My freshman year of college was the only time in my life (besides when I was a baby) when someone else made all of my meals for me every day. Since then, I’ve always had a kitchen where I could make interesting food late at night. Like most Millennials, I started by making simple breakfasts and different kinds of mac and cheese. Then I moved on to more complicated ways to prepare meat and even soups from scratch. I haven’t tried making desserts or baking yet because I’m afraid I won’t be able to follow a plan exactly.
It is a great feeling to be able to cook for yourself. When I make something tasty for the first time, I feel like I’ve done something good.Look Ma, I did it!Even though it might sound strange, cooking for myself or my friends has always made me feel the most independent. As a writer, I don’t do much physical work, so cooking is the closest I can get to chopping down a tree and making a house.
I’ve learned some important lessons since I graduated from college and started living on my own, and I’d like to share them with you all. I want to talk about the things you should always have in your fridge and pantry if you want to be a good adult. Some things might seem like no-brainers, but the reason I say you should always have them with you could get you out of a few jams. My goal is for you to say, “Oh, we can do that right now!”Plus, this list is helpful for people like me who are on a tight budget.
Tip from a Fridge Pro: It’s very important to keep your fridge clean and organised. Items that are about to go bad or that spoil quickly should be kept closer to the front of the shelf, where they are easy to reach. So, you’ll remember to use it and won’t waste good food by putting it away.
Milk or other items made from milk
Life is all about milk, yoghurt, and cheese. You will always use these things and need to buy more. Make sure not to put milk on the fridge door, especially if you live with other people. Because the fridge door was always being opened and closed, my milk went bad faster.
Eggs
Breakfast, lunch, or (SPOILER ALERT) dinner. Eggs are very healthy. Keep them above anything heavy, and check the box before you buy them to see if any of the shells are broken or the date has passed.
Peanut butter and jam
Once you open them, you can keep them in your fridge for a long time. Stock up and save!
Baking Soda
This will save you when it comes to food that smells bad. Baking soda absorbs the smells that can sometimes get into cheeses and butters. No one wants cheese that smells like fish. Arm and Hammer makes boxes that are easy to use and that you can change out every 30 days. (I don’t change them as often as I used to because I’m cheap and broke right now.)
Sauces On Sauces on Sauces
Have a lot of different sauces on hand at all times. Even poorly made food can get some good stuff from a bottle. Soy sauce, teriyaki, salad dressing, ketchup, and mustard all last a long time and add a lot to meals, especially when you’re trying to save money.
Coffee
If you put this in the fridge, it will stay tasty for you.
Bread
I’ve found that putting my bread in the fridge instead of on the table keeps it fresh for two weeks longer.
Snacks
Pickles, olives, and other foods in jars can last for a long time and are a good way to save snacks.
Fruits and Vegetables
Even though they are pricey, they are the best way to avoid getting scurvy. If you want them to last longer, you might want to buy whatever is on sale that week and then put it in the freezer.
Butter
…means everything. It lasts a long time, and even if you don’t like butter, you’ll always need it for baking, even if you don’t like butter.
Leftovers or Meals Already Cooked
If you live with other people and have a small fridge, you should cook all of your meals for the week ahead of time. So, you’ll have room for the perishables you haven’t used yet, and you’ll know exactly what to buy.
Make biscuits or pizza with Instant Dough. No matter which option you choose, it will be quick and easy to get to.
Freezer
If you want your freezer to work well, you should thaw it once in a while. Move things around and away from the back wall, which is the coldest, to keep things from getting freezer burn.
Chicken/Fish/Meat
If you have more meat or fish than you need, put it in plastic bags and put it in the freezer. That can make you wait a few days before your next shopping trip and save you money.
Frozen Meals
It’s fine if you don’t want to cook sometimes. When people come over, you sometimes need to keep them busy. Either way, there’s nothing wrong with eating frozen food. Most stores have sales, so you can buy a lot and keep it in the freezer for a long time.
Frozen Snacks: Ice cream is a gift, so you should always keep it in the fridge.
Grapes
Put frozen grapes in your drinks if you don’t want them to get watered down.
Ice
This is (usually) a given, but ice emergencies can happen at any time.
Onions
Putting them in the freezer for an hour or two before you cut into them helps stop the tears.
Pantry
With this part of the kitchen, you can do anything you want. It’s not as sensitive as the fridge, so you can use it to express your creativity.
Labels and clear plastic containers
If you keep everything in these, it will be easy to find in a hurry.
Pepper and Salt
Clearly, a main ingredient in every meal (what is blood pressure?).
Cereal
For a quick fix for breakfast (or dinner, no one’s judging).
