The greatest gift I got when I was a poor university student was a stainless steel mixing bowl. My late aunt Bertha bought if for me and said: "If you are going to need anything in the kitchen for the rest of your life you need a large stainless steel mixing bowl." 45 years later that is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.
My late mom was like that too~ I've got the first one she gave me along w/a few of the ones she used & some my mil has sent w/me. Most are ss, tho I have a few that are glass. Since I prefer mixing in ss, I tend to use the glass ones for serving side dishes, but only if the sides make it that far. lol
shortly after I finished my Bachelor's my mom gave me a set of steel bowls for my birthday. I still have them and use them (let's see she gave them to me in 1981....). They are not only indispensable for my bowl needs but they are responsible for providing a distraction to my toddler nephew (along with a wooden spoon) that led to his pursuits in percussion and he is now a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory with a Master's in percussion performance and gigs with three different orchestras. Good multidisciplinary present!
Yes, I love them! I also love the big big plastic ones with measuring and a handle. they're usually higher than they are large and are great when you need grip
I agree! 25 years or so ago my brother bought me a set of 4 bowls. I'm sure they didn't cost much, but I use them constantly and, except for a few dings, they are good as new. They range in size from a couple of cups size to ginormous.
As a college student right now, I have two things that keep me going: an instant pot, which I mostly use to make a big batch of rice once a week, and a wok. I make egg fried rice pretty much every day when I have leftover rice portioned out, and I keep scallions around when I can. That covers probably half of my meals, the rest gets filled in with bad decisions.
Keep your scallions in a tall cup or vase with a little water at the roots. If you change the water every day, it will keep growing more and stay fresh for weeks. Be careful of mold in the water by letting it fully dry out sometimes and replace when they get leggy and slow growth.
@@Meileehere I actually go one step further... after a week or so in water, when you can see some root growth, you can put them in a pot with ordinary potting mix or whatever, even next to other plants, and they'll continure growing for quite a while.
@@angharad.9743 It is if it is refrigerated as soon it gets to room temperature. But it gets... crystalized inside... changes the texture. But you are right it is better probably to freeze it if it's a large batch.
This video should be required viewing for all college students! Thankfully, a slow cooker was not mentioned, since I have 2 that have accumulated years of dust. I wholeheartedly agree with the efficacy of an IP. Tasty meals can be totally prepared in 30 minutes or less. My only suggestion is the addition of a few Styrofoam cups on a window sill containing basil and parsley plants. Maybe add a Cannabis to insure regular watering of plants.
Growing herbs on your window is great advice. Particularly if you grow them from seeds and tend them carefully they're going to last for quite a while and can harvest so much the herbs are basically free. I wouldn't grow them in styrofoam cups though. Those are meant for short term usage and there's no telling what kind of chemicals might seep into the water, soil and ultimately the herbs if you use for months if not years on end. Earthenware flowerpots aren't that expensive. Besides: There the kind of thing that accumulate over time and gather dust and might be lying around unused with relatives or friends, who might willing to give some of them away. At least when I asked my parents if I could take one or two, they gave me five.
I smiled and felt so happy when you told us about the two presents your husband bought for you when he was just a poor college student! And you're using it til now! That's really heartwarming! Thanks for sharing your story. 😊
Frozen vegetables are actually more nutritous than fresh so keep lots of frozen vegetables in the freezer. Keep bread in the freezer so it doesn't go moldy or stale. Just thaw what you need when you need it.
@@ArianaCapraro Freezing sliced bread is a great thing. You may toast it frozen. Or if you like fresh untoasted slices let them sit covered for 10 minutes. Covering is important to avoid moisture evaporating before it reaches room temperature. Otherwise the top gets really dry, while the bottom stays moist. It will bow into an ugly bowl like dried up cheese slices.
@RandomTorok A deep freezer is the most underrated kitchen appliance. I don't know about Americans, but a lot of Germans only have a small compartment on top of their fridges. And they keep complaining about not being able to store frozen food or to freeze leftovers for future use.
