Five Essential College Kitchen Staples

When it comes to cooking in college, it is very important to establish certain staples that you should always have on hand. In my experience, shelf-safe staples always do me better than ones that need to be in the fridge. This list of six essential college kitchen staples will change the game for you as a student learning to cook better for themselves.

1. Olive Oil

Olive oil is the number one kitchen staple when it comes to college cooking. Olive oil is very versatile and can be used is countless ways. Its main purpose in a college kitchen however is to serve as the base cooking oil in any meal. This means using it as an agent to help prevent sticky when you are cooking meat, vegetables, etc., a base for preparing a sauce, or just using it to finish off some pasta. One bottle is less than $4 and will typically last for 2-3 months of cooking.

2. Spices

The second most important college kitchen staple is spices. This staple is variable depending on personal preference. If you are someone who likes more heat, you will want to make sure you always have pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes on hand. However, if you are someone who prefers a more simple flavor, I would suggest having basic salt and pepper on hand. If you aren't too picky with your spices and want to have more variety of flavor in your food, I would suggest salt, pepper, paprika, garlic salt, italian seasoning, and cinnamon to have on hand at all times.

3. Rice/Pasta

The third most essential college kitchen staple is rice/pasta. Either one of these starchy bases can be used in almost any meal. Rice/pasta is super easy to cook and is a great base for any meal to help it stretch and be more filling.

4. Canned Tomatoes/Tomato Sauce

The next essential college kitchen staple is canned tomatoes/tomato sauce. Tomatoes add the perfect amount of acidity to any meal and can help it be balanced. Like many other items on this list, it is very versatile and can be used in several ways. You can grab some of grandma's homemade canned stuff or a can from the store, but either works great!

5. Garlic

Although its last on this list, it is certainly not the least. Garlic is perhaps the most essential ingredient to have in any kitchen, especially in college. It adds so much flavor and depth to any meal and can be the key ingredient in elevating your meals from good to great. Garlic has pretty good shelf life when you buy it whole and you can also buy canned minced garlic to keep in the fridge that will last for a long time.