Except for my formative infant years, of course, my freshman year of college was the only time in my life when I had someone else prepare all of my daily meals. I’ve always had a kitchen since then so I can make creative late-night meals. Like most Millennials, I started with straightforward breakfast options and different mac and cheese recipes before progressing to intricate meat preparation and even homemade soups.
For the simple reason that I’m afraid I won’t be able to follow instructions exactly, I haven’t tried baking or desserts yet.
A very fulfilling feeling is having the ability to prepare meals for oneself. I always feel proud of myself when I successfully create something tasty for the first time. As strange as it sounds, I’ve always felt most independent when cooking for myself or my friends. Look Ma, I did it. Cooking is kind of the closest thing I can come to felling a tree and building a house because as a writer I don’t get a lot of physical labor thrown at me.
I would like to share some significant life lessons with you all that I have learned since finishing college and living independently. I want to focus on what you should always keep in your pantry and refrigerator to successfully adult. While some items may seem like no-brainers, my justification for keeping them on hand could save you from a few sticky situations. Bonus — this list is useful for anyone who is on a budget like myself. My objective is to have you say: Oh we can totally make that right now.
Fridge.
Keep your refrigerator clean and well-organized; this is a very important tip. Keep perishable items close to the front of the shelf so that you can easily reach them.
Items with approaching expiration dates should also be kept here.
By doing so, you’ll be sure to use it and won’t waste food that is still perfectly edible.
Milk and other dairy products.
Life is all about milk, yogurt, and cheese. You’ll use these things frequently and purchase more. If you share a room with others, avoid keeping milk on the fridge door. The frequent opening and closing of the refrigerator door has caused my milk to spoil more quickly.
Eggs.
You can have breakfast, lunch, or dinner (PLOT TURN). The superfood egg. Always store them higher than any heavy objects, and make sure to check the box for expiration dates and cracked shells before buying.
Both peanut butter and jelly.
Once they’re opened, you can keep them for a long time in the refrigerator, so buy lots and save money.
soda bread.
When it comes to stinky food items, this will save your life. The odors that occasionally seep into your cheeses and butters are absorbed by baking soda.
Nobody desires cheese that smells fishy.
Convenient boxes from Arm and Hammer are available for replacement every 30 days. (Because I’m currently strapped for cash and cheap, I tend to replace mine less. ).
Sauce on top of sauce.
Keep a variety of sauces on hand at all times. A bottle of goodness can be used to bolster even poorly prepared food. The long-lasting and effective condiments soy, teriyaki, salad dressing, ketchup, and mustard are especially useful for spicing up inexpensive meals.
Coffee.
You can keep this tasty food in the refrigerator.
Bread.
I’ve discovered that storing my bread in the refrigerator as opposed to on the counter allows me to delay the onset of staleness for an additional two weeks.
Veggies and fruits.
If you want them to last longer, think about buying whatever happens to be on sale that week and then putting it in the freezer. Yes, they are expensive, but they are a surefire way to avoid scurvy.
Butter.
… Is everything to me. It keeps for a long time, and even if you’re not a butter person, you’ll always have some random butter-related baking emergency, I guarantee.
Leftovers or Precooked Meals.
I advise pre-cooking every meal for the week if you share a refrigerator with others and have limited space. That way you leave room for the perishables you haven’t used and know exactly what you need to buy.
Easy Dough.
Biscuits or pizza. No matter what your choice, it will be fast and easily accessible.
Freezer.
You should defrost your freezer every once in a while to keep it working well. Remember to move things around and away from the back wall where it is the coldest to keep your items from getting freezer burn.
Chicken/Fish/Meat.
Any extra meat or fish that you do not end up using should be put into plastic bags and placed in the freezer. That can delay your next shopping trip by a few days and save you money.
Frozen Meals.
Sometimes you don’t want to cook, and that’s OK. Sometimes your friends come over and you need to entertain. Either way, frozen meals are nothing to be ashamed of. Stores usually have good deals so you can stock up and just keep them in the freezer for a long time.
Frozen Snacks.
Ice-cream is a gift, so keep it in the freezer at all times.
Grapes.
Put frozen grapes in your alcoholic drinks to avoid diluting them — TRUST me.
