8 Cute Kitchen Essentials for Your College Dorm
Cute kitchen essentials are a must-have in college! With move-in day just around the corner for many of you, here are some adorable items that are not only super cute but also incredibly useful.
1. Small Coffee Maker
Okay coffee in and of itself is essential to getting through long lectures, early morning classes like the dreaded 8 A.M., and late-night study sessions. In order to make this sweet nectar, you must, of course, have a coffee maker. My favorite brand is the ever so popular, Keurig, specifically the Keurig K-Mini Plus. This coffee maker takes pods, which is the easiest to both store and use in a college dorm, and is small in size itself! There are several colors available, from the classic, sleek black option to a more colorful, teal option. This single-serve coffee maker will ensure that you are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for anything college life may throw at you!
2. Cute Dishes
Whether the dining hall options are not tickling your fancy, or you just ordered in some take-out for a movie night, you need to have cute, non-breakable dishware. Plastic or melamine dishes are the way to go, as they are easy to stack and store, as well as the safe bet to make sure you do not break any dishes that you may drop (trust me, it happens). This set from Amazon fulfills all of those objectives and comes in this trendy wooden pattern, which makes this dishware set both practical and eye-catching!
3. Mini Fridge
You will definitely want to keep your dorm room stocked with snacks and cold beverages for study sessions and hanging out with friends. A mini-fridge is the perfect storage solution for all of your go-to snacks and drinks, whether you are a lover of ice cream or sports drinks. It is truly small but mighty, as it fits about 12 cans of Coke, and gets as cold as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This vintage-inspired mini-fridge from Coca-Cola is great for those of you looking to get that storage space without compromising on decor!
4. Microwave Popcorn Maker
Much like coffee, popcorn is a staple snack in college. From cozy movie nights in the dorm with friends and roommates to studying, popcorn is a must-have. A fun way to make popcorn in your dorm, without simply putting a bag into the microwave, is this popcorn maker from LaRoma. This popcorn maker is made of glass and has a cute, vintage design. It can make up to 3 quarts of delicious popcorn, so all of your friends are sure to be satisfied! Also included with this popcorn maker is a lid of course, but this lid is a bit different than the average lid. The included lid has a spot on the top for you to but butter to be melted while the popcorn pops. This genius design aspect ensures that you not only can make popcorn but movie-theatre style buttery popcorn!
5. Reusable Food Storage
For those times that you or your roommates concoct delicious meals within your dorm, you will need reusable food storage. A space-saving option is reusable food storage bags. These super colorful ones from Anthropologie are made of silicone and can easily be stored within a mini-fridge, without taking up as much room as traditional Tupperware. They are also only $10, which is a complete steal! These are dishwasher-safe and are a great, eco-friendly alternative to the normal disposable food storage bags.
6. Breakfast Tray
In a dorm room, your bed usually takes up most of your living space and therefore is used for seating most of the time. As a college student, I often ate meals or snacks in my bed while studying or watching TV. Unfortunately, eating in your bed comes the possibility of getting crumbs in your bed. A simple and cute solution to that is getting a breakfast tray! NCAA has designed and come out with college-themed breakfast trays that you will immediately want to add to your list of cute kitchen essentials. This Lousiana State one I found at The Home Depot, for example, is made out of plastic and the perfect size for one person. The plastic, much like the dishware mentioned previously, makes using this breakfast tray stress-free, as you will not have to worry about breaking it if you drop it, and also makes storing it super easy!
7. Festive Spatula
If your dorm building has a kitchen, then you will want to make sure you have a few cooking essentials so that you can make your favorite dishes. NCAA also has come out with college-themed spatulas! This cooking utensil would be the perfect companion to the breakfast tray and can be purchased on the Fanatics website! Again, made of plastic, this spatula is easy to clean and store, plus adds an extra bit of school spirit to your dorm room! From crafting the perfect homemade chocolate chip cookies to making your roommate a birthday cake, this spatula is sure to be useful.
8. Kitchen Storage Cart
Now, where are you going to store all of these cute kitchen essentials? Lucky for you, kitchen storage carts exist! I wish I had this in my college dorm room! This Origami Foldable Kitchen Cart is the perfect way to store all of your dishes, coffee pods, even your coffee maker. This one, in particular, comes in white and has a wooden top, making it a piece of decor as well as a storage solution. The neutral colors of the storage cart are certain to match any style of decor and color scheme that you choose for your dorm!
