When you first start cooking at university there’s usually a lot of challenges to get your head around. Operating an oven, working out measurements, rice to water ratio. Your parents make it look so easy…
If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen with a recipe book in one hand and a confused look on your face, then this is the list for you.
Here are ten kitchen nightmares to avoid while at university.
1. Overcooking
It’s very important to make sure that you cook food properly, especially meat and fish, which could make you poorly if it hasn’t been thoroughly cooked. But overcooking can be even worse, as you can’t come back from chewy meat or waterlogged pasta. Set a timer on your phone or smart device to ensure that you avoid this outcome. Most food comes with cooking time suggestions on the back of the packaging but be sure to check the temperature settings required.
2. Tinfoil in the microwave
If you’re keen to avoid a fire then it’s best to avoid putting tinfoil in the microwave. The electricity that’s usually used to heat your food will run through the thin metal and cause sparks that could set your dinner alight. It’s best to avoid putting any metal in the microwave!
3. Burning the toast
It’s best to stand by the toaster and wait while it cooks. If you leave the room, you risk the fire alarm being set off and everyone will have to leave their flats to wait outside while the fire warden finds out the source of the alarm. This will probably be announced. In front of everyone.
4. Not tasting as you go
Sampling your dishes as you go is a must, particularly if you are cooking for friends. That way you will know which seasoning and finishing touches need to be added to ensure that the final product tastes as nice as it looks.
5. Oil and water
Like hair-dryers and bathtubs, oil and water should be kept as far apart as possible. It’s all very scientific, water molecules are polar, and oil molecules are non-polar. Use a dry cloth to wipe anything oily down before using water.
6. Leaving food out
You don’t want to leave your food out for longer than a few hours. Student kitchens are breeding grounds for rodents, and they are even more difficult to get rid of once they’ve been spotted. Make sure all of your food is packed away to avoid any unwanted guests.
7. Clogging up the sink
Sink strainers are there to collect all of the food debris from your dirty dishes. Make sure they are kept in place to prevent your sink getting blocked, and once it’s full, empty it into the bin.
8. Making the fridge smell
Sell by dates are great because they tell you when you should throw food away. When you leave things in the fridge way past their sell by date, they can start to smell and even when you remove the food; it can take days for the smell to leave. Always keep an eye on sell-by dates and throw anything out that is no longer edible.
9. Using someone else’s food
Buying your own food is one of the new things you experience as a student, so stealing milk that you haven’t paid for or asked to use, could lead to arguments amongst your flatmates and affect your university experience.
10. Putting hot food in the fridge
If your food is still hot and you put it in the fridge, it could raise the temperature of the fridge and can promote bacterial growth, which in the long term could affect your health. Instead, leave any hot food you are saving to cool down on the side before stocking it in the fridge.
Great culinary skills can get you far at university, they may not be relevant to your CV, but it’s one less thing to worry about while you’re filling out application forms for placements and internships. Check out all the opportunities Enterprise has to offer including apprenticeships and the graduate management scheme.