Cooking while in college is hard to do. It’s easy and tempting to run into town with your friends and grab a bite to eat. While it may be fun, it is costly and sometimes time consuming. I know that not everyone has access to a kitchen while living in a dorm, but if there is a kitchen or community space in your building, there are still options for cooking for yourself while in college.
Having a slow cooker is an easy way to save money and get the most out of your grocery budget. Personally, I like planning ahead and making one grocery trip per week. I usually spend no more than $20.00 for my whole trip which includes meat and produce for one or two recipes, as well as drinks and maybe a snack or two. I have learned from my mom different ways to stretch my money, especially when grocery shopping.
Being from Alabama, I have grown up with amazing southern cooking. I am spoiled to my mother’s homemade barbeque sauce, and being raised with a mother that is a wonderful cook has made me unappreciative of restaurants. Having comfort food during stressful weeks has improved my mood and reduced my stress levels as well. I have also been raised to eat leftovers, and I have found that some stuff saves and reheats better than others. This has helped me in deciding my favorite recipes to make during school.
My favorite part about meal planning and using a slow cooker is that it simplifies deciding on what to eat for dinner. On the days that I have late labs and meetings for clubs, it saves me so much time at night because my meals have cooked all day while I was at school. Having dinner ready when I walk in makes it easy for me to eat and get straight to homework and studying. Not to mention, using the slow cooker saves tons of dishes by minimizing pots, pans and utensils. It’s space saving and reduces the amount of kitchenware you might otherwise have to buy.
Pinterest is my go to place to find quick and easy recipes. I believe cooking with a slow cooker is so easy that anyone can do it. It is a great starting place for people that are new to cooking or people looking for an easy and quick way to stretch their groceries. There are endless recipes that take a few simple ingredients and result in a large amount of delicious food. Autumn is just around the corner, and I am looking forward to making potato soup and chili. I have recipes for all seasons on my Pinterest boards just waiting for me to choose from. I appreciate the ability to choose my own meals, and to be able to make some of my mother’s recipes and childhood favorites. I find myself scanning through the Pinterest app on my phone while waiting in lines, and it never fails that I find some delicious recipes to add to my arsenal.