Ahh, wow. This brought back memories of my student days in Cairo when I could barely afford a meal a day (plus a small breakfast). And I've done all sorts of crazy things over the years when renting or sharing flats for short periods. How about baking focaccia bread directly on an oven rack? That's right. I had to do it once, as I'd inquired and been told that yes, there was an oven in the house. But what I hadn't been told is that there was only a single pan in the house. I had little choice, as for reasons too complicated to explain here, I was in an area where there was no way I could source an oven dish without wasting too much precious time. So I roasted the bottom of the bread in that pan, then transferred it directly onto the oven rack. To my utter delight, it worked! And I don't mean a flat-bottomed pizza. I mean a thick bread. I was surprised. Sometimes ingenuity makes up for tools. I would encourage students to experiment. It's fun to do the craziest things. By the way, thanks for bringing us these videos. Always great.
Am I the only one who teared up a little in the end? I found an old notebook I had as a broke grad student and one page had my monthly expenses, featuring my very modest research assistantship stipend. I was so broke back then but Helen is absolutely right: I did enjoy creating delicious and nutritious meals from nothing. I just feel so emotional thinking about how broke I was and how far I've come. Enjoy your time and keep at it. You will find success in the future. Great content as always, Helen!
If I could have one pan only - absolutely a wok! With a flat bottom wok you can fry eggs, and still make soups & stews, stir fry, pan fry, deep fry, saute. I could not function without my wok 😎
@@TitoTimTravels I would had gone with a cast iron 10" its versatile, what you cook will season it , u get free iron(be it miniscule) from the pan, become more nonstick over time and easy maintenance.
@@ArchLinuxTux i think the wok is better, and i don't ever plan on having one. it's just too unwieldy. but come on, the wok has all the same pros as the cast iron except for the iron in the food. it becomes nonstick over time, generally easy maintenance, plus you can cook soup in it.
When I was buying kitchenware to bring to college with me a couple of months ago, I had great luck at thrift stores! Most Goodwill's I've been to have a decent selection of cookingware basics in the tchotchkes section, usually for under $5 a piece.
When I go to a potluck and I want to bring something on a pretty platter, I go to Good Will. You can get nice cut glass or silver (or fake silver) trays and platters and plates for next to nothing (fifty cents to a couple of dollars). Then I would just tell the host "keep it" if I left the party before the food was all off it - no need to transfer the food off and wash the plate or carry home a dirty platter.
Bought my college-bound daughter a series of Revere Ware copper clad pots and pans for almost nothing at Goodwill. We got lucky, but it was a good score!
Second hand shops selective about the goods they decide to sell are like lucky treasure hunts each time. The displays always change.... I had to stop going bec of wanting to buy too much.
This, a thousand times. If you go regularly, and just take a couple of minutes in the pans, you'll gradually build up a collection of very expensive cookware, not damaged. Just takes a little patience. You will save more than 90% of the cost.
I cooked for myself and others throughout most of my undergrad and grad-school years. I had no trouble putting good food on the table at a reasonable cost and a short outlay of time. The real secret was working up a personal repertoire of dishes that were worth repeating. A big mistake is trying to do a new or creative recipe every time. A real beginner should start with 6 good recipes that make enough leftovers for another meal or meals. With those, you'll be able to cover over two weeks of meals. On week 3, switch out 1 or 2 of them for new recipes, and so on over the course of the semester. By the end, you'll have an incredible skill set and a lot of familiar recipes. Then you can repeat them all in the second semester with only a few special extras, as time permits. Actually, a good repertoire will serve you for the rest of your life. One more thing-never turn down your nose on cereal or a sandwich. Those are just about the only way to deal with breakfast and lunch.
I found an old Mister Coffee maker in the trash. The handle on the pot was broken. I took it to my room and tested it. It worked well. I fried eggs and burgers on the warmer, cooked soup and ramen in the pot. Ah, those were ths great days!
This video is underrated. Following these instructions has meaningfully increased the efficiency of my cooking. Thanks for posting an ACTUALLY useful "cooking on a budget" video. I have a very, very small kitchen and so cooking that packs a lot of value is critical for me - I simply don't have the space to waste time and effort.
Same here! Some will say it's too strong/vinegary for them, so add a bit of butter or tiny pinch of sweetener to round it out, smooth it to your liking. Also, low sodium tamari over regular soy sauce, when I do use it. =)
Good tips. I’d add, when looking for utensils, check local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores for things you aren’t able to afford new. I’ve gotten so many great utensils from such stores, at a fraction of new product prices.
I wish here in Germany there were more of those stores. Here it is more common to trash things no longer needed than to donate them. It's the stupid idea of "I bought this, if anyone else wants it they ought to buy it themselves in a store, not waiting for me to donate and have anyone else make money of my 'discarded' stuff"
@@CologneCarter ....present the idea to your local officials as a way to resell still usable items. There is nothing wrong with used anything so long as it's clean and safe to use. Also, there's an option to sell on consignment so both the store and the seller split the price and the donor can make some money back.
