No kitchen? No problem! As a college student stuck living in a dorm, I’ve learned that my tiny living space has a huge impact on my eating habits. Not having access to a kitchen means I don’t have the resources to endlessly stuff my fridge and meal prep. My so-called “kitchen” consists of a fridge and a microwave ten feet away from my bed. Sometimes it’s so hard to stomach the idea of dining hall food, and my cheap college student budget won’t support nightly Chipotle-DoorDashing. Since starting college, I’ve learned a few easy dorm meals and grocery shopping tricks that have helped me keep a healthy relationship with food while kitchen-less. Here’s my guide to being well-fed in dorm life.
To-Go Boxes Are Your Best Friend!
If you have a meal plan, take advantage of it! Don’t be afraid to hit the dining hall and smuggle out extra cookies for a late-night sweet, or extra oranges when you need that vitamin C boost. If your school offers to-go boxes, I highly recommend it. Trust me, I know that dining hall meals are not ideal but find the food you can tolerate and grab extra before you head back to your dorm. This will increase your options for dorm snacks and keep you fed even when short on time.
Panera Soups
One of the best grocery store purchases I’ve made at college is those containers of pre-made Panera soup! It’s a little bit pricey, but so worth it! There are so many yummy flavor options to stock up on, and there’s so much soup in one container that I always have leftovers for another day. It’s so convenient to just pop it in the microwave! It’s even better if you make a grilled cheese at the dining hall sandwich bar to take home. The perfect thing to enjoy on a chilly fall day!
Dorm Sandwiches
Speaking of sandwiches, they are some of my favorite things to eat in college. A great way to pack protein, carbs, and veggies into one handheld meal. Stock up on deli meat, cheese, and maybe some lettuce, or tomato. As an alternative to bread, wraps last a long time and are so easy to stash in a mini fridge. Sandwich ingredients are perfect to have on hand for a quick but fresh meal, and the ingredients last a while, so it’s cost-effective too!
Spreads, Dips, Sauces
On your next trip to the grocery store, pick up some ranch, hot sauce, or whatever you like to elevate a mediocre dorm meal. This is a great way to add some variety to what you eat and make meals feel more satisfying. Here are some other things I recommend adding to your grocery list:
- Hummus
- Salsa
- Peanut butter
- Strawberry jam
- Cream cheese
- Buffalo chicken dip
Dorm Rice Bowls
My best dorm concoction was my rice bowl-wanna-be-stir-fry-meal. Here’s what you need: microwavable rice cups, a bag of frozen veggies, and teriyaki sauce. I microwaved the rice according to the package instructions and then heated the veggies. I added them to a bowl with the teriyaki, and that’s it! Use a soy sauce packet from old Chinese takeout if you don’t feel like investing in the teriyaki (but trust me, it’s worth it.) Pro-tip: if you have a cute bowl and chopsticks, it will taste 10x better.
I hope you give these ideas a try! They have been game-changing for me, and I hope they can help you too! These subtle changes to my college lifestyle have helped me maintain healthy eating habits, spend less money, and manage my time as a busy student—not to mention they’ve saved me from many dreaded dining hall trips. Happy eating :)