, once again there were arguments over spoons being stolen or swopped, save yourself the hassle and buy patterned or colours ones. I brought mine from Homebase, they had red handles and stood out a mile. (Throughout three years I only ever lost one fork? I've know idea where it went or who'd used it but as I'd only taken two of each piece of cutlery to uni, I had a spare at home anyway) You'll also want a sharp knife for chopping as well as a chopping board.

3. Oven gloves. Nobody else remembered to bring any so for the first few weeks people were burning there hairs when using a small kitchen towel (also important to take) They aren't that expensive and they will last you throughout uni!

4. Glasses - Two drinking glasses, a mug or two and a wine glass. I brought mine at M&S. I might have brought a pack of four drinking glasses, and only took two with me, saving two at home incase one brakes. (out of everything cups were the most common casualty in our flat, we lost a lot)

5.  Pots and pans! You have to cook some how don't you? Whether you live off pasta or chicken, you will need something to cook it in. I brought mine from Dunlem, two different sized sauce pans and one frying pan. Sorted.

6. Oven tray - Like I said earlier - I prefer the pyrex ones, we had three at home so I just took one of them. However any good kitchen equipment store will sell them!

7. And finally you might want all the other bits and bobs. Such as -
  • Can opener
  • Corkscrew Bottle opener
  • Scissors
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Bread Knife
  • Sandwich bags - good for separating and freezing chicken and other food.
  • Microwaveable bowl
  • Cling film
  • Tin foil
  • Washing-up stuff - Washing-up liquid / Dishcloth / Scrubbing brush
  • Wooden spoon
  • One-person casserole dish
  • Another chopping board for meat unless you prefer to plan what you cut first.
  • Plastic containers which can go in the microwave. Suitable for lunches. 

Don't forget to check what your accommodation already has -  you might have to purchase a kettle or toaster - you could alway discuss this with the people your living with when you get there but its always better to check what is or should be already available.

Building up to moving to uni, I put some dried foods like pasta and soup, marmite (either love it or hate it) and anything else I could into a box to take with me. Luckily my parents also took me to Asda to buy some foods to put into the fridge and freezer before they left on the first day.

Charlie xo

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