Food on campus can get repetitive quickly. Maybe you’ve had Cuic one to many times this week, but keeping filling, healthy food in your dorm room can be difficult with minimal storage in the refrigerator and little room for pantry-staples. Utilizing the markets on campus and close-by grocery stores like Ralph’s can help you eat in your dorm without breaking the bank. Here are a few recipes that are quick to make, and have simple ingredient lists, only using what you have available to you for cooking (read: the microwave).
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a delicious way to have a quick meal any time of the day. A little prep goes a long way with these. All you really need are some oats and either water or milk, wait a couple of hours, and boom: overnight oats. This is good on its own, but could be even better with toppings like fresh fruit, chocolate chips, nuts and seeds, or even adding things like nutella or peanut butter. Here is a basic recipe to get started, but you can tailor this to your own tastes easily.
Omelette-in-a-Mug
Omelettes are a great start to the morning, but unfortunately, having a stove to cook them on is not usually available, and sometimes you don’t have enough time to make it to the omelette bar. Omelette-in-a-mug is the answer. It only takes about two minutes to make in the microwave, and you can add whatever you like. The recipe calls for adding cheese, salsa, and meat, but the possibilities for toppings are endless.
Baked Potato
This is a simple recipe that is quick and filling, and potatoes are a cheap food to get that keep for a while. Make sure to wash the potato and poke it with a fork a few times, but other than that all it takes is about 12 minutes in a microwave. Top with whatever you have one hand, like some shredded cheese, and you have a delish dinner. Here’s a more detailed recipe, or if you prefer, a baked sweet potato version.
Nutella Energy Bites
These bite-sized balls are a great way to start the morning or end the day. They only require a few ingredients (and if you decided to try the overnight oats from above, you have at least two already) and no baking. Make enough for a few snacks, and make sure to refrigerate the leftovers.
If all else fails…
There are some great staple foods to keep around just for those days you really just need something that takes minimal effort, including:
- Easy mac
- Microwaveable soup
- Frozen meals
- Instant oatmeal
- Frozen vegetables/fruit
- Instant ramen
Happy cooking!