@@CologneCarter actually, if you go to some cities in Germany (at least i saw it in Kiel), people sometimes leave boxes of stuff they dont need by their gates. And since your name has Cologne in it, i would suggest visiting Flohmarkthalle, or Oxfam sometime! theres plenty of thrift stores in Cologne, just gotta look them up :)
@@CologneCarter As @msr111 suggests, going to local officials could be very smart. Maybe add to your argument that it will reduce the waste in the city rubbish? That could be effective... and true.
I have used metals on non-stick pans a lot without a problem, I switched off from plastic when I realized the degradation of plastic was at a higher rate which means the plastic cannot handle high temperatures and eventually tiny molecules of it melts into your food! basically, you're ingesting plastic with every meal! Most of the good stainless steel utensils you need don't have to be new! You can find good quality used ones either online or from a charity shop for a mere fraction of the price of a new one. I once bought a le Creuset Dutch oven and a skillet both in good condition for 60 euros and now 20 years later am still using them and apart from the wooden handle on the skillet they are still in good condition.
I stayed in the dorms over the summer one year with no access to a kitchen. My instant pot was the only thing sustaining me as I could saute, slow cook, and boil, right on my desk! Im usually not one to recommend gadgets, but if youre really limited, its a fantastic solution.
The book that got me through university decently fed and on budget was the wonderful pamphlet "The Impoverished Student's Guide to Cookery, Drinkery, and Housekeepery."
I always wait until the meat replacements are discounted, buy a bunch and then freeze them. It's way cheaper than meat, and often they're easier to cook too, since you don't need to worry about whether they're done enough. I do the same with butter: I have this one brand I really like, and I always buy two sticks when it's discounted: one for in the freezer, one for in the fridge. Butter keeps for an eternity in the freezer.
Just be aware that often meat replacements aren't even as nutritious as just skipping them. Nutrition is hard but vegans probably have some resources for it.
Hint about washed greens: they will last much longer in the frig if you use your stainless tongs, instead of your hands, to transfer them to a plate or bowl.
Thank you for all the great ideas. I'm no longer a poor college student but I'll have some kids who will need these things soon. I did want to add that it may be possible to 'inherit' a pressure cooker for free from a close family member. When they upgrade to the newest brand you will be there to help them get rid of the old one. It is a win-win situation. This also works with all sorts of computer parts and printers.
#realcomment These tips would have saved me when I was broke my first year in college and eating ramen basically every day. I gained 10 pounds and my health was poor to say the least. A year later I started experimenting with cooking in my little studio apartment and had my fair share of inedible pots of quinoa and rubbery eggplant. These tips are great Helen, thank you for the outstanding content as always!
I ate so much ramen in grad school - sometimes it would go on sale for 9 cents a pack. I have never eaten ramen since then and I finished my Ph.D. in 2000.
As for vinegar, the most versatile in my book is cider vinegar! If I had to keep only one. I was raised on red wine vinegar, but in the end it is often too strong for salad sauces, and cider vinegar can be used for patisserie recipes.
My mother used Heinz white vinegar her entire life but it's so strong. She cut it water as needed and added a literal pinch of sugar. Now, I prefer to dilute and mildly sweeten white wine vinegar or just use white balsamic.
Throw some wine into the cider vinegar dilutes and flavors it Gets you pretty close That wine bottle you pushed back in the fridge or cabinet can also have a second life if you are patient.
You can also make it from apple scraps. You have to remember to do very minimal tending every day or two, but if I were broke, I'd definitely do that. And it has the added advantage of being a probiotic food.
