As I’ve moved through my college experience, I’ve slowly realized that Kimball Dining Hall is not going to stick with me throughout my 20’s, and the rest of my life. When I started my semester in NYC, I was not given a meal plan of any sort and was given the task to cook my own meals every day. While I have definitely given into the temptation of ordering takeout from my favorite sushi joints or my local Panera Bread, I have been trying to curb these habits as much as possible. I’m moving into my off-campus house this summer, and I’m staying there all the way through my senior year, so spending ridiculous amounts of money on takeout is not in the cards for me, especially since I won’t have a real meal plan.
However, I have definitely made strides in my cooking abilities this spring, and realized that making delicious, healthy meals is really not as hard as you think! I scour Google and TikTok on the daily looking for different recipes to make, and always end up pleased. So, if you’re like me (circa 3 months ago) and don’t know where to start when brainstorming healthy and easy meals to make during the week, look no further! Here is my list of favorites that I intend on making for the rest of my young adult year:
rice bowls (of any kind!)
Rice bowls are genuinely some of the easiest, healthiest, and yummiest meals to make for lunch and dinner. You can customize them however you’d like and can always switch up the contents and protein you put inside. Here are a few that I rotate throughout the week when I’m looking for something easy to munch on:
- Mediterranean Rice Bowl: This has to hands down be one of my favorites. I put grilled chicken, brown rice, Kalamata olives, feta crumbles, and cucumbers into a bowl and mix it with olive oil, salt and pepper, and even red wine vinegar to make a delicious lunch or dinner.
- Mexican Rice Bowl: Now imagine your favorite Chipotle rice bowl, but DIY it! I usually add grilled chicken or shrimp, brown rice, Mexican cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and lettuce to mine.
- Sushi Bowl: I made this for the first time yesterday, and let me tell you my life is changed. I added jasmine rice, teriyaki pan-fried salmon, cucumbers, avocado, sesame seeds, and homemade siracha mayo to this bowl, and it was one of the tastiest things I have eaten. To be extra fancy, you can even add seaweed. I imagine it like an unrolled sushi roll!
GLUTEN-FREE PASTA
If you’re Italian, like me, it may be hard to switch from wheat-based pasta to something gluten-free, but I’ve found some amazing options that taste as amazing as the real deal! Usually I buy a store-bought sauce like Cacio e Pepe, regular Marinara, or vodka sauce. But, sometimes I feel a little extra and make my own. I usually like to add some sort of protein to my pasta as well, whether it be Italian sausage, grilled chicken, or ground beef. Here are some of my favorite gluten-free pastas to try:
- Chickpea Pasta: Hands down the best type of gluten-free pasta is chickpea pasta. It tastes exactly like the real deal, but has more protein! My go-to brand is Banza, and they make awesome chickpea frozen pizzas too!
- Cauliflower Gnocci: My roommate put me onto Trader Joe’s cauliflower-based gnocchi, and it is such a game changer. While definitely heavier than most pastas, vegetable based pasta is always a yes from me, especially paired with the right sauce combo.
- Almond Flour Pasta: I have yet to actually try this myself, but one of my favorite TikTokers always talks about how this type of pasta is a go-to for her, so it’s definitely on my must-try list.
Going off of this, if you’re in the mood for something lighter than warm pasta, make a pasta salad! There is so much versatility with these, and you can meal prep a larger amount and keep it in your fridge to last the week. My mom always makes pasta salads with items like mozzarella, chicken, olives, onions, etc.
The Classic Protein + vegetable + starch/carb combination
This is seriously one of the easiest meal combinations for when you truly have no idea what to make, and again, there’s so much variability! Here are different options for each category:
PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Sausage
- Red Meat/Steak
- Shrimp
- Salmon
** You can season these with any combo of spices you choose! My go-to spices are onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper!**
vEGETABLE
- Asparagus
- Green Beans
- Peppers
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Salad of your choosing
STARCH/CARBS
- Potatoes: baked, roasted, mashed
- Rice
- Bread
- Pasta
I hope these help you realize cooking truly isn’t as hard as you think, because I thought so for the past 20 years and found out I was wrong once I was ~forced~ to stop relying on Kimball!