Now that I’ve been at college for a few months now, I’ve started to get into a routine and carve out times for cooking in my dorm. It’s not exactly meal prep, but it’s always nice to have food on hand for whenever I want to heat it up or refrigerate it for later. There are three dining halls on campus that I rotate between, but they don’t always have the best options, and sometimes I don’t feel like leaving the dorm. We have a microwave and full fridge in our dorm, and then down the hall is a kitchen with a stove/oven. It definitely takes a little extra effort, but eating healthy as a college student doesn’t have to be that hard!
I usually try to only go to the grocery store every couple of weeks, and I try to spend no more than $20-30 dollars per trip (and that’s for a big stock up). The main things like eggs and veggies and fruit isn’t too expensive, but getting into bigger items like chicken or kombucha or specific ingredients can start to add up. Below I’ve listed some groceries that are on my constant rotation!
A few other things that I buy every once in a while not on the list are flavor drops/crystal-lite packets, sparkling water, bear naked granola, lemons, frozen fruit, and multigrain cheerios. I absolutely love sparkling water and popcorn, but I have zero self control around them and they’d be gone in two days, haha.
I also have a few meals that are in my constant rotation when I have time to cook. Oatmeal is a big one, because it’s quick and easy, but fills me up for a while. I use 1/2 a cup of oatmeal, 3/4 cup of almond milk, and a scoop of protein powder and microwave for a minute. While it’s still hot, stir in a spoon of peanut butter to melt it all together. Add fresh strawberries for an extra touch.
Eggs are another big staple for me. They are full of protein, but easy to make and have lots of variety. Scrambled eggs with deli turkey, salt and pepper, and salsa is so good and quick. I also love fried eggs, either alone or with toast. Avocado toast with a fried egg and mustard? So good!
When I have time, I’ll carve out an hour to prep some chicken for the week. I have my own frying pan and spatula, and I’ll get raw chicken tenders from kroger to make in the dorm kitchen. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic, and cook on each side for a few minutes over medium-high heat. I also just tried lemon pepper seasoning and it’s super good on chicken. I’ll put this chicken in a tupperware to have for the week- to eat plain, put in salads, or pair with veggies for a filling supper.
While I don’t have my full blender at college, my magic bullet still does the job for making smoothie bowls in the dorm. I like the tropical fruit packs from the frozen section, and blending up strawberries, mango, and pineapple with half a banana. Top with oats/granola and drizzle peanut butter on top- yum!
While I’ve started to find ways to cook and make some of my favorite foods at college, it’s definitely not always easy, especially when the semester gets busy and school picks up. I’m really looking forward to getting an apartment with a full kitchen at my fingertips wheneverI need it! What are your favorite easy meals?
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