Solid advice for anyone, not just college students. Frugality and minimalism are good for everyone. I have a slow cooker so I never went instant pot. I also have the stainless pot and pan set my sister gave me for graduation 20 years ago and use them daily. Eggs, rice, lentils and veggies with a once a week meat dish can get you far.
my mom for a while now has bought me the random cooking tool and it hasn't been til I've lived on my own that I realize how truly grateful I am for her gifts. I use my measuring spoons all the time and my skillet everyday. She taught me well to always keep frozen peas!! I'm glad her love set me up to feed myself as best I can.
as a college student who lived in a dorm (with one small community kitchen that i shared with the entire building so i couldn't rely on using it often since people were almost always using the appliances and taking up the space. also, knives were not allowed on campus), i survived with a rice cooker that had a steamer basket. i would steam vegetables, fish or chicken, and make rice all in one go in my room. sometimes i would steam eggs, beans, and lentils also. there are also recipes making cakes in rice cookers. you could make ramen in it too probably, but i discovered you could make instant ramen with a coffee maker (which you can find super cheap for like $10). anyways, if you're dirt poor like i was and in a similar situation, rice cookers with steamer baskets can basically do anything :-)
Do college students have ovens/stoves and refrigerators? If not, I recommend a slow cooker, a good blender, and an electric burner, if allowed. And a microwave. I've gone without an oven, and a fridge, though a lot of food was wasted. Almost any meat can be cooked in the slow cooker, and chocolate cake and brownies can be made in the microwave.
I'd add an digital thermometer to the list. They're a great help when learning and you're less likely to undercook something getting food poising as a result.
A good tip: get a bottle of Sweet Vermouth instead of wine. Wine goes bad quickly after opening and you need a fair bit to cook with, plus somebody might drink it on you. Vermouth is much stronger so you only need a shot glass or so for a meal. Plus it lasts forever and is not too palatable for drinking. Get a mid-range bottle for best results, don't get the super cheap stuff, and you don't need the expensive to cook with. You get a ton of meals out of a bottle.
If at all possible, check and see if there are any small stores that cater to : Chinese, Mexican, Indian & the like. Spices are usually SO much cheaper there, as are so many other foods. For starches two usually overlooked options to keep on hand are cornmeal and steel cut oats. Cheap, filling, versatile and so easy to cook ahead. And lastly - as you can, buy up a small stock of glass mason jars with screw on lids over time. They don't stain and warp like plastic, don't hold onto smells like the plastic (having your yogurt and fruit smoothie taste like last weeks curry - no matter how well you have scrubbed them - can be just nasty), freeze well (just don't put them hot into the freezer, they can break), last forever, can go into the microwave (minus the lids), used to make and carry lunches and breakfasts you prep ahead as well as storage and more. Just found your channel and am loving it, by the by!
Great as usual! Still I can't agree on spices. E.g. given my circumstances (living in a dorm and being on a strict "gym" diet) I use mostly chicken and eggs as sources of protein and rice or buckwheat as carbs. Spices let me enjoy the same products with different aroma every time. I can't remeber eating the same dish twice (unless I really wanted to repeat it) - a slight change in the combination of spices alters the final dish. Besides, spices are great sources of vitamins and minerals, so we can't miss them. The cheapest way to get them - ask friends to bring them instead of souvenirs whenever they are abroad. But, in general, they aren't as expensive as it seems - though they cost a lot per kg (good black pepper in Moscow is about 50$/kg), you don't use much of them and they can be kept for really long time in airtight containers.
In some grocery stores you can buy spices in bulk so get 1 oz of something new when you go shopping. Maybe it will be 50¢. Easy to figure out what you like that way .
I've bought almost all of my kitchen supplies from thrift stores, and I would recommend you _always_ check the kitchenware section in your local thrift store. All my heavy-bottom stainless steel pans, whisks, peelers, baking trays (expect one large one I got from Ikea) are from thrift stores and they have lasted amazingly!
I don't know how this wholesome woman made her way into my recommended, but I now know that she is a treasure and have subscribed as is only appropriate.
Lovely video that has expanded some of my pantry staple ideas. I've lived alone (or with a partner) for 4-5 years now but I'm disabled so live on little money. Although I live in a 2 up 2 down my kitchen is still quite small. The recipe and pantry ideas are very helpful. I agree massively about a few good knives being better than lots of poor quality; I have a Zelite birds beak paring and a Zelite exec chef's knife which I hone regularly and they have never let me down and make prepping large amounts of cheap veggies a dream. I'm definitely not at the level of a college student who has no idea how to cook (and doesn't have any equipment). I am however a victim of my income over the years fluctuating massively so I have never got used to little money when it comes to cooking. Thanks Helen :)
I have a fancy egg slicer that I never use. But my sandwich toaster and waffle iron on the other hand are constantly hot. Even with little time and money, two slices of bread with cheese and oregano are so much better once heated. And those two are easily 20 years old now and still work perfectly fine. Good quality utensils will last for a long time.
