Bachelor Apartment Kitchen Guide | Part 1

As we all know (or should know) cooking at home has a ton of benefits. In my bachelor years, I was considered odd because of how I ate. Which meant good quality food, normally good quality meat, veggies and whole starches. At one point I lived with a couple and rented a room from them. I remember him telling me, “man when I was a bachelor, all I ate was grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup”. And if you wonder why men are over weight and on blood pressure pills at 40 years old, this is your answer right here.

Eating well, eating healthy is the prerogative of a man. As the old saying goes, garbage in, garbage out. That goes for working out as well as working our minds. So with that in mind, I wanted to talk about the bachelor kitchen set up.

Quality, not quantity in the Bachelors Kitchen

So the key is not to buy A’LOT of items but to buy a few high-quality items to help your cooking. I have made that mistake of buying a whole set of things that sit in the cupboards only to be packed up and put away in your next apartment. The minimum is what you are looking for. Quality that will last you for years so you can put the rest of your money into the market or into your side hustle.

Below this post you will see a listing to all of the items.

Every Bachelor Needs a Good Chefs Knife

Every kitchen, regardless of male or female, married or single, needs a good cooks knife to start with. Instead of buying a set, go ahead and spend extra on a good quality chefs knife. Your choices are normally either a traditional European chef’s knife or an Asian-style Santoku style knife. Ideally, you want a forged knife instead of a pressed knife. They last longer, have a better weight and in my opinion, just work better. The knife below is what I have (I bought the exact same set 20 years ago). I have had mine for over 20 years now and it is still in great shape. Hand wash it, hone it and it will last you for years.

Stop buying cheap cutting boards

You now have that beautiful knife. You now need a place to cut your vegetables, rest your meat, and do all your food prep. A large high quality wood cutting board is key. You want a lot of real estate to work on, a stable base to cut on and something that will help your knives last for years. Those hard plastic or bamboo cutting boards are not what you want. Ideally, maple is what you want. The cutting board below is what I have. Its 2 inches thick and made of maple. If you have a smaller kitchen you can get one that is smaller in dimensions but this cutting board is great to work on and it will literally last you for years.

The only other thing I would suggest is a set of soft plastic cutting boards. You will use these for things like fish and chicken so you don’t contaminate your wood board. I will have links to a set below.

Pots and Pans in the Bachelors Kitchen

Whether you are making soups or sauce or need pots and pans to cook in, the having a high quality set is key. I always recommend getting a stainless steel set of pots. I like them for several reasons. One, they last for ever. Remember quality of quantity? I have had one of my sets 15 years. Nothing wrong with them. The modern ones (pay attention) are also induction compatible so they are much more versatile. I prefer ones with tempered glass lids but if you can’t afford those, there are sets that are stainless steel they just don’t have glass lids. This is what I had bought and it was a great set. Heavy duty. I will leave other options below.

While these sets are great, I do think you need one non-stick pan for things like eggs and other items where the non-stick comes in handy. I will be honest I don’t use the stainless steel fry pans to much. But I like this one below because at 12 inches it is big enough to cook a lot of things including stir fry. While the edges are not high, it’s big enough that even sauces can be prepared in it. Plus it comes with a glass top lid. You can use this again for sauces or for steaming the top of basted eggs.

The Basics Accessories you need

Once you have your knife, your cutting board, and your pots and pans, you are just about ready to cook. You just need a few other things to start cooking. They aren’t huge items but you will need them. You need a set of tongs, spatula, and spoon set and I always like a high-quality peeler. Once you have these items you are set.

Image	Title	Price	Prime	Buy
	Wusthof CLASSIC Two Piece Prep Set, One Size, Black, Stainless Steel		PrimeEligible	Buy Now
	John Boos Block RA03 Maple Wood Edge Grain Reversible Cutting Board, 24 Inches x 18 Inches x 2.25 Inches		PrimeEligible	Buy Now
	OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set,Clear,Multi		PrimeEligible	Buy Now
	Tramontina 80101/202DS Gourmet Prima Stainless Steel, Induction-Ready, Impact Bonded, Tri-Ply Base Cookware Set, 10 Piece, Made in Brazil		PrimeEligible	Buy Now
	All-Clad HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Frying Pan with Lid, 12 Inch Pan Cookware, Medium Grey -		PrimeEligible	Buy Now
	OXO Good Grips 15-Piece Everyday Kitchen Utensil Set		PrimeEligible	Buy Now

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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With these items you will be more prepared then most people to make healthy and delicious meals. And the great thing is most of this will last you for years to come. Don’t wait to start learning how to cook. It will save your pocket book as well as save your health if done right. Stop eating out of a box, start eating whole food.