Most college students who haven't returned to campus yet will be coming back today. To all those college students - Why not start off this school year by expanding your food options that may seem constricted if you're living in a dorm with no kitchen or simply living on a tight budget? I remember when I lived in a college dorm, and it seemed like I was doomed to eat peanut butter and jelly and a series of microwavable meals, mainly mac n' cheese, for the rest of my academic existence.
Luckily, there are several alternatives to ordering in pizza. If you don't have a kitchen, you can start with a series of different easy and tasty sandwiches. Making a salad does not require a kitchen. If you have access to an oven and stove, you can cook meals that will last several days. For example, you can freeze soup and chili and eat them months later. Cooking meals in bulk and freezing them is economical and will save you time spent in the kitchen later. So, put down your bowl of microwavable ramen noodles and view your options below:
If you're living in a college dorm with no kitchen:
- Mix a salad with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and walnuts. Walnuts have more omega-3 fatty acids than other nuts, and so, they're healthy for your brain. Tomatoes are full of fiber and vitamin C. Purchase pre-washed lettuce to save time.
- Ah, the many sandwich options! Why feel stuck with peanut butter and jelly? Fill your sandwiches with lots of protein. Pastrami, turkey, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, mayonnaise, and mustard is a good classic.
- Tuna fish is an easy delicious nutritious treat. You'll just need canned tuna fish, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and vinegar. You can add dried cranberries and raisins to make it sweeter.
- Microwave vegetables. This is a great side to accompany your tuna fish. Besides the flavor, the best part is that it can take as little as two minutes. For 4 cups of broccoli, place it in a microwave-safe dish. Add a half cup of water. Cover and cook on high for two to three minutes per cup, or until cooked.
- Roast a chicken. The preparation time is at most 20 minutes. It roasts in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes. While it's cooking, you can get back to studying. Just make sure that you keep an eye on the oven. The best part is that the leftovers can carry you through the week. You can use them to make chicken salad. Or, the next day, you can use the leftover chicken breast in a sandwich.
- Make soup or chili. Butternut soup with cumin is my favorite soup during the fall. Like roast chicken, it'll last you longer than one meal.
- Cook a hamburger. Hamburgers don't take long to cook, and they're rich and satisfying. Get a group of other students together and have a barbecue.
- Prepare an omelette. Eggs are not expensive. The best part is the variety of ingredients you can add to the omelette.
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