The Recipes Every Teen Needs To Know Before Heading Off To College

When your kid goes off to college, there is always going to be a mix of emotions involved.

But it’s safe to say that one of the biggest will be the responsibility of making sure that they’re ready. And while they can never really be fully prepared, it’s helpful to ensure that they at least know how to end for themselves (alongside doing laundry).

Because if you know they can at least cook a few things, then you’re going to feel much more reassured. However, when it comes to choosing the right things, you’ll find that the basics are always best. So here are the recipes you’ll want to make sure your teen knows before they head off to college.

1. How to Cook Eggs

First of all, we’re all going to want to make sure that we teach them how to cook eggs. This is such a basic recipe but it is something that they can turn to for healthy breakfasts many days of the week. You’ll want to teach them an over-easy eggs recipe, along with how to scramble eggs and the best way to poach them too.

2. Basic Pasta Recipes

Next up, we have pasta. While there are so many pasta recipes they could try, it’s great to make sure that they know how to do the basics. Think spaghetti and meatballs, mac and cheese, and a good tomato sauce. That way, if they want something filling, healthy, and tasty, they’ll know how to whip it up.

3. How to Cook Meat

This one can seem a little obvious, but if they haven’t cooked a range of meats before, then you might want to show them how – even if just to save on food poisoning! Knowing how to properly cook chicken can be great for them. Plus, roasting any meats, grilling bacon, or even throwing together sausages for breakfast!

4. Their Favorites

Now, if your kid has a favorite food that they absolutely love when you make it, why not teach it to them? So they may not be able to make it the exact way that you do – but maybe they can. You won’t know until you try. It could be hamburgers or pot roast, lasagne or biscuits and gravy. The idea is that they can turn to their favorite home comforts when they fancy it (and maybe even when they’re missing home too).

5. Good Old Ramen

Finally, if they’ve never cooked ramen before, you might want to show them how. Now, obviously, this one is a cliche, but so many college kids live off of ramen because it’s quick, cheap, and easy to do. Sending care packages with these (and their favorite snacks) included is always a good idea. But you need to make sure that they know how to make it in the first place and they’ll always have something to fall back on if they don’t want to whip up a full meal.