Kitchen equipment for DS in self-catering at uni...

[GrumpyOldBag]

Just checked the inventory for DS uni accommodation - he is in self-catering with a shared kitchen.

Nothing included except fridge, cooker & microwave!

So I'm going to have to send him with just about everything, aren't I?

Any tips appreciated ...

And how do you avoid duplication with the other people they are sharing with, or is it better to have their own anyway? DS is Coeliac so will need to keep a lot of his stuff separate anyway I guess.

Do you label pots & pans???

Oh god don't label pots and pans. Just buy a set in a bright colour. He will prob need to explain coeliacs to housemates so that they don't use his pans if it will cause him health probs, otherwise people will most likely share their cooking equipment.

Easiest way to avoid duplication is to wait til he has moved in, see what everyone's brought, and nip out to wilkos to buy what's missing. No point in having three kettles but no toaster.

Ikea.
It's normal to provide own stuff.

Neither of my DDs have labelled things but they do keep them in their own cupboards.
I don't think the general standard of washing up in student houses would be good enough for someone with coeliac disease to share. Too much cross contamination.
TK Maxx, Robert Dyas (10% student discount), Aldi and the other supermarkets all have great relatively cheap house stuff at this time of year.

Has he flagged up his dietary issues, sometimes they can place similar needs together to reduce risk of contamination. Own equipment is the norm , although if he can find via fb or whatsapp who is in the same flat or block it may be possible to share some items. Would suggest some tupperware style containers with lids for fridge and cupboards. ikea, poundstretcher, Wilko are all good for the basics.

Get him to go on his flat Facebook page and chat to the others in the flat to see what they are taking. We went to IKEA after seeing what was there ended up buying cutlery one bowl and plate (to encourage immediate washing up so didn't build up!) set of 4 mugs a cheap wok, sieve and frying pan and he took a cheap juicer and sandwich maker that all 5 of them shared.

He only needs a small frying pan, a wok (as you can do loads in a non stick wok), and a saucepan for pasta/rice. plus colander, spoon, spatula and a grater. Sharp knife, peeler and chopping board. Mug, bowl, plate and cutlery.

He'll have to get used to washing them up straight away and taking back to his room tbh as otherwise they'll be used by others

Just buy a set in a bright colour.

Yup! Wilko, Amazon and IKEA all a good shout for this - and I think Lidl has/had a kitchen week on recently, I saw lots of cheap kettles, toasters, mini fridges, cutlery etc in store this week.

Agree with others, when I was at uni almost everyone had a storage box in their room in which they kept their kitchen stuff, hardly anyone left anything in the kitchens as it was pretty much guaranteed that someone else would use it (and not wash it up). I think he is going to have to get used to washing it up and returning it to his room.

Wow none of us kept kitchen things in our rooms. How weird. We were all post gap years though, most of us had been travelling before uni so maybe were better at managing in a shared kitchen.

Buy cheap and cheerful, it won't matter if things are duplicated with other students as you can guarantee that things will go missing, get broken etc.

Thanks - lots of useful advice here.

We never took our kitchen stuff back to our rooms when I was at Uni - but I do remember my flatmate dumping all my unwashed pots & pans on my bed once to teach me a lesson!

We are still very good friends!

I've just bought DS a small George Foreman grill from
Asda for £20, thought might be more useful for him as facilities in his accommodation are very limited.

Only buy cheap and cheerful basics. My son had everything stolen when living in shared Uni accommodation.

Just explained some of this to DS - who expressed great surprise that there isn't a dishwasher in his shared kitchen!!

You don't know who you're going to get stuck with, but chances are they're probably not going to clean their pans so is definitely best to have your own!! It stops arguments over washing up if you keep your stuff only used by you. And yeah as PP said don't leave anything out otherwise it will get used.

We're assembling DDs stuff from a combination of stuff we have that I don't need (eg the spare breadknife which is the one I took from home for my first student flat ), and a few trawls round wilko, TK Maxx, the supermarket). She says they each get a locker in the kitchen but isn't sure how big it is.

Sieve, not colander so it works for rice too. A couple each of crockery and cutlery - there is always the possibility of a guest! - and a few mugs.

She's got a kettle for her room (some halls allow, some don't).

I'm surprised there is no kettle?
They usually get about half a cupboard in a shared kitchen (not a locker). Also maybe 1 shelf in a fridge and half a freezer drawer.

I had never thrown old kitchen stuff away (or bedding) and had mountains in the loft. Enough to equip both DC at uni.
When they first went I sent too much.
What they really need emerges after a couple of terms. Do they cook properly, what sort of meals?
We've narrowed it down to
2 each of plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, cutlery.
2 big pans
1 frying pan for stir fry. (Not a wok because electric hob).
Sharp knife for food prep, wooden spoon, cheese grater.
Pizza tray
Sieve or colander, oven glove.

Both also took a George Foreman type grill which was much used.

Yeah, no kettle listed on the inventory. DS doesn't drink tea or coffee though, although I pointed out he needs to be able to offer it to friends.

He's not good at cooking the basics, but we're working on that. Makes spectacular cakes though ... or used to before the coeliac disease was diagnosed.

I keep remembering stuff we've got that I never use so think he'll be fine ... may need to buy a few extra bits but not much.

When my DS went to Uni 2 years ago, I dutifully provided him with lots of crockery and cooking utensils. When he returned at the end of the 1st year, most of it was still packed in the plastic tubs in which it went, in the same manner in which I had packed it. DS had moved from a rural area to a city and had seemingly found the novelty and convenience of a Just Eat app with a vast array of delivery services too much of a temptation. He seemed to do no cooking at all - although goodness knows what happened to the supply of dried food staples I sent him with

Send child with plate cup dish and cuttlery, and a deep frying pan.
Let him buy the rest as needed, as said half never got used.
Lazy sod bought the microwave meals from ASDA.
Also they all seemed to share in the kitchens.

Don't bother with a kettle or toaster .. someone else will probably bring it and if not he can buy later.
No need to label, buy a distinctive colour and tell him to keep them in his own cupboard ( same with all tools and cutlery) - his coeliac will need to be explained to others but then they will respect his things.

Have had a good rummage through and think I can supply nearly everything from old stuff of mine. He does need his own toaster as he can't share because of the risk of gluten contamination - but he has a separate toaster at home which he is going to take.

I suspect he will also be living off microwaveable ready meals too though.

I suspect he will also be living off microwaveable ready meals too though.

Are there many readily available which are GF?

I found this "HOME 50 Piece Non-Stick Kitchen Starter Set.", while browsing the Argos Mobile app:

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1450130.htm

Bought this for my brother just starting out!

Errol there are quite a lot of curries which are GF although not marketed as such - you have to read the label carefully.

M&S also does a brilliant Free From Wheat range - but I think that's going to be beyond his budget.