If you’re on TikTok, you too have probably been plagued by the “girrrl dinnerrr” audio. You may have asked yourself “What exactly is a girl dinner?” According to Urban Dictionary, it is “a dinner that consists of many different kinds of small appetizers/snacks rather than just one entree.”
I’m a fan of this trend because it finally helped me to articulate what I had naturally done for years. Though, now that I am a dorm resident, I’m a little more limited in preparing such spreads (farewell charcuterie boards). That being said, I do have a few staple girl dinners to fall back on, all of which are quick and only require a microwave. I’ll be using the formal definition loosely here, but just go with me a little. Without further ado, here are four dorm-friendly girl dinners for any time of day:
- Omelet
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Finding out I could make an omelet in the microwave blew my mind. I use this microwave omelet maker from Amazon. Just pour in eggs (I use Egg Beaters for simplicity) and any fillings you like (I recommend shredded cheese and frozen diced peppers). In just minutes, you’ll have a quick, filling breakfast, no stove necessary. To be honest, even if I had access to a stove, I’d probably still use this. It’s just too easy.
- Mini Charcuterie Plate
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As much as I love an intricately organized charcuterie board with all the fixings, a scaled-down dorm version does the trick. Get some crackers, some cheese (or a couple of cheeses, go crazy) and some fruit (grapes, strawberries, apple slices, whatever you’re feeling). Even though this is kind of a glorified toddler’s snack, it makes me feel like I’ve put some effort in.
- Dumpling Rice Bowl
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When all else fails, I always have Trader Joe’s soup dumplings to fall back on. Honestly, it’s pretty hard to go wrong with most frozen dumplings. I combine this with microwaveable sticky white rice, some kind of frozen vegetables and plenty of sriracha on top. If my tiny freezer could fit more boxes of soup dumplings, I could seriously eat this every day.
- Protein Mug Cake
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I learned from TikTok how to make a mug cake from Kodak Cake mix (the popular protein pancake mix). Combine ½ cup of the mix, ⅓ cup of water and a spoonful of chocolate chips in a mug. Microwave for a minute (sometimes it needs a little longer, just eyeball it) and boom, you have a warm sweet treat. I’ve only ever used the pumpkin-flavored mix (which I highly recommend trying before Fall is over) but I’m sure the other flavors would be great too. Sometimes, I simply cannot get through the rest of my day until I have a little sweet treat. This trick gives me my fix with minimal effort.
Whether you’re also living the dorm life or are just looking for ideas in a pinch, I hope this gave you some inspiration. Are these gourmet recipes? Not quite (it might be a stretch to call them recipes at all). Regardless, it’s always good to have some combos to fall back on during those busy study days.