By Isabel Petrou
We can all agree that going to the dining hall isn’t our first choice regarding snack or meal time. This isn’t always out of pickiness. It’s either not as efficient or you don’t want to leave your dorm in the cold weather (especially in Vermont).
Don’t worry, because I have a simple solution to this problem! With the help of Pinterest, TikTok, and my own imagination, here are 14 quick and easy dorm meals/snacks for when you want to stay in the comfort of your dorm.
- Cheese & Crackers
This classy snack only contains 2 ingredients yet it’s yummy and filling. You can choose whatever cracker you want. I like getting the Firehook Rosemary Sea Salt Mediterranean Baked Crackers or the Fig and Olive Crisps from Trader Joe’s. For cheese, I like Cabot pepper jack or blueberry goat cheese. If you feel extra fancy, Trader Joe’s sells bite-sized wheels of Brie cheese! Feel free to experiment with whichever crackers and cheeses you like! The best thing about this snack is that it’s impossible to mess up.
- Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter and Banana
Breakfast can be difficult when toasters are banned in the dorms. Fear not, grab any flavor rice cake (I prefer the basic salted ones) then spread some peanut butter on them and add banana slices. It’s got a sweet but salty taste with additional nutrients!
- Microwave Mac & Cheese
Thank goodness for microwaves. I don’t know what I would do without them. For a quick lunch or dinner go ahead and buy Annie’s or Kraft microwavable mac and cheese containers. Who doesn’t love pasta?!
- Microwave Mini Pizza
Another great microwavable meal is pizza. This could be the pizza singles from Costco, pizza bagels, or pizza rolls. Pizza will forever be a college student favorite. It always satisfies, especially late at night.
- Carrots & Celery with Peanut Butter
If you were to get one thing from this article, it should be to make sure you have a jar of peanut butter or another nut or sunflower butter in your dorm at all times. It goes well with many things, especially carrots and celery. It can be tough to add fresh veggies in college. Everyone loves a fresh and healthy snack!
- Cereal
We all know those mornings when we wake up with only 5-10 minutes to eat breakfast before rushing to class. The best solution to this is cereal. I cannot forget to mention how good of a late-night snack it is as well! There are even a variety of mini cereal bowls you can buy!
- Overnight Oats
I’m so grateful to Tiktok for enlightening me on the sensation that is overnight oats. All you need is to mix rolled oats, any kind of milk, chia seeds, yogurt, and your toppings of choice. Put this mixture in a closed container overnight and enjoy it the next morning! This is perfect for a long day of classes.
- Yogurt
Yogurt is a great quick breakfast or snack choice. You can add some granola, chia seeds, and honey for added flavor and health benefits. Yogurt is truly customizable and you can make it taste different every day!
- Hummus & Pita
I LOVE a Mediterranean classic, and hummus with pita chips or bread does just that. This is a filling snack, and is perfect to munch on during your study sessions.
- Apple Nachos
Okay, hear me out and no, we aren’t adding cheese. I learned this recipe over quarantine in 2020. It’s my absolute favorite snack AND it’s healthy! Cut up apple slices, then add peanut butter, coconut flakes, mini chocolate chips, and honey (preferably in that order). This is a great sweet treat when Ben & Jerry’s gets old (if that happens).
- Oatmeal
Sometimes the most perfect fall mornings involve me sitting in my common room looking out the window as I eat my instant oatmeal. My favorite is Quaker’s apples and cinnamon flavor. So cozy and seasonal!
- Protein Muffins
Baked goods are a great quick breakfast option if you have little time. It is especially paired well with a coffee. Sometimes they’re not very filling so I like to get the Kodiak Muffin Power Cups! Protein is especially important for powering through a long day.
- Nachos
Okay, now we’re talking about cheesy nachos. It’s simple, just pour some tortilla chips in a bowl sprinkle some shredded cheese over them, throw them in the microwave and they will come out beautifully melted and yummy. If you really want to spice it up, add some guacamole and salsa. Pro tip: if you make it to the dining hall and are super dissatisfied, bring back a slice of grilled chicken to make your nachos more protein-packed and filling!
- Healthy Snickers
Last, but not least, I have to add a classic candy to this list with a healthy twist. Do not hate on this until you try it, because even I was skeptical at first. Grab a few dates, take out the seed, and spread some peanut butter inside. Then, add a few mini chocolate chips and drizzle honey. Throw these in the freezer for around 3 hours and enjoy! Trust me, they taste just like Snickers (or close to it).
I hope this list has inspired you to make better use of your dorm refrigerator and pantry! It can be difficult to stay properly nourished in college, and these easy snacks are a great way to achieve that!
Edited by Maddie Mallon