Nicole LeeSenior EditorFrom looking around online, it looks like the list of permissible gadgets differs pretty widely from institution to institution. Some prohibit any cooking gadgets, while some forbid items with exposed heating elements (meaning, a hotplate would be a no-go).At a glance, it looks like UC Berkeley doesn’t allow any electric cooking devices except for a microwave. Stanford doesn’t allow toasters, but does allow toaster ovens. MIT won’t even allow a Keurig coffee maker in a dorm room. TL;DR, It’s more likely than not that you won’t be allowed to bring many kitchen electronics (if any) for safety regulations but it doesn’t hurt to check your university or college’s website. Some colleges offer apartments instead of dorms which have more lenient rules.However, when it comes to things you could consider there are a handful of simple devices that can provide some pretty versatile options. You can go a long way with a mini fridge, a microwave, an electric kettle and/or a personal blender. Think: hardboiled eggs, smoothies, oatmeal, pasta. There are plenty of recipes online for quick and healthy dorm meals that can be made using a single device, but it also helps to think about meals that require more prep or assembly and less actual cooking. Things like antipasto spreads, hummus platters with pita and veggies, or sandwiches. It’ll at least offer some respite from all those ramen nights you’re likely to have.
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A writer and editor based out of San Francisco, Amber has worked for The Wirecutter, PCWorld, MaximumPC and TechHive. Her work has also appeared on InfoWorld, MacWorld, Details, Apartment Therapy and Broke-Ass Stuart. In her spare time, she takes too many pictures of her cats, watches too much CSI and obsesses over her bullet journal.