So you’re free from the shackles of incredibly subpar dining hall food. In my 25 years of eating, some of the worst food I’ve ever had came from my time living in the residence halls— some even worse than the army cookhouse.

Yes, it’s a big step to stock a kitchen from scratch, but it’s quite likely most of you who are moving into a house or apartment will be there for at least a year, so it’s necessary to invest in some kitchen essentials upfront.

For equipment, get yourself a box-set of pots and pans. If you can, find one where the handles are oven-proof. Non-stick is optional, but stainless steel is best. For the minimalist, I advise a small and large skillet/frying pan, a big stock pot in which you can comfortably boil a packet of pasta, and a smaller pot for instant ramen- I know what college kids crave when we come home at 3 a.m.

My oven is a close friend of mine, so getting large baking trays for cookies and a baking tin for roasting vegetables gives plenty of flexibility. It can be difficult to rationalize an expensive kitchenware item, but a nice heavy, stainless-steel pan lets you easily make hearty meals. For example, you could sear a roast on the stove, and straight into the oven it goes.

I advise a handheld blender. A full-sized blender is nice, but honestly, unless you’re into smoothies and protein shakes that require a powerhouse of a blender, the handheld ones are easy to clean, very cheap, and will blend just about anything you need except for ice cubes — Very handy in making things like hummus or pesto.

Speaking of blending, get yourself some big stainless steel bowls for mixing. There is nothing more awkward and annoying than a really messy kitchen counter because all your ingredients came out when you tried to mix things together. Plus, you can blend in them!

Don’t forget that the kitchen should be a personal space, and catered to your lifestyle and dietary needs. Think about the foods you love to eat, and what appliances you need to make them. I’m Asian, so a rice cooker is essential for me.

Buy yourself a decent knife. You really need one good chef’s knife to do 90 percent of your cutting and a smaller paring knife for the rest. I know they’re expensive, but, like a tube of toothpaste, it will exist practically for all eternity with good maintenance. Also, get yourself a decent size chopping board. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself for the investment.

Forget a coffee maker unless you somehow need to brew 12 cups of coffee in a sitting. Get a French press, which can also brew tea.

Other miscellaneous items include a waiter’s corkscrew (for both bottle caps and corks), a microwave, measuring cups, a digital kitchen scale (if you want to do some serious baking), Tupperware, zip lock bags (for leftovers and lunch at school), spatulas and can openers. Tea towels are often forgotten, but are necessary for drying equipment and work perfectly in place of oven mitts.

Scour Craigslist for second-hand and often incredibly cheap equipment; go to yard sales and make friends with people graduating who will give you their things.

On to food. I try to buy ingredients that give me as many options as possible.

Produce like garlic and onions will keep forever before going bad and are used in nearly everything. The same goes for squash and potatoes, which are dirt cheap. Fruits and vegetables are on your own prerogative, although a head of cabbage did once sit in my fridge for three months without going bad.

Dried and canned ingredients like rice and pasta will never turn on you. This is also true for canned tomatoes, garbanzo beans or dried legumes (lentils are great). I quite like Spam every once in a while, so it’s usually present in my pantry. It’s so good with white rice, a fried egg and ketchup. Get some tuna or other canned fish if that’s your thing, as they too will keep for as long as you need them to.

Sauces are another example of food to buy ahead of time. I have soy, oyster, fish, Sriracha, and a bunch of other random sauces here and there that will last me the academic year. Get a bigger tub of mayo, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, horseradish and the sort of condiments that will sit in the fridge happily for an entire semester.

The same can be said about dried spices, like cumin, fennel seeds, thyme, oregano and rosemary.

With cooking fat, obtain extra virgin olive oil, which doesn’t seem to be any more expensive than the other olive oil, as it’s better for salad dressings and bread dipping and works fine in cooking. Canola or corn oil is best for high heat applications (stir fry or sautéing). Butter is, of course, essential for daily goodness in toast, baking and cooking.

Cured meats are great for adding a smokiness and depth to foods. Bacon and ham-like products are good for sandwiches. I like to buy a whole chicken that I can butcher myself as I make stock with the carcass. However, bouillon cubes are much handier. For some reason, chicken thighs are usually cheaper by the pound, so go for that if you can’t be bothered with butchering.

Learn how to braise and make stews. Look for the cheapest cuts of meat, which are usually the toughest, but will also force you to improve on cooking technique and give a bit of creative with what you eat. Braised ox tongue, for example, is oh so soft, beefy and delicious when given some time (and cheap!).

Finally, because time is often of the essence, consider devoting a day every other week or so to make a big pot or tray of something that can be frozen. I make batches of tomato sauce, lasagna, meatballs, gnocchi and soups that I put into small, sandwich-sized, zip-lock bags for emergency rationing or those days when you just can’t be bothered to cook and simply want to microwave.

And if you think you can’t cook, don’t worry, you will eventually learn with practice and time. Google is your friend, or get a cookbook if you like the feel of paper.

Cook as much as you can. It is so satisfying, cheaper and better for the soul than eating out. Revel in your newfound independence. Get creative, get hungry, and plaster social media with the cookies you just made.