Nothing screams college student life like a minifridge. Most of the time, the college dorm minifridge is associated with fun nights with friends partaking in adult beverages, but for the aspiring college cook, it can be so much more.

Many dorms come pre-equipped with a minifridge, but its always good to confirm in advance. Check your housing pages website or ask a friend living in the dorm if it came with one. If it doesn’t, or you have a room in an apartment, most any mini-fridge will do.

To Freezer or Not to Freezer?

If you need to purchase a minifridge for your living space, you may be considering whether or not to purchase one with a freezer. There can be many benefits to having a unit with a freezer, but it is not completely necessary. One of the key benefits is being able to portion out larger packages of meat for later, and being able to store frozen goods like frozen vegetables. Many of my main stays included recipes with frozen vegetables as a good way to diversify my diet without having to keep a bunch of fresh produce on hand that could expire. Bags of frozen vegetables contain multiple servings, come in variety packs of mixed vegetables, and are generally fairly compact.

Personally, I would advise getting a unit that does a freezer section for that reason. Just don’t be tempted by all the freezer meals found in grocery stores, and instead stock up on items like frozen corn and frozen mixed vegetables as these will provide nutrition and color to your meals.

Top 10 Things to Keep in Your Fridge

1. Eggs – A great and easy way to get protein in your diet
2. Milk – Most any kind will do, great for drinks or quick cereals in the morning
3. Fruits – Great for healthy snacking, my personal favorite was grapes
4. Greens – While they can be used for salads, spinach is a great way to bulk up your meals
5. Boxed Broth – Perfect for making more flavorful rice and pastas, and for soups
6. Cheese – A great addition to many meals
7. Breads – Breads will keep longer in the fridge, especially if you don’t use much of it
8. Yogurt – Great for snacking
9. Butter – A standard ingredient for many recipes
10. Precooked meat (Or tofu) – Good for sandwiches or other meals