@@HappyBeezerStudios I met my husband cooking for a friend's wedding, and he taught me to use an egg slicer to slice mushrooms. Works pretty well, but I still do it by knife :-)
I wouldn't put blender on must-have list. I use it once a year. Don't listen to anyone about stuff you need if you don't want to have it too much. "You need blender to make cream soup" you don't need to make cream soup. There's tons of stuff you can cook. Buying stuff should come from deep, reasonably thought hollow in your heart.
#realcomment I loved your remark about restrictions and the joy of making something delicious out of almost nothing. A lot of the best recipes are very simple and use few ingredients.
The only thing i would change about this list personally is not to worry too much about getting high quality pans. Im currently in my sophmore year in college and ive been surviving perfectly fine with a cooks brand stainless steel pan and 3 qt pot. Is it a calphalon or tramontina? No, but they work and im able to cook european style scrambled eggs in my pan without sticking because of the seasoning ive done to it. Regardless, this was a very comprehensive video that i wish i saw 2 years ago to avoid the stress of college cooking. Thanks helen!!!
The pans you see in the video are the ones I own, but the links below the video all go to much cheaper brands :) I totally agree that buying nice expensive pans isn't worth it. But Cook's standard is a good brand. I can think of much worse cookware.
@@helenrennie Thanks for that, but I was asking Nikolas Macalma about what he had done to his pans and how they looked because his answers will tell me quite a lot.
This is a great video with some of the best advice I have ever seen. I would make one amendment. On the leafy greens, adult spinach is one of the cheapest, most nutritious vegetables out there. This isn't great for a salad, but you can cook it into almost any dish for added vitamins. They blend well in smoothies and go great in almost any soup. They can be turned into sauce and dips. I'd view adult spinach as more of a roasted vegetable than a leafy green, but I point it out due to how affordable and nutritious it is. Thank you, Helen.
Just introduced to your channel. What a comprehensive friendly witty and seemingly effortless presentation you will be my next RU-vid rabbit hole for sure.
I am so glad to see mujaddara in this video. That is surely the best college supper in the world. You can even shake it up with curry powder or Chinese 5-spice or some other really good spice mix. I still make it today, and like Ms. Rennie, I could eat it all week!!
The way I kept myself fed while broke at uni was reading old family recipes. People in the past very often had to make do with base ingredients that were dirt cheap to prepare. So it was plenty of borscht, braided cabbage, and cheese and potato kreplach for me 😁
I recommend a rice cooker with a steam tray. I make jasmine rice with garbanzo beans. It's so cheap and super tasty if you add the right spices. I used cumin, garlic, salt, white pepper, and a little red wine vinegar. Then I add some cheddar cheese but you don't need it. If it hurts your stomach then try sour cream on top.
Just found you. I'm 40 but on a budget. I'm still learning. I bought myself a 12 inch skillet (I have 2 for some reason), and my dad bought me a pot, and a soup thing, I make my vegetarian chili in it, and my neighbor on the 3rd floor likes my chili (I also think he doesn't know how to cook. I was trying to guess your accent, and I was right: Russian.
RU-vid needs a "I love this" button! Listening to you brought tears to my eyes. Your position attitude and bright smile made my day. Lots of great advice too! It applies to us nomads. #realcomment I tried to find the pomegranate molasses today. I guess Walmart doesn't carry it. I was surprised that they didn't carry the salt you like either. What section is it usually found? Thanks.
My father was a chef and my grandmother a Danish farm wife who cooked instinctively. I grew to love cooking and baking. Your channel is a breath of fresh air. You know your craft, teach it beautifully, and keep your clothes on while doing it (LOL.) An added perk is your delightful accent. Thanks from south Texas.
I do all of these things as a low income earner.. excellent video! Never heard of pomegranate molasses I don't know if they carry this in my city but sounds interesting.
Try an Asian or international market. I have found it at little Greek gyro shops that also sell some cooking items. It's wonderful stuff. I don't think you'll ever see it at Smith's or Safeway, though.
Dear Helen, I do so very much enjoy your recommendations - I’m eager to make sure I see you in one of your classes next time I am around. Greetings from Munich, Germany
I have a wooden bowl and spatula (actually a paddle - the set is supposed to be for churning butter) that I got at a garage sale for $8 in 1988. I still use that paddle/spatula every single evening. What a great acquisition! Really wide, thick and sturdy with a very short handle. I would hate to live life without it.
