You learn quite a bit about food when you have a college roommate. Their differing backgrounds and lifestyles bring unique new flavors to your taste buds, but even if you don't care for their food choices, you can agree on one thing: your parents aren't cooking for you anymore. Naturally, your roommate influences what you eat more and more as you experience college together, and here's how.
1. You share kitchen space.
When you share a fridge and a pantry, or that little pantry stock-piled with ramen in the corner of your dorm room, you end up sharing at least some of the food. Sure, you have designated shelves for your own food, but as you hang out you end up sharing their bag of Doritos.
2. If you're remotely thinking about donuts, your roommate can easily persuade you to get some.
For you, it might be something different, but for me, the big splurge in college was always Krispy Kreme donuts. Passing by the store is trouble because your roommate is always down for a warm donut when you are. Warning: during times of mutual stress, your roommate will easily persuade you to buy a dozen donuts for the two of you to share in one setting.
3. You both want to explore the local dining scene... AKA you're too lazy to cook.
Why eat at home when you have someone to go out to eat with every day? Okay, so maybe it's too much of a hassle to cook and you would rather settle for Blaze Pizza, where you can do unlimited toppings for less than $10.
4. You have someone to share an entire pizza with.
Don't want to leave the house? Pizza night! Watching a movie? Pizza night! Your roommate is equally obsessed with pizza? Pizza night! You can justify ordering pizza when you have someone to share it with. Maybe you should upgrade to a large.
5. It's harder to shop and cook for one.
It's actually difficult to eat everything before they go bad when you're on your own. Sure, you can freeze stuff and figure out ways to cut your grocery costs with coupons, or you can just buy things that both you and your roommate will enjoy before they spoil.
6. You always want what the other has.
"The grass is always greener on the other side" might as well refer to your roommate's food looking more appetizing than yours.
7. You have someone to hold you accountable during your health phase.
At some point in time, your roommate and you will agree to hit up the gym and meal prep together. This is great, because your roommate is there to support your quinoa bowls and call you out when you try to sneak a little Taco Bell 12-pack into your home.
8. You have someone to try recipes with.
College is all about experimenting, even with food. Your roommate will push you to try out some new recipes that will become a staple for your home.
9. Your roommate is guaranteed to introduce you to something new.
There's always at least one meal that your roommate brings with them when you move together that you'll fall in love with, and vice versa.
10. Sometimes your roommate's leftovers are a free meal for you.
Ooh, what's that in the fridge? I haven't eaten all day!
11. You come home and your roommate has baked a cake. What do you do?
EAT IT. It would be an insult to your roommate not to indulge in their culinary masterpiece.
For better or for worse, part of the roommate experience is your dining situation. Despite the scariness of learning how to prepare your own food on a daily basis, at least you don't have to do it alone when you have a roommate. (And you don't have to eat it alone, either!)
