17 Easy Meals That EVERY College Student Should Know How To Make

1. Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is the most standard college meal any college student can make. If you have a hard time putting cheese in between two pieces of bread, honey you're not going to make it. Grilled cheese is always there for you when you're rich, BROKE with no meals, or bored. You can even get fancy and add bacon, bologna, ham or spam.

2. Pasta

Whether it's spaghetti & meatballs or some Chicken Alfredo, pasta is another staple meal that all college students should know how to make. Add some pesto sauce or meat of your choice to make it a savory meal. (P.S., if you have poor judgment on the difference between cooked and uncooked, take a noodle and throw it against the wall. If it sticks, it's done. But don't eat that one though.)

See #11 for some Mac & Cheese

3. Chicken Quesadilla

For our semi-fancy days, a chicken quesadilla works wonders. All you need is a flour tortilla, cheese, and any meat of your choice along with some veggies. If you want to get extra fancy, you can add guacamole, sour cream, salsa, etc. Some college students have a mini quesadilla maker, but a simple pan with oil is fine.

If you need to learn how to make guacamole, check #14 for some recipe tips.

4. French Toast

If you have bread, eggs and cinnamon, you're all set for a semi-fancy breakfast. All you have to do is dip the bread in eggs and cinnamon and then put it on the pan for a couple minutes. Then, you can get creative and top with powdered suggar, syrup or fruit.

5. Salad

For all of my healthy and vegan readers who were almost quick to exit out because of the first 4 unhealthy items, here you go! You can grab your favorite lettuce and dressing for a healthy lunch. If you are trying to stick to a healthy diet but want to actually enjoy some food, add some meat, avocado, or even a little bacon. Just don't drench your food in dressing and label it "healthy."

6. Oatmeal

If you're in need of a quick breakfast, oatmeal is the trick. I know a lot of people shy away from it because of the name itself. But add some cinnamon, fruit, or other topping to make it great. Oatmeal is also one of the easiest breakfasts to make because they even come in microwave packets now. No excuses.

7. Omelette

Don't we just love a good omelette? If you're feeling a little more gourmet-ish than usual, try making an omelette to satisfy your hunger. Add any meat or vegetable you want and don't forget the cheese!

8. Stir Fry

Ah yes, stir-fry. The number one dish that makes us college students feel like actual chefs when we're really just throwing everything together with a dash of seasoning. This dish works perfect with leftovers that you don't want to waste. If you have some veggies and your choice of meat with some rice or noodles, throw it all together in a pot with some soy sauce and seasoning for a good meal. You could be making hibachi-style food in no time!

9. (Chicken) Wrap / Burrito

You can never go wrong with a simple wrap before class. Customize it however you like and it doesn't require a microwave or a stove. That's if you don't like it warmed up I guess.

10. Nachos

You can use store-bought chips, cheese, meat and other toppings for those stay-in and watch Netflix days. You can also host a taco night with your friends and include this on the menu.

11. Mac & Cheese

If you don't know how to make Mac & Cheese by now, you can't survive in college. As a freshman, you can start off with Easy mac in a cup or even throw pasta noodles with shredded cheese in the microwave. As you start upgrading to an apartment, you can make actual macaroni in a pan. You can call it a rites of passage. Even if you are vegan, there shouldn't be any excuses. There are hundreds of alternatives.

12. Bacon & Eggs

Should I go any further with this one? Don't be afraid of the splatter. It's the process.

13. Pancakes/Waffles

If you don't know how to make either of these, honey you failed.

14. Chips & Guacamole

Instead of running to Chipotle, you can use tortilla chips and make your own guacamole. You can make a batch that lasts for a couple of days. The recipe to guacamole is red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, seasoning and avocados of course.

15. Pizza

Whether it's ordering from Domino's Papa Johns, your local pizza place, or making your own pizza, you can NEVER go wrong. If you want to stick to homemade, all you need is some pizza dough, cheese, tomato sauce and meat/veggies of your choice.

16. Brownies

Are these healthy? NOPE! Are these delicious? YEAH! But my point is that a lot of college students like to test their baking skills and about 90% have made brownies once in their college career. It's a known fact. Brownies aren't the healthiest form of survival food but it sure does excel in the comfort food category. If you don't have access to a kitchen, you can use a microwave and make a brownie in a mug.

17. Frozen Finger Food

If you are actually that much of a bad cook, you can't go wrong with some frozen nuggets. Try not to eat these everyday though. All I can say is whatever floats your boat and allows you to make it by in college.