I watched this a while ago, but came back just to thank you so much for this video. I'm not in college, but I'm in a small apartment with limited time and this video has made cooking so much more approachable and I'm wasting so much less food.
Helen, you truly are a modern day Julia Child. Such a wonderful teacher. I shall never understand why someone like Ree Drummond is on the Food Network and you're not!
I just shared your channel at my FB Page. I'm a fairly accomplished home cook, but I LOVE listening to your advice and information that is so great to know! My new favorite RU-vidr!!
I'd also recommend an electric skillet for anyone with limited space and/or no stove. We use that and an insta-pot when camping and I can make almost everything I make at home, except baked goods. I also like to bring an electric griddle for pancakes and an electric kettle to boil water.
This is great advice for someone who's trying to cut down on kitchen clutter. I was given a lot of tools when my parents moved and I've been having trouble letting go of them.
Really great advice. This is really helpful. I'd love to see equipment guides for the various steps above this minimal budget. Like, what would be the next things I would buy?
What a treasure to have such a sacrifice from your husband all these years later! What a kind and thoughtful, and lasting, present from your sweetie. Loved that smile you had when you talked about it, too.
Fantastic advice that I will be sure to share! Also, I was utterly charmed by comments she made about the two pots her husband gave her! 😍 Life goes by so fast
#realcomment Yes, what Helen said (particularly the instant pot); but also: an electric kettle can save a tremendous amount of anxiety. When I was a student, I used to boil tea/coffee water in my saucepan; but some days I would think I had time for a second cup, and perhaps get distracted and leave for class, with the pan still heating on the stove (luckily, I never burnt the place down). Since they turn themselves off, electric kettles are much safer. They also boil water much faster than heating in a pan on the burner -- I now generally boil water in the kettle just to transfer to a pot for such things as pasta, grains, and legumes. I also recommend the aeropress coffee maker -- the best cheap single serving coffee maker ever. Also, if you can find it in a library, take a look at Cal Peternell's cookbook "Twelve Recipes," -- written by a distinguished chef whose son was about to go off to college; Peternell realized he'd never really taken the time to teach his kids basic cooking, and the book is the result. I think its one of the best books for the beginning home cook.
Oh yes the self-stopping kettle is a must. Also good for feeding the cats. Mine are finnicky and too thin and they like their food better with a bit of warm water stirred in - makes it more aromatic and brings it to "fresh prey" temperature. I used to run water at the sink until I got it warm enough but here in the desert that's just too wasteful of water.
When I first came to college, my sister (who also were in college) gave me a stainless steel pot with a long handle. 31 years later, this pot is still there, and it’s one of my most useful.
All the way through grad school I found myself relying on old Russian and Baltic recipes because most of the ingredients were either very very cheap (cabbage, beets, potatoes) or regularly ignored at the food pantry. On very rare occasions I’d make either pirozkhi or cepelinas if mince or onions were available. The greatest treat was when I could occasionally go to the Hungarian deli and buy several hundred grams of doctor’s sausage. I wish I’d seen this video back then, I’d have had more ideas of where to go with it, but cabbage and beets are still filling and nostalgic.
I am a huge fan of instant pot. And I love how my instant pot allows me to make huge batches of rice at a time. I make egg fried rice quite often, as I love the versatility of the dish....mushrooms and carrots are my two favorite versions! Or whatever leftovers need using. Leftover fried rice is a great way to use up bits, or the wild commodity stuff that has been delivered here before. An elderly couple we knew got a ten pound bag of spicy fajita chicken they figured we might like, because they would throw it away otherwise. It made the best Mexican inspired fried rice. I make my own taco seasoning and recently swapped my chili powder in the recipe with ground ancho chilies and a spicier dried chili for kick. It made the recipe much better. If you can afford a bullet style blender it is a great tool! I use a magic bullet I was gifted for spice grinding, fresh smoothies, milk shakes, whipped cream, mayonnaise, I tried meat grinding (too much work, though it was possible), and even peanut butter. I thought I killed my blender with the last one the first time I did it...after figuring it out, I managed some great nut butters because I kept getting given walnuts...and apparently I like walnut butter, but not walnuts. I'm only learning to love my bread maker as I found an excellent recipe for beiroc dough made in it that is a solid multipurpose dough. I've made kolaches(spell?), 'hot pocket' sandwiches, sandwich bread, pizza, garlic knots... I have issues with fatigue when trying to knead, so i'm always seeking out shortcuts, and I can tolerate the texture of bread maker. I found the machine at a thrift store, and have gotten every bit of $5 I paid for out of it! Dash makes a mini waffle iron that makes little waffles that can fit in a toaster. Not sure what they cost now, but my son adores waffles (especially banana or other fruit) and it's great to pull this out and make him a waffle or two for breakfast and then just get myself cereal. I used to know how much mix made a single serving of waffles, but i'd have to recalculate. Since i'm making them more often, I just make what I'll use in couple days and keep it in the fridge. I just use boxed mix though. A great cheap wine (if you have access...I'm from America) is Winking Owl brand from Aldi. They were less than $5 a bottle...i think half that, though prices may vary anyway. My family loves them for drinking. My mom makes the trip to the only Aldi close by and brings back as much as she's allowed to buy. I'm usually buying from her or getting old bottles. Since we happily drink it, we use it for cooking, too, and I enjoy it at least. The bottles are adorable, too, and I have plans to make them into fairy lamps!
