The Uni Starter Pack Guide (Kitchen Edition) BY: MAXLINE ADOCHIM Detailed enough to guide you through everything food related in university! 3. Meet Maxy & Intro to the guide 4. Explaining the 3 levels 5. Exploring Kitchen Equipment 6. Maxy’s Top Six for Kitchen Kit 7. Spices, Seasonings & Condiments! 8. Grocery shopping! 9. Miscellaneous 10. Maxy’s Top 10 Pantry staples 11. Save your coins! 12. Maxy’s 3 Meal Prep Options! 13-14. Bonus Pages 15. 5 Tips for a Good Uni Experience 16. Useful Links 17. Conclusion! Contents The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Are you having a hard time putting together a list of everything you’ll need in your uni kitchen? Not sure where to do a budget-friendly grocery shop and what to cook too? This guide is exactly what you need! I’ll be exploring everything kitchen and food-related you’ll possibly need for uni in different divisions (e.g, kitchen equipment). Some divisions will be categorised under three levels namely, Basic, Intermediate & Advanced. You’ll have access to all the kitchen & food tips you’ll need for uni and, just maybe, a little extra! Scan the QR code below to watch an introductory video on YouTube, where I give more insight into what I’ll be exploring in this guide. Happy uni prepping! P.S.: Click on the underlined words in this guide to redirect you to linked pages. Intro to the Guide Hello foodies! I’m Maxline, Maxy for short! In 2020, during my first year in university, I embarked on the most spontaneous food journey when the Covid-19 pandemic had just begun and so far, so good! It has been all sorts of amazing. Currently, I enjoy posting detailed recipes on Instagram & YouTube and look forward to exploring other different aspects of the culinary world in the future! Love, Maxy 3| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Meet Maxy! Explaining the 3 Levels The BASIC level highlights the bare minimum of kitchen supplies I believe the typical university student needs. However, it’s okay if you realise you won’t be needing some things I’ve listed under this level. The INTERMEDIATE level of kitchen supplies has been curated for students that like to explore just a bit in the kitchen. It’s perfect for students that enjoy baking goodies from time to time & exploring some not so basic recipes. 1. 2. 3. The ADVANCED level focuses on extra kitchen gems that people like me would love to have and use due to our intense passion for cooking. Lists under this level will go all out while acknowledging that we’re students. Scan the QR code on the previous page to watch the video where I explain these three levels (Basic, Intermediate & Advanced) in much detail. Time stamp 3:47- 6:08 4| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Set of pots & pans Mixing bowls Chopping boards Set of crockery Set of cutlery Set of mugs Set of utensils Set of knives Baking dish Colander Food clips Food storage bowls Rice cooker Blender Set of glass tumblers Oven gloves & tea towels The BASIC list Serving trays Dish drying rack Grill pan Trivets Reusable straws Sieve Peeler Pasta bowls Potato masher Set of mixing bowls & measuring cups Advanced Basic Exploring Kitchen Equipment 5| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) The INTERMEDIATE list Wok Cast iron pot Tin opener Kitchen shears Salt & pepper grinders Food weighing scale Hand mixer Chopper Hand frother Square cake tin Intermediate Scan the QR code on page 3 to watch me explain why I think you’ll need everything listed on the basic equipment list. After that, scan the QR code on this page to watch the video where I go into more depth about the things on the Intermediate & Advanced kitchen equipment lists! P.S.: Most student accommodations provide a toaster & kettle so you wouldn’t have to buy some! 6| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Maxy’s Top Six for Kitchen Kit! Amazon has almost every single thing you can possibly think of and subscribing to “Amazon prime” for £3.99 per month as a student comes with perks such as free next day delivery on most of the items! Rinkit has a wide range of affordable glassware & storage jars that you can use in your student accommodation! You should check them out. Asda is that one stop shop where you can get everything you need for uni - from kitchen equipment to groceries. I would recommend visiting an ASDA close to you! Wilko stocks up on a good variety of kitchenware at very reasonable prices. You'll find general homeware basics there too. Making a trip to IKEA in search of kitchen equipment will be worth it as you will definitely find many student-friendly priced items there. You can also shop online if you’re not