If you live in BUC’s student accommodation, you share a kitchen with others. Each person may have their own way of doing or not doing things, and this can be a real challenge. Each kitchen may have its own special rules for where to put things, when to clean, and how to do it. Our student accommodation has dishes and utensils provided for you in it. The best advice we can give is to communicate with your roommates and mutually agree on how to divide up work in the kitchen – it will prevent disagreements in the future and make the living environment a better one.
It is a good idea to write your name on your food, or mark it in such a way that helps you – and your roommates – remember what is yours. This is especially true if you do not have designated places for what belongs to each one of you.
It is important that you keep food and utensils clean. Washing your hands, utensils, plates and counters with hot water and soap is the best way to accomplish this. You should be especially careful when handling meat, poultry and dairy products. Be careful not to transfer germs from raw meat to cooked meat – always wash dishes that have come in contact with raw meat before using them to serve or handle cooked meat.
What goes where?
When we buy food for several days or weeks, it is important to store it the right way to make it last longer.
Most fruits and vegetables belong in the refrigerator, usually in a covered container or plastic bag. Kiwi, apples, pears, grapes and avocados can be stored in the refrigerator. When left at room temperature they will ripen more quickly. Pears and apples may also speed up the ripening process of other foods, so keep these fruits separated in plastic bags. Limes and oranges are also best stored at low temperatures if you want to store them for several days. Fresh mushrooms should not be washed before storage in the refrigerator and used within 2-3 days.
Some foods enjoy warmer environments. Tomatoes and bananas should be stored at room temperature. Potatoes and onions grow in the dark, and will last longer if they are stored in a dark place. Room temperature with a paper (not plastic) covering is ideal. If you leave them exposed to the sunlight, they will turn green - do not eat green potatoes (they chemically react with the sunlight and produce chemicals which are not good for you). Uncut onions can be stored at room temperature. Cut onions are better off in a plastic bag or jar and stored in the refrigerator for a few days. Bread should not be stored in a plastic bag at room temperature.
Plastic shopping bags are not good for storing food. You should buy special plastic bags for food such as “brødposer” or “fryseposer”, or use aluminium foil or Tupperware-style plastic containers with a lid.
Do not allow hot or cold foods to remain at room temperature for long periods of time – bacteria thrive in lukewarm food. Notice also that these germs seldom change the taste, odour or appearance of food. Food that is easily perishable often contains egg, milk, seafood, meat and poultry and should be kept in the refrigerator. Once food has been cooked, keep it hot until serving time or refrigerate it as soon as possible.
Freezing
Most student apartments contain a freezer that is shared with your roommates. (Be aware that the small freezer found inside the top of many refrigerators is not sufficient for long-term storage.) If you want to keep food fresh in the freezer, it is necessary to use good packaging and wrapping materials like aluminium foil, plastic wrap, freezer bags and containers. When you wrap, squeeze out the air and seal it tightly. And don’t forget to label the food with your name and contents! One final piece of advice: many fruits and vegetables become soggy or mushy if stored in the freezer – it is a better idea to buy them a little at a time so you use them before they start to become overripe.
Using the microwave
You can cook and defrost foods in a quick and easy way by using the microwave oven. Ask your roommates for instructions if you are not familiar with this cooking method. Note that you cannot put metal of any kind in a microwave. Food should be put on a plate before placing it in the microwave.
Doing the dishes
Believe it or not, there are many ways to wash dishes. The most important thing is that they are washed, especially when the kitchen is used by more than one cook. Here is a brief description of a widely used method:
What you need:
Dishsoap (Zalo is the most common brand in Norway)
A brush (oppvaskkost)
A towel or dish rack for drying.
- Start by rinsing off any visible food with water from the tap.
- Fill the sink with warm water (but not warmer than your hands can bare) and add a little soap.
- Wash everything thoroughly with the brush! It works well to wash silverware and glasses first and then the plates and casseroles towards the end so that they have time to soak in the warm water.
- Carefully rinse off the soap water with warm water from the tap, or dip the dishes in another sink filled with warm water.
- If things still do not come off, use a “steel sponge” or something similar. Do not use this, or anything with metal, on a Teflon pan. Scrubbing Teflon with metal can easily damage or ruin the pan. One good trick is to fill the pan with some warm water and soap and leave it for a few hours. When you come back to wash it, it will be easier to clean.
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