Dorm Cooking Basics

Five cooking tools you need to survive college:

A warming agent
This means a microwave (for the works), a toaster oven (for reheating the pizza stored in your knee-high, dorm-size fridge), a toaster (you can subsist on toast alone for up to one month), or an indoor grill (eat tasty food and be healthy).

A small pot with a lid or a hot pot
A pot with a lid frees you up to make hot cereal, rice, and macaroni and cheese in the common kitchen, while a hot pot allows for soup or ramen right there in your room. Be warned--your love for ramen will become a fierce rival for your love of macaroni and cheese.

Coffee pot
A coffee pot lets you make coffee, tea, cocoa, and instant cereal. Think soothing, hot, lemon-flavored medicine for your head cold during finals week. Actually I've even known for people to make ramen in their coffee points, for is it not the same premise (ah ha! this is where the college education comes in handy)

Vital dishes and utensils
You need items like a plate, bowl, cup, fork, knife, spoon. Look for these in durable, easy-to-clean plastic. Find a mug with a lid you can take along to class, one that survives when dropped and will withstand a little heat. Get strong utensils--a fork, a spoon, and a knife (do not make yourself spread peanut butter with a spoon). When in desperate need there's always the cafeteria utensils as a last resort.

All-In-One Swiss Army knife:
sharp blade, can and bottle opener, and corkscrew. Buy yourself these things, or pick up a genuine Swiss Army knife.

Be sure to check with your college or university's residence life office about in-room cooking restrictions - many schools do not allow hot plates or other things with open flames. Inquire anonymously; then you'll know the rules before breaking any. bon appetit!