College kitchen essentials are not the same for everyone. The list of qualifiers grows while shopping; lots of items seem essential. In our case, my essentials list was longer, not the student. Launching the second son into college apartment life I thought would be a fun bonding experience. However, he could not get out of the mall fast enough. He wanted to pick his stuff, but he wanted it to be one-and-done for all of it.

Impossible.

He thought he only wanted a few essential cookware items: cast iron skillet, non-stick pan and a pot. I had a credit at Macy’s, but not that much credit. I opted to go to Target to finish out the list for smaller items. He hated shopping and quite frankly, it was more pleasurable for me to weigh all the decisions in the store, snap pictures and get his take than to have him there, going out of his skin.

At Target, I started blasting him with pictures via text message. He responded within seconds. He’s an aspiring chef, suddenly finding an interest in how to build out a kitchen via his personal shopper.I took pictures of spatulas, slotted and solid.

Such a good mom.

Which one?

 I want one just like the one Dad just bought.

Solid then.

Do you want a whisk? (Target is sure smart setting up bins for college kids’ needs.)

Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. (HIs essentials list was growing.)

Love red!

Red measuring cups and spoons ok? (Target is so fun!)

I guess.

How about steak knives? (For $10, what the heck? Do I really want him eating steak, for four?)

Sure! (He was catching the essential fever.)

But only ten bucks!

How about this stack of pretty teal, non-stick pans, four for $20?

NO!! Too much stuff!

I should have known. At Macy’s he turned down a box of cookware for $20 because the sales lady called them “disposable.” Being green-minded, my son said ‘no thank you.’

But the teal! I reluctantly left the pretty stack on the shelf.

The rest of the shopping I did without counsel: Baking sheet, manly kitchen towels and charcoal-gray oven mitts. I paced the aisles looking for a cheese grater. The only one I found was HUGE. I walked away. No way was I going to pay $10 for a giant gadget for a tiny apartment. What was Target thinking?

My “client” was very happy with all of the loot. “Oh, I probably need one of those,” he commented on the cookie sheet. Essential!

“I can’t find a grater. The only one in stock was GIGANTIC.” I said with wide eyes.

“But Sam the Cooking Guy always uses a big grater.”  Sam is his favorite YouTube chef and influenced his interest in cooking and building out the fanciest college kitchen ever. I went back for that darn mega-grater. When I showed him the latest acquisition, it was like a kid at Christmas.

Cheese grater complex.

“I’m using that tonight!” he said with elation rarely seen in a teen. He was making us dinner, practicing his fancy cooking chops via Sam.

I thought we were finished. But, no….he added to his essentials list. He started drinking coffee, like his parents like to drink; hooked after just one cup.

“I need a French Press.”

Amazon and his debit card took over.

It all starts at home. (No, he did not ask for a Hubby mug.)

P.S. No matter how much we planned, we did not think of everything until we arrived in the apartment. My phone tracks my steps and after 4.2 miles, five stores and four shopping trips, we acquired a three-pronged extension cord, bath mat, waste basket, hamper, iron, ironing board, soap, toilet paper, shower caddy, utensil holder, salt and pepper shaker. The next day: food.