Stocking the right groceries helpful for dorm cooking

Web posted August 2, 2000

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By Karin Calloway
Special Columnist

When dealing with little storage space and an unconventional cooking setup, it's important for college students who plan to cook in their dorms to stock up on the right groceries. Eliot Flannery and I toured a grocery store to give him ideas of what works in a small kitchen, what stores well and what spices and seasonings are the most versatile. Here's what we came up with:

Eliot Flannery and Karin Calloway prepare an omelette in Karin Calloway's kitchen as part of his senior project at Augusta Prep. JENNIFER BRUNO/STAFF

Buy tortillas instead of bread. They stay fresh in the refrigerator and can be filled not only with beans but also with scrambled eggs for breakfast burritos. They also can be rolled around lunch meat and other sandwich ingredients.

Buy deli meats in small amounts, then roll them in tortillas.

Diced ham comes in 8-ounce packages and can be added to omelets or cooked in stews and soups.

Ask the butcher to rewrap packaged meats such as pork chops and boneless chicken breasts in packages of one or two.

Pick one bottle of sauce that can flavor everything. Whether it's teriyaki glaze, or fajita marinade, pick something you like and don't be tempted to buy too many bottles.

Buy most items in the smallest sizes available. Consider buying ranch dressing in the individual serving size, for example. That way a whole bottle of dressing doesn't go bad in your dorm refrigerator.

Choose seasoning blends over individual spices and herbs. Italian seasoning, fine herbs for a French accent, lemon pepper, fajita seasoning and taco seasoning in a jar all are more economical than buying the individual spices.

Pick up a few packaged rice or pasta mixes. They're inexpensive, and many varieties only require water and margarine to prepare.

Buy pizza sauce in a jar instead of spaghetti sauce. It's basically the same thing, but the size of the jar is better suited to cooking for one or two.

If you have freezer room, purchase frozen vegetable mixtures to combine with sliced meats for quick stir-fries. Individual portions can be removed and the bag can be returned to the freezer for another time.

Inexpensive clothespins make great twist-ties to preserve bags of chips and frozen vegetables.

COOKING SUPPLY LIST:

Cooking in a dorm room is challenging, so send your student back to college with a small assortment of essential utensils and appliances. Pack cooking equipment in an under-the-bed plastic storage box so it's there when needed but out of the way when it's not.

Here's a list of possible items to include:

6-inchParing knife

Small cutting board

Wooden spoon

Spatula

Measuring cups and measuring spoons

Medium bowl for mixing and whipping

Oven mitt

Kitchen hand towels

Tongs

Small colander

Microwave-safe dishes and bowls

2-quart saucepan

These appliances come in handy when cooking in a small space:

Toaster oven (to bake potatoes and broil steaks, chicken breasts, etc.)

Rice cooker

Electric skillet

Small coffee maker

Care package

After your child has settled into university life, care packages are much appreciated. Consider a culinary care package to get him or her cooking. Include a small container of dish soap; pre-filled salt and pepper shakers; a variety or seasoning blends (Italian, fajita, taco, lemon pepper); a bottle of Italian salad dressing (for marinading meats and tossing with steamed vegetables, as well as tossing up a salad); a box of crackers; cans of tuna; a small jar of mayonnaise and some canned soups.