I think a minimal set of cooking tools includes a basic set of measuring spoons and dry measuring cups along with a 2-cup glass measuring cup. If things are really tight, you could check your coffee cup against a friend's 1 cup measuring cup and if it's the same or maybe if you remember to fill it, say just a half inch from the top of the coffee cup, you could get by. (I did that the first year I was married.)
Great question and great advice! I think most people could use this if they are beginner cooks or short of space as well. I've lived years without a stand mixer for example - expensive gear is not necessary, just time efficient (sometimes).
So true, I don't have a stand mixer or a food processer. When a recipe makes me think I need one, I remember that the recipe predates these inventions.
This video left me with a sense of ease amd compassion, thanks for your useful, passionate and kind advice... I'll send it to my nephews, who will need it soon 💕
i have been an exec chef dor the past 39 years now and I completely agree with MOST everything she says in this video. I remember that when i was in college and completely broke ( i had one dollar per day to feed myself) i lived by using a very cheap electric wok that i had given to me. I cooked everything you can think of in that darn thing. Yes, it had a nice fitting lid.
Best durable green is Kale. Super versatile, in salad, on sandwiches, in soups, steamed/blanched, oiled salted and baked for chips, lasts forever in the crisper. Learning to make dirt-cheap chickpea curry got me through the lean years too.
When it comes to knifes, try before you buy, hold it, simulate cuting, peeling, chopping. I am almost 70, have never found a chef's knife I've liked. The blade is to high and to hard for my likeing. I use an old slicer that has belonged to my grandma and mother, must be 70 - 80 years old, for almost everything. It is so easy and nice to handle. The knife doesn't have to be expensive, you can buy one at second hand. But buy one with good steel and a handle and balance you like, then you'll use it with joy.
Back in the 70s, I lived on the third floor of a dorm that was super overheated in the winter months, with steam radiators in the rooms. We cooked on the radiators! You could literally fry an egg on them. Other times of the year, we cooked with a hot plate, which we weren't supposed to do because they were considered a fire hazard, but just about everyone had one. Our meal plan didn't include weekends, for some reason. We could get a couple of sandwiches in the dining hall on Fridays, but that was it. So, during the week, we "borrowed" salad greens, milk and whatever else would last until the weekend in our little cube fridge. We got really creative with those really cheap ramen noodles, adding whatever we had on hand, including chopped up hotdogs and carrots and other veggies we'd hoarded during the week. We also had a nearby restaurant (in an old train car!) that had one all-you-can-eat pasta night, where we went and pigged out. And on Sundays, they had a cheap brunch menu, so we'd go and eat as much bread as possible along with our omelets - and usually splurged on a margarita (my favorite) or other brunch beverage. We'd sit there munching for hours. Back then, I rode my bike everywhere, so no matter what I ate or how much, I was a thin as a broomstick and super fit. I have very fond memories of those days. By the way, I bought a 12-inch cast iron skillet when I was 20 and had moved into an apartment and it lasted until I dropped it one day and it cracked in half, about 30 years later. One of the nice things about a cast iron skillet is that you can put it in the oven. You just need to treat it with TLC -- like never let it sit and soak in the sink and never scrub the finish (also known as "seasoning") that makes it nonstick. I replaced that cracked cast iron skillet more than 15 years ago with another one. Other than being pitted on the outside, thanks to an ex boyfriend leaving it in the sink despite being asked not to, it still cooks great on the stovetop and in the oven. The other kitchen item(s) that got a lot of use when I was in college and living in an apartment was my bread pans. I made fresh bread every Sunday and had to fight my roommates off when they'd try to slice into it right out of the oven. I did share my loaves, but I made so many different kinds with veggies and cheese and lots of wholesome grains that made it both filling and nutritious. Of course, people can make breads that cook up on a sheet pan or cookie sheet or pizza stone. (Making your own pizza is easy, fun and cheap, too.) Someone else mentioned getting a stainless steel mixing bowl from his grandmother when he