First Apartment/Home Kitchen Essentials

[Kathianne]

I'm pretty sure that more than a few of us have children that are setting up or soon will be their first apartment, whether at university or just leaving the nest. All 3 of mine have had their own apartments in school, but now they are moving into apartments they can 'afford.' Still, like newlyweds, it's nice to give them some of the starters to wish them well and a bit of sharing about what we've learned over time. I learned some from mistakes:

Any ideas or corrections to what I consider 'essentials?'

Can opener (http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-58081-SteeL-Can-Opener/dp/B00004OCMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1284905204&sr=8-1)

Collapsable colander (http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Collapsible-Colander-White/dp/B000ORV6OS/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1284905314&sr=1-4)
Space is nearly always an issue.

Pots and pans-skillets and griddles/grills I got them cast iron, they're young enough to hoist them up and they are easy to care for, hard to burn. Besides, they are great for camping which my kids and most of their friends do pretty often. I went for small, medium, and dutch oven for 'pots' in Revere Ware for similar reasons.

Toaster

Coffee maker (http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-50124-Yosemite-Stainless-Percolator/dp/B00005NCWQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1284905772&sr=1-1)-mine don't drink coffee, but I do. I bought them the stove top one, they could throw it in the back of a closet and bring it out when needed, keeping the cabinets and counters free.

Crockpot and cookbook

5 ingredients or less cookbook (http://www.amazon.com/Ingredients-Recipes-Season-Celebrating-Gooseberry/dp/1931890196/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284905967&sr=8-1-catcorr)

Measuring cups and spoons-dry
Measuring cup-liquid

Stainless cutlery set

3 good knives-I went with 8 inch chef, paring, and bread knife. I also gave them good shears to use for pizza and other uses-rather than pizza cutter.

rubber scrappers (1 large, 1 small), hand held strainer, spatula, forked pasta spoon, ladle, wooden or silicon spoons, cookie sheets

Pyrex bowl set for serving and mixing

Kitchen aid hand mixer

Blender/food processor combo-low cost one. There just is not enough counter space and as they become more proficient at cooking for themselves, they'll want a certain type of both, save the money!

Set of Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers

Canister set (http://www.amazon.com/Snapware-60002BXS-10-Piece-Airtight-Dry-Food/dp/B000063SSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1284906572&sr=8-1), I like this one that's cheap and keeps bugs out. Since they can see inside, they're more likely to use the rice or whatever.

[darin]

panini machine. :)

[namvet]

I'm pretty sure that more than a few of us have children that are setting up or soon will be their first apartment, whether at university or just leaving the nest. All 3 of mine have had their own apartments in school, but now they are moving into apartments they can 'afford.' Still, like newlyweds, it's nice to give them some of the starters to wish them well and a bit of sharing about what we've learned over time. I learned some from mistakes:

Any ideas or corrections to what I consider 'essentials?'

Can opener (http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-58081-SteeL-Can-Opener/dp/B00004OCMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1284905204&sr=8-1)

Collapsable colander (http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Collapsible-Colander-White/dp/B000ORV6OS/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1284905314&sr=1-4)
Space is nearly always an issue.

Pots and pans-skillets and griddles/grills I got them cast iron, they're young enough to hoist them up and they are easy to care for, hard to burn. Besides, they are great for camping which my kids and most of their friends do pretty often. I went for small, medium, and dutch oven for 'pots' in Revere Ware for similar reasons.

Toaster

Coffee maker (http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-50124-Yosemite-Stainless-Percolator/dp/B00005NCWQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1284905772&sr=1-1)-mine don't drink coffee, but I do. I bought them the stove top one, they could throw it in the back of a closet and bring it out when needed, keeping the cabinets and counters free.

Crockpot and cookbook

5 ingredients or less cookbook (http://www.amazon.com/Ingredients-Recipes-Season-Celebrating-Gooseberry/dp/1931890196/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284905967&sr=8-1-catcorr)

Measuring cups and spoons-dry
Measuring cup-liquid

Stainless cutlery set

3 good knives-I went with 8 inch chef, paring, and bread knife. I also gave them good shears to use for pizza and other uses-rather than pizza cutter.

rubber scrappers (1 large, 1 small), hand held strainer, spatula, forked pasta spoon, ladle, wooden or silicon spoons, cookie sheets

Pyrex bowl set for serving and mixing

Kitchen aid hand mixer

Blender/food processor combo-low cost one. There just is not enough counter space and as they become more proficient at cooking for themselves, they'll want a certain type of both, save the money!

Set of Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers

Canister set (http://www.amazon.com/Snapware-60002BXS-10-Piece-Airtight-Dry-Food/dp/B000063SSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1284906572&sr=8-1), I like this one that's cheap and keeps bugs out. Since they can see inside, they're more likely to use the rice or whatever.

microwave

[Sweetchuck]

My kids are total fucking dolts. They're a couple years away from being legal adults, but if I left them alone for a week with 3 cases of chef boy a'rdee and a can opener, they'd starve.

[Kathianne]

microwave

So far all the apartments included the microwave. I guess it's now just an included appliance, like regular oven.

[Kathianne]

My kids are total fucking dolts. They're a couple years away from being legal adults, but if I left them alone for a week with 3 cases of chef boy a'rdee and a can opener, they'd starve.

That changes pretty quick when they learn the cost of eating out and making rent. Even too many pizza orders gets old, fast.

I cooked with my kids from toddlerhood up. Yesterday my two sons and I were driving to Home Depot to get a new water heater for them to install. Conversation turned to oldest son's meal from Thursday-Quartered chicken over baby red potatoes and garlic. Friday he made chicken stuffed portobello mushrooms from the leftovers. LOL!

Now when they are home? It's 'what's for dinner?' However if I say, "What are you making?" They can and do, but I still get stuck with the dishes.

[SassyLady]

Linens!! Like dish towels, pot holders, etc.

I can remember the first meal my daughter cooked for me in her apartment .... she had to use a bath towel to get the casserole dish out of the oven because she had no dish towels or pot holders!

[Sweetchuck]

I'm 'batching' it now, just moved into a short-term apartment in AZ until we fully relocate. It's furnished with appliances but nothing else.

First thing I bought when I rolled into town? A 36" TV.