The college kitchen and grocery shopping checklist is designed to help students and parents save time and money. Our team of current and former students went shopping for you and compiled a list of quality products at affordable prices. Every item covered in our guide also features a need vs. want rating score and in-depth commentary, which help students and parents decide what kitchen and food related items to bring with them to college.
While most of your meals will be at on-campus dining locations, having a mini fridge and microwave in your dorm room is convenient for quick snacks and cold drinks. Some universities don’t allow these items or have restrictions in place, so make sure to double check before making a purchase. Many universities that allow their use will also have a rental program available to students.
We’ve noticed most students opt to buy their own regardless of savings, as they’ll likely use them for their future apartment or house. If you decide you want these appliances in your dorm, you’ll also want to make sure the mini fridge you choose comes with a freezer and detachable shelving. Please don’t forget to discuss with your roommate about spitting the costs of renting or buying.
Dorm room sinks and hallway water fountains don’t always have the best quality water. A lot of students opt to bring a water filter, like a Brita, in order to have convenient access to better tasting drinking water. A personal water filter is cheaper than buying plastic water bottles and also helps to reduce waste. You may also want to consider bringing a refillable water bottle for when you’re on campus.
If you’re a frequent coffee drinker, you should also think about investing in a single cup coffee maker, like a Keurig. There will be dining halls and other places around campus that sell coffee but we recommend making your own (especially if you’re a daily drinker) in order to save money or when you don’t have time to stop by the store.
Even though you’ll eat most of your meals at the dining halls, having a few plastic plates, bowls, cups, and silverware is a good idea for when you want a quick snack in your dorm room. The easiest option is to pick up a cheap, durable, and easy to clean set. Alternatively, many students opt to bring disposable dinnerware and red solo cups to avoid the hassle of cleaning.
If you have a microwave, please please please remember to use microwave safe plates and bowls. Most former college students can tell you a story about the time some person set off the fire alarm and forced the whole building to evacuate. In one of our team members cases, the sprinkler system went off on the floor and flooded 4 students dorm rooms…his hall-mate received a $7,500 damage bill.
You don’t need to bring the 64 piece deluxe tupperware set. We’ve noticed most students are fine just bringing a few extra tupperware containers they had lying around the house. Ziploc bags can also be used to store other supplies students use around their dorm and a small pack should be enough to last you an entire semester.
College dorms usually have common room kitchens equipped with cleaning supplies for students, but you’ll need to double check with your university. Those in an apartment style setup with their own kitchen will need to bring a dish scrubber, soap, and dish cloth. You should try your best to stay on top of cleaning, as college sinks, fridges, and microwaves can get dirty quickly.
Most students underestimate the amount of times they will end up eating in their dorm room. In a lot of cases you’ll find yourself without enough time to make it to the dining hall or simply feeling too lazy to leave your room. If you don’t have a car or if its a hassle to get to a grocery store, we recommend bringing enough snacks to last you about a month. Luckily, a lot of college campuses have small convenience stores for students with microwaveable meals, drinks, and snacks, but buying in bulk is still a lot cheaper.
Students with access to a microwave in their dorm or common room kitchen, have plenty of great options to avoid making a trip to the dining hall. However, a lot of microwavable foods require fridge or freezer storage, so your options will be limited without access to one. We don’t recommend keeping snacks in the common room refrigerator because your food could disappear, even if it’s labeled. You can survive without bringing microwavable snacks, but they are very convenient and can help you save money if you are on a limited dining plan. Some college student favorites include: Popcorn, Instant Mac & Cheese, Ramen Noodles, Soups, Oatmeal, bagel bites, burritos, cheese quesadillas.
If you don’t have access to a microwave or fridge, there’s still plenty of traditional snacks that are great for college dorms. Some popular options include: chips, pretzels, goldfish, beef jerky, pop tarts, cereal, granola bars, candy, chocolate, jello, pudding, cookies, PB&J sandwiches, and TrailMix.
Most of the stereotypical college dorm snacks are pretty unhealthy, but that doesn’t mean healthier alternatives aren’t out there. Some more healthier options include: Apples, Oranges, Carrots, Protein Bars, Granola bars, Nuts, Bananas, Yogurt, Hummus, and rice cakes.
While you can stock up on water and gatorade bottles, it is more efficient to bring a container of your favorite drink mix. You can find gatorade, lemonade, tea, and hot chocolate drink mixes that come in a variety of flavors. If you are already bringing a water filter or Keurig, then you should consider picking up some extra filters and K-cups.