was young that he still uses. I still have and use a large orange Pyrex mixing bowl that went with me to college in 1972. Another tip for young people just setting up a kitchen, try to find a cutting board that fits over your sink with an opening at one end -- you can do a lot of food prep on that, instead of your counter. I happen to prefer wood, but you do have to treat it with mineral oil made for cutting boards and never, ever soak it in the sink. I periodically "wash" mine with half a cut lemon, rinse it and then re-treat with oil. I think it's worth the time and effort. If you get a plastic board, you might want to label one side "meat" and the other "veggies" and use it that way. I also want to say that this is a one of the best videos I've seen for people with little or no experience in a kitchen. I am not that person, I cook a lot, but I did enjoy it. I look forward to watching more of Helen's videos. I also find her voice very pleasant and her demeanor very friendly. I'm glad I stumbled onto this channel.
Roasting vegetables really saved my butt when I started studying. I lived in a tiny appartement and the heating failed the entire winter. If I used my oven while cooking, the appartement was warm the entire day.
When you are cooking just for yourself it's hard to use everything. One thing recently started is rehydrating different plants. Keeping your plants (more or less) alive by giving them some water will make them last a lot longer. Some things like spring onions you can even "grow" just with water. I have some spring onions in a glass that I use only for the green. If you cut them the green will grow back and they will get thinner over time until they turn into chives and you can throw them all in a pan. When you purchase them make sure to use all the green parts immediatly that don't look 100% healthy. They will otherwise be shut down by the plant and brown as soon as you put them into the water. Every now and then you have to change the water and remove the outer layer that is seperating. Usually I can use half the green from my spring onions, now from the same bunch I have harvested what I needed for over a month, fresh and tender stalks. I useally cut whole developed stalks at the bottom. I have also put celery to rehydrate in a glass for a day. Sometime the fridge is humid enough to not make this necessary. I had a chinese cabbage grow new leafs in my fridge. For leafy greens I usually by rocket and I soak this often in cold water for a couple of minutes and then pour of the water.
seeing you mention pomegranate molasses was a bit of a shock because i didnt expect a russian cook to know of it, its such an unknown and underrated ingredient, and 2 of my 3 favorite dishes are completely based on pomegranate molasses :p
the instant pot may seem excessive but I totally agree, I'm using a nonstick high edge skillet, instant pot, and sheet pan and I can just about cook anything, this is super sound advice!
More Budget Cooking tips from someone who eats a southern cuisine mainly 1. You can cook dry beans fast without a pressure cooker by adding baking soda to the water. This also eliminates the need for an overnight soak before you cook. 2. Baking soda on your ground meat helps it to brown better and keep it the liquids that are high in myosin. This increases your protein intake, and limits food waste while giving you a juicier, more tender meal. This is very dependent on the surface area of your meat and works best on ground meat. Cover with baking soda, work it in by hand and refrigerate for 45 minutes before cooking. 45 minutes to do your homework or study. 3. Brown gravy is made by using the grease from your meat and then adding flour in small increments until you reach a desired consistency. For more flavor, sauté some diced yellow onions and minced garlic in the grease first. 4. Buttermilk is the product of soured milk and either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. 5. Buttermilk is the secret to making extremely fluffy and flaky biscuits, pancakes, and cornbread. You also need buttermilk to make the white gravy used for biscuits and gravy. 6. The secret to really good French toast is stale bread. 7. I think if I could only own one pan it would be a 10" bare cast iron pan with a polished, smooth surface, because it is the right size to cook a cornbread, or most box cake mixes, can go under the broiler to roast veggies, and my eggs slide around like crazy on my cast iron with very little fat. The only quirk is that for cast iron you must dry it off (which is an active thing) and never let it air dry. Plus, I never haver to worry about off-gassing like in a non-stick pan. Let me know if there is anything I missed.
