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. Since then, I’ve always had a kitchen to prepare inventive 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. I’ve never tried baking or desserts simply because I’m afraid of having to follow instructions exactly.
It’s incredibly gratifying to be able to prepare meals for oneself. I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I create something tasty for the first time. I’ve always felt the most independent when cooking for myself or my friends, as strange as that may sound. Since writing rarely requires me to perform physical labor, cooking is the closest thing I can come to felling a tree and constructing a home.
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 with you at all times may help you get out of a few pickles. Bonus: This list is useful for anyone who is on a budget, like myself, so 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.
This will help you remember to use it and prevent food waste by wasting perfectly good food.
Other dairy products, such as milk.
Cheese, yogurt, and milk are the essentials of life. You’ll use these things frequently and keep adding to your collection. If you share a room with others, avoid keeping milk on the fridge door. Due to frequent opening and closing of the refrigerator door, my milk has spoiled more quickly.
Eggs.
You can have breakfast, lunch, or dinner (PLOT TURN). The superfood egg. Always keep them above any heavy objects, and make sure to check the box for expiration dates and cracked shells before buying.
Jelly and peanut butter.
Once they’re opened, you can keep them for a long time in the refrigerator, so buy a lot and save money.
the baking soda.
When it comes to odorous foods, this will be your saving grace. When odors occasionally seep into your cheese and butter, baking soda absorbs them. Nobody wants cheese that smells like fish. Convenient boxes from Arm and Hammer are available for replacement every 30 days. (Because I’m currently broke and cheap, I tend to replace mine less frequently. ).
Sauces on top of sauces.
Never go without a selection of sauces. 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.
By storing my bread in the refrigerator rather than on the counter, I’ve discovered that I can delay the onset of staleness for an additional two weeks.
Vegetables 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.
Everything to me is… Even if you don’t like butter, you’ll always have some unforeseen baking emergency, so it keeps for a very long time.
Precooked meals or leftovers.
I advise pre-cooking all of your meals for the week if you share a residence with others and have a small refrigerator. In this manner, you are able to plan your purchases and leave space for any perishables you haven’t used.
Immediately dough.
both pizza and biscuits. Whatever option you choose, it will be quick and simple to access.
Freezer.
In order to keep your freezer functioning properly, you should defrost it occasionally. In order to prevent freezer burn on your items, remember to move items away from the back wall where it is the coldest.
Chicken/Fish/Meat.
Any extra meat or fish that you don’t end up using should be placed in freezer-safe plastic bags. This will enable you to put off your subsequent shopping trip and save money.
Canned food.
It’s acceptable if you don’t want to cook on occasion. When your friends come over, you need to provide entertainment. In either case, eating frozen meals is nothing to be ashamed of. The majority of the time, stores offer great deals, allowing you to stock up and simply store extras in the freezer.
Canned snacks.
Keep ice cream in the freezer at all times because it’s a gift.
Grapes.
In order to prevent dilution, add frozen grapes to your alcoholic beverages.
