By Kerry Sullivan
College dining hall food does not always cure your food mood cravings. Some universities have better food than others, but most dining halls are hit-or-miss.
We’ve all been there. You walk into the dining hall and somehow, nothing appears super appetizing. If you live on campus, the dining hall may be your only option to eat in, because not all dorms allow students access to a kitchen to cook your own food.
Hopefully, this guide can help you get dorm-accessible foods so that you can have a meal without leaving your room.
First, I think one of the most helpful things to have is a Costco, BJ’s, or Sam’s Club membership. These stores are wholesale stores, which basically means that you can bulk buy foods for a discounted price. These memberships aren’t that expensive, and it does mean that you don’t have to buy groceries every week when you buy things in bulk.Â
I also think that it’s important to have a mini fridge-freezer and a microwave because you have the ability to access more foods. You can store more things in a fridge or a freezer than you can on shelves, and a microwave means that you can heat things up in the comfort of your room, without having to go to a common room to do so.
Make sure that the food you are planning to eat is nutritious. Nutritional food is much better for your mental and physical health and well-being that junk food. While it is okay to indulge every now and then, eating Cup Noodles for every meal isn’t exactly the healthiest of ideas.Â
With all of that being said, here is a quick list of some foods that I personally like to keep in my room, for the days I can’t be bothered to go to the dining hall.
Acai Bowls: There are lots of different types of frozen bowls that you can get and keep in a freezer, and you can shove into the microwave to defrost when you’re hungry.
Microwave Meals: My roommate and I discovered that there are healthy and nutritious microwavable meals that you can buy. Our personal favorite is chicken pot pie, but there is something for everyone.
Pre-made Salads: Companies have been doing pre-made salads for years. Keeping a couple of these in the fridge can save you lots of time, and you can make sure that you’re getting your vegetables in
Ramen Noodles or Microwave Soup: I know this one isn’t the healthiest, but ramen is a great, quick meal to eat without having to leave your room. There are lots of brands and flavors out there to stop the college student staple from getting too repetitive.
Frozen Fruit: If you have a blender, frozen fruit and some water of juice can make some really good smoothies. You can also mix in things like protein powders and such to make them even better for you. Plus, frozen fruit lasts longer than regular fruit, and you can defrost them when you want a healthy snack.
Yogurt: There are literally 100 flavors of yogurt, and it’s also very good for you. SO not only can you have a tasty treat, you know it will do good things for your body. I personally have loads of GoGurts in my fridge right now. They’re awesome.Â
Hopefully this guide will help you find foods to stock up on that are nutritious and tasty, so you don’t have to leave your room everytime you go eat!