The end of May is approaching, meaning that graduation season has begun. Many high school and college graduates will soon be on their own and no longer under the wings of their parents, which means that they must provide for themselves. Every parent wants to know that their child is feeding themselves properly and that they can take care of themselves.

So gift to these recent graduates, give them a cookbook to help guide them through cooking on their own. With these reference guides, you'll feel better knowing that your child has a cookbook that they can rely on whenever they are in the kitchen.

5. The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen Cookbook

Not only does this cookbook provide 375 recipes made in a test kitchen, but it's all held together by a ring-binder, making it easy to flip through while you're cooking. This cookbook is filled with all sorts of recipes varying in cooking methods and nutrition. In fact, some dishes come with a smart phone tag that links the user to a how-to video for more help.

4. Modernist Cuisine at Home

If your son or daughter is a cooking fanatic and loves the science behind cooking, then this cookbook is for him or her. Rather than buying the complete six-volume set of Modernist Cuisine, simply give your child the at home cookbook filled with cooking basics for a modern kitchen and more than 400 recipes. If your child loves to experiment with different techniques, equipment and foods, then he'll have a blast cooking out of Modernist Cuisine at Home.

3. Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything The Basics

Anyone who reads this cookbook will gain useful information about basic techniques in the kitchen, providing him with the skill set he needs to cook basic recipes. For someone who's living life on his own, a basic cookbook like this is exactly what's needed to learn how to cook. The cookbook is filled with photo illustrations to better teach each recipe, as well as 185 recipes.

2. Martha Stewart's Cooking School

When I left for college, my mom gave me this cookbook and it has proven to be a useful guide whenever I'm searching for tips and steps on certain techniques, like peeling and deveining shrimp, preparing certain vegetables and learning what different cooking terms mean. Having this reference guide on hand has definitely made life much easier in the kitchen, and the techniques include easy-to-follow photographs. With the photographs, simplified lessons and 200 recipes, this book is a must-have for recent graduates, high school or college.

1. Joy of Cooking

The Joy of Cooking is a staple for any household. It's the encyclopedia of all encyclopedia cookbooks. With basic recipes and techniques, it will stand the test of time. Whether you want to pass down your Joy of Cooking or buy your son or daughter a revised version from the bookstore, your child will definitely love the recipes, tips and techniques it provides.