up to visiting the store! John Lewis is not the most budget-friendly store although, they do stock up on different brands of kitchen equipment with guaranteed quality. In no particular order, the six stores below are my favourite places to shop for all the kitchen equipment I’ve listed on the previous page and here’s why! P.s.: I got my bedding for uni from there too! The INTERMEDIATE list Cloves Tumeric Cinnamon sticks Mustard Cayenne powder Coriander Oregano Rosemary Salt Black pepper Chilli powder Mixed Herbs Garlic powder Shrimp powder/seasoning cubes All purpose seasoning Curry powder Dark soy sauce Mayonnaise Ketchup Shito* The BASIC list Maple syrup Barbecue sauce Honey Hot sauce Oyster sauce Vinegar Vanilla Paprika Cinnamon Bay leaves Nutmeg Suya powder Chilli flakes Spices, Seasonings & Condiments 7| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) A video of me talking through all the spices and condiments listed on this page will be uploaded soon to my YouTube channel. In the mean time, feel free to make your own list out of all the spices and condiments in the 3 categories. What’s for sure is that you’ll find all the necessary spices and condiments you need for university here. P.S.: I talk about SHITO later in this guide so don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it. Grocery Shopping 8| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) M&S FOOD offers very quality food at slightly higher prices and a wider range as compared to other supermarkets. The company shelves more of their own branded food items than other well-known brands. Get a Sparks card if you decide to grocery shop there and you’ll be able to claim free food sometimes and get great discounts that are valid for use in their other departments! SAINSBURYS is my next go-to after M&S when it comes to groceries. Their groceries are of good quality too. I love TESCO for their Clubcard . I highly recommend you get one. It’ll help you save a lot there. You get discounts on a lot of items while collecting points too. ASDA has everything and is a good place to shop in bulk! In my opinion, their prices are super budget-friendly. I’ve bought from MORRISONS only a couple of times, and it has always been on Uber Eats or Deliveroo, when I run out of staples. Their prices are fairly reasonable too. In order of preference, from the most to least, I have highlighted the only five supermarkets I’ve ever shopped for groceries at. P.S: It’s a good place to buy all your spices! ALDI & LIDL are super budget-friendly stores! Even though I’ve never shopped from there, they are perfect for students who are big on spending the least amount on groceries. Miscellaneous Dish scourers Ziplocs Bin bags Cling film 9| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Aluminium foil Parchment paper Dish sponge Microfibre cloths Grocery shopping bag Food freezer bags All purpose cloths Water bottle Here are a couple of other things you‘ll need in university that I couldn’t fit into specific categories. Pick and choose anything from this page and add it to your uni kitchen list if you think you’ll need it. Are there any other things that you think needs to be on this list but isn't here? Send me an email or a message on any of my socials and I’ll review this guide to make it better for other users! Cooling rack Dishwash liquid Multipurpose cleaner P.S.: Contact details on pages 16 & 17 1 5 3 7 2 6 4 8 9 1 0 Pasta Bread Rice Potatoes Eggs Onions Garlic Canned Tomatoes Oil Shito Maxy’s top 10 Uni Pantry Staples 10| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) SHITO is a Ghanaian sauce made from natural ingredients like ginger, garlic and onions, mixed with a combination of dried fish. Quite similar to the Asian condiment - chilli oil, it’s spicy. Shito is the most versatile Ghanaian condiment as it pairs well with almost every savoury dish! Taking some bottles of Shito with you to university will be very useful! I’ll be posting a recipe detailing how to make it from scratch on YouTube soon! Save your coins! A variety of takeout stores, dine-in restaurants & food stores generally offer student discounts. Before you pay for your takeout, look up the store’s name on UNIDAYS or STUDENT BEANS, and you might just save some coins on your food! Here’s a list of some restaurants & food brands that offer student discounts! Dominos Bill’s Ask Italian Hello Fresh Papa Johns Protein World YO! Hotel Chocolat 11| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Meal plan & prep services make cooking one less problem for students! LIONS PREP is a brand I came across on my Instagram feed some years ago and I was instantly attracted to