Welcome to college! Here, you will have to learn how to live by yourself, make sure you get good grades and figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life, all at the same time!
Hopefully, your parents have spent the last several years teaching you how to take care of yourself and how to generally be a nice person. If you do not know how to do the latter, I cannot really help you at this point (sorry). If you are lacking in the “taking care of yourself” department, the Internet is here to save you! This article is specifically about how to eat quick, healthy meals on a budget without the luxury of time or a full kitchen. Such is life in a dorm. If you have a full kitchen in your dorm, lucky you! However, you will probably still not have time to use it.
But you have a meal plan, you say? There are so many options for restaurants and dining halls on campus that you cannot imagine ever going hungry! Think again. Your meal plan will run out faster than you think, and the food at restaurants on and off campus is quite expensive compared with making your own meals. Here are 34 things you should keep in your dorm room to make sure you can prepare meals on a moment’s notice:
1. A mini-fridge and microwave combination.
Just be careful with it. You can rent one, or check Facebook groups or Craig’s List for college seniors selling theirs from previous years so you can buy one for a good price.
2. A set of Pyrex glass storage containers.
I received a comprehensive set from Costco as a gift. The glass still has not stained after years of using them for leftovers.
3. One sharp kitchen knife with a cover.
I purchased one at T.J. Maxx for about $8.
4. Two small plastic cutting boards.
Eating healthy usually involves chopping fruits and vegetables. Make sure you have two so you do not have to worry about washing them immediately if a sink is not readily available.
5. One tall pot, one small pot and a medium pan.
I bought a set at Target for around $18. These are really only useful if you have occasional access to a stove.
6. A set of wooden spatulas and spoons.
Bed Bath and Beyond has a nice set of bamboo spatulas and spoons for around $7.
7. A set of four spoons, knives, forks, plates, bowls and mugs.
I am sure you will occasionally want to share your quick meals with friends and roommates!
8. A coffee press.
Buying coffee at the coffee shop every day will get expensive very quickly ($2 x 30 days is $60 per month -- just for coffee!). The press does not require any electricity and is useful for making only one or two cups of coffee at a time.
9. Electric kettle.
This little device is a lifesaver. It complements the coffee press perfectly because you can boil the water in the electric kettle without a stove top.
10. Measuring cups and spoons.
Occasionally you will want to measure out exact quantities of ingredients, like when you want to measure out ground coffee for your press.
11. Optional: a rice cooker.
This is great if you eat most of your meals with rice. If you do not, you can buy frozen microwavable rice.
12. Peanut butter or almond butter.
This is great for eating with fruits and vegetables, like apples and celery. This is not great if you are allergic to nuts.
13. Whole wheat bread.
I love to make peanut butter and banana sandwiches because 1) they are delicious and 2) making them only requires using one spoon for spreading the peanut butter and for slicing the bananas. Fewer dishes is always better!
14. Fresh fruit and vegetables.
The "pre-packaged" variety are easy to have around your dorm. I do not mean produce packaged in plastic but produce that has a natural casing (like bananas, oranges, sugar snap peas, etc.) that you can easily throw into your backpack for snacking on the go.
15. Canned beans.
These are a great addition to any meal to help you consume some more protein.
16. Dairy or non-dairy cheese.
This is another easy food item to add to your meals for extra protein. Also, cheese is basically the best.
17. Frozen fruit and vegetables.
The only difference between fresh and frozen produce is that one will go bad quickly and the other will not. They have the same nutrient content! I love to buy frozen spinach so I can easily add it to my tomato sauce for pasta.
18. Olive oil or other vegetable oil.
Olive oil is great to have to make your own dressings. Just add an acidic counterpart, like lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, and you have an instant delicious salad dressing.
19. Dairy or non-dairy milk.
Add this to your morning coffee and cereal. You can also add a glass of milk to your other meals for extra protein and calcium!
20. Dried fruit.
Try to buy dried fruit that is unsweetened or sweetened with something other than pure sugar. This is a great addition to yogurt, oatmeal, or cereal.
21. Granola cereal.
This is a great thing to add to yogurt, to eat on the go by itself, or to eat with milk and dried fruit.
22. Oatmeal.
The electric kettle is useful for many things, including boiling water for oatmeal. You can add fresh, dried, or frozen fruit to your hot oatmeal in the winter months for some extra warmth in the morning.
23. Unsalted nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts.
Once again, remember to add more protein to your diet.
24. Plain Greek yogurt.
I like Fage, but there are other brands like Chobani, Trader Joe's, Dannon, etc.
25. Ground coffee or loose leaf tea.
This prevents you from having to buy a coffee grinder, and you can use them with your coffee press.
26. Brown or white rice.
You can buy dry rice if you have a rice cooker or frozen rice if you only have a microwave.
27. Regular or whole wheat dry pasta.
This is difficult to make without a stove and continuous boiling water, but it is nice to have when you occasionally have access to a kitchen.
28. Couscous.
This may be a new item for some of you. It is a product similar to rice, but it is much smaller and much faster to cook. All you need to do is pour 1/4 cup of boiling water in a bowl filled with 1/4 cup of couscous and olive oil, let it sit for 5 minutes, and you have a perfect, fluffy grain to add to any meal. I also like to add frozen vegetables into the mix with the boiling water for extra nutrients.
29. Eggs.
Hard-boiling eggs are the easiest way to consume these nutrient powerhouses without having all day access to a kitchen. You can buy hard boiled eggs in large packages at Costco, or simply hard boil several of them yourself when you have access to a stove.
30. Honey.
Add this to your Greek yogurt or to your hot tea as a sweetener.
31. Pasta sauce in a glass jar.
This could be tomato sauce, pesto sauce, or other sauces that you like. Remember to refrigerate what you do not use!
32. Mixed greens.
Having pre-washed salad ingredients available to make a quick and healthy salad is a must. Remember, you will have fresh fruit and vegetables, ingredients to make your own dressing, and cheese available to put in your salad as well.
33. Sugar, Splenda or Stevia.
Everyone has their own preference on this one. Pick one, and use it in your coffee or tea.
34. Fresh or dried herbs and spices.
These are great to have on hand to add a little flavor to your food. Consider growing your own basil, rosemary, parsley, mint, etc. These plants do well inside by a window or outside with indirect sunlight.
You can also function more sustainably than your dining hall by purchasing food from local farmer’s markets and composting your food scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, etc. If these are not available on campus, organize your own school farmer’s market and composting programs! Many colleges have a green or sustainability club that you can work with to make it happen.
You may have noticed that the list above does not include any meat. Feel free to add any meat you like to your meals, like pre-cooked chicken or turkey, in case you do not have a stove. However, studies show that limiting your consumption of meat can also help reduce global warming. In addition, biking or walking instead of driving to the grocery store or farmer's market will help reduce your carbon footprint.
One more thing- ask your family for recipes and ideas for meals on the go! Chances are they had to do this sort of thing at least a few times in their lives.
What do you keep in your dorm room for healthy meals on the go? Let me know in the comments below!
