Five basic items every kitchen should have

I was recently on Breakfast Television via satellite from a HomeSense store for a quick segment during the Canadian Women’s Foundation's "Morning for Hope." I was there to demonstrate how there are just a few basic needs when it comes to setting up a new kitchen. Whether you’re off to college, moving into your first apartment or starting a new life in a new city, the ability to prepare homemade meals is as simple as these five kitchen must-haves:

1. A large pot: For batch-cooking soups or curries, quinoa, or simply boiling water for pasta, one big pot is all you really need.

2. A chef’s knife: For jobs large or small, an 8” knife can do everything from chopping veggies to cubing stewing meat and even pitting olives (with a hearty whack!).

3. A large ovenproof frying pan: Not only will you be making frittatas and tossing up stir-fries, but going from stovetop to oven means it doubles as a handy baking dish for everything from roast chicken to fish.

4. A baking sheet: While it may have been built for cookies, this handy pan is also what you use for everyday chicken fingers and fries. And guess what? You can also make a 15-minute jelly roll, so it’s a cake pan too!

5. A set of mixing bowls: I’d normally say you need a set of mixing bowls, plus measuring cups, a colander and a strainer but HomeSense had this colourful set that stacks them all together!

But wait, there's more! If you’re looking to supplement with utensils and gadgets, add any of these five useful extras: a can opener, wooden spoon, spatula, cutting board and measuring spoons.

Done. Now all that’s left to do is get cookin’.