their packaging and food presentation! They have a 5 star rating and I’d recommend trying them out whenever you don’t plan on cooking for a while. Maxy’s 3 Meal Prep Options! HELLO FRESH is a meal kit company that delivers fresh ingredients for specific meals and requires you to cook them yourself. If you’re tired of thinking of what to make, you can opt for this sometimes. They come with detailed recipes you can follow to recreate the dishes. Last but not the least, you can meal prep your meals & that’s what I do! MAXY’S KITCHEN’s YouTube is a good place to find meal prep- worthy recipes, and I’ve created a playlist titled “uni starter pack” on the channel which contains all of those. Feel free to add your own twist and make them for your weekly university meals! Watch out for a new video on YouTube where I focus on talking about everything related to meal prepping! 12| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Bonus page! Notebooks Pens & pencils Journal/Diary/Planner Highlighters Back pack Pencil case Folders Printer Calculator Post it notes Laptop A4 paper Scissors Stapler & staples Push pins Paper clips Desk lamp Towels Dental care (Tooth brush, toothpaste, etc) Bathing sponge Exfoliating gloves Bathrobe / Dressing gown Flip-flops Bathroom tumbler Cleaning supplies (eg: bleach, antiseptic) Wash bag essentials (eg: deodorant, shower gel) Duvet Pillows Matress protector x2 sheets x2 duvet covers x2 pillow cases Throw Laundry basket Speakers Decorative pieces (eg: photo frames) Personal prescriptions Anti-allergy tablets Cold/flu medications Pain killers First aid kit (plasters, bangages, etc) Sanitary pads/tampons Scented sanitary disposable bags Vitamins More on the next page . . . General University Checklist 13| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Passport Driving license Course acceptance letter Visa documentation 16-25 railcard Passport photos Student finance documents Bank card Insurance documents Medical/Vaccination history Umbrella Hot water bottle Fan Board games Multi plug adaptor Batteries Door wedge Face Masks Winter coat/jacket Under garments Swimwear Gloves, hat, scarf Casual clothes Shoes (trainers, smart & casual) Gym clothes Smart outfit x1 Pyjamas Clothing hangers Laundry pods & softener 14| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) 3. Go for your lectures! Socialise during freshers week 1. This is when you’ll meet most people you’ll be hanging out with in university. Networking with your coursemates will also be helpful as you can rely on each other regarding schoolwork! 2. Join a society or start one! Apart from meeting people who share the same interests as you in societies, see this as a way of enlarging your scope of network & developing different skills beyond your course. Taking a step further to prepare ahead for your lectures will lead you to success in the course you’re enrolled on. Always remember that gaining academic knowledge is one of the main reasons why you’re in university! 4. Take breaks from the books University can easily get overwhelming, and that’s why you need to be intentional about taking breaks. Set time aside to explore the city you’re in, hang out with friends & watch a movie. It’s nice to get takeouts sometimes, on days where you’re just too busy or tired to cook, but homemade will always be better! Check out the different recipes I have on YouTube and get into the meal prep act. It’ll save you lots of coins! 5. Eat good & spend less! 5 tips for a good uni experience! 15| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Useful Links 16| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition) Instagram YouTube TikTok Twitter Amazon Storefront Click on the different links below to redirect you to our socials! You can also find my suggested brands of most of the kitchen equipment on page 3 in three different lists ( Basic, Intermediate & Advanced ) on my Amazon storefront. Thank you! I’m very glad you’ve come to the end of this guide and hope you did find every piece of information here useful. I aim to make an updated version of this guide yearly to make it more informative and helpful for future freshers. If this has blessed you, kindly share it with your friends and family going to university as it might do just the same for them! Lastly, subscribe to YouTube channel @Maxy's Kitchen, so you are alerted when I post amazing student-friendly recipes! Please do not hesitate to reach out to Maxy via email or on any of the socials linked in the previous page if you have any suggestions to make this guide better. Keep up with Maxy maxyskitchen@gmail.com Conclusion 17| The uni starter pack (kitchen edition)