A significant portion of your college classroom engagement will revolve around note-taking, computer-based tasks, and thorough textbook study.
However, you need to eat, right?! Below are a few items to get you started on a culinary adventure in your dorm room, parent’s house, friend’s house, or wherever you plan on spending most of your days this semester in college. Plus, there are a few meal-prepping options near the end, so keep on scrollin’ and rollin’ through the entire list.
Prices are listed as of Friday, August 18, 2023.
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Kitchen Gadgets & Tools
15-Piece Everyday Kitchen Utensil Set
Ever try cooking without utensils? I have. Don’t be like me and get some decent tools for your kitchen. It might be tempting to go cheap on these but a nice set will last you a lifetime. On that note, you should have a way to measure your recipes and there is no better way to do that than with a proper set.
Price: $151.94
Measuring Cups and Spoons Set of 12 (Stainless Steel)
Maintain precise measurements while enjoying the convenience of freshness at your fingertips! The measuring cup set, complete with spoons, features a spill-proof flat base design, ensuring a mess-free experience. Rest assured, the handles are built to withstand bending or breaking, providing you with worry-free usage.
Price: $31.95
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Cooker
Instapot can be used to cook so many different things, makes incredible food, and eliminates most of the guesswork for newer would-be chefs. For those of you in a dorm, this is a small device that can take your meals to the next level in lieu of a proper kitchen. Just ensure you can have it in your room and you don’t cook anything particularly pungent.
Price: $59.95
Gotham Steel Copper Cast 10 Piece Pots and Pans Set
If you are just getting into cooking it’s best to start with forgiving cookware. Something you can stick in the dishwasher is a plus or easy to clean.
Price: $69.99
Ice Cube Tray with Lid and Bin (makes 64 cubes)
Don’t try to endure the Arizona heat without a good way to make ice, even if it’s just for cooling the water in your water bottle. Don’t go without a water bottle while living in Tucson- it should be like your keys and phone — always on you and always full.
Price: $18.87
Takeya Water Bottle
It’s tempting to snag a Hydro Flask as they are the big name in the game of insulated water bottles, but I have found that Takeya is much better (and far cheaper). The bottles are high quality and come with all the things you need, like a sippable lid with a handle and a rubber butt to make sure you’re not clinking on everything.
Price: $14.39 – $59.99
Speed-Boil Electric Coffee & Tea Kettle
This electric tea kettle has a built-in mesh filter that lets you put tea bags or fruit in the water with just the water passing through. The top pops open with the touch of a button, and the wide mouth makes for effortless refilling and cleaning.
Price: $24.99
Air Fryer
Don’t have much space? Running low on time? Just not that great at kitchen things in general? Cook your meals and snacks quickly, conveniently, and in many cases, even more healthily than with a conventional stove or microwave. Meats, veggies, frozen foods, and, of course, fries can all be prepped with ease.
Price: $49.99 – $119.99
Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve Coffee Maker
I don’t know about you, but I need my caffeine in the morning… and, sometimes, in the afternoon, too. Save yourself money and time in the long run — take your coffee into your own hands and brew a cup in your dorm.
Price: $59.99
FoodSaver V4400 2-in-1
Simple to use: Built-in roll storage and cutter lets you easily make custom-sized bags to fit whatever you seal, while led light indicators easily guide you through the vacuum sealing process.
Price: $193.68
Luchador Bottle Opener
There’s nothing worse than wrestling with a beer bottle cap when you’re thirsty, and this luchador bottle opener is the perfect tool for fighting ‘em off. Plus, once the luchador completes its finishing move, I stick it back on the fridge (the back is magnetized).
Price: $9.90
Portable Countertop Ice Maker Machine
This countertop ice maker can produce 9 bullet-shaped ice cubes in just 6 minutes, and up to 26.5 pounds of ice in 24 hours. The bullet-shaped ice cubes will quickly cool down your drinks, giving you an instant chill.
Price: $109.99
Meal Prep Options in Tucson
If you’re new to town or a local interested in keeping your health in tip-top shape throughout the semester, perhaps meal-prepping is for you. Here are a few local restaurants and businesses offering top-notch meals that you can enjoy in the dorm.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
