Did you ever notice it takes going to college to really appreciate a good meal? Most days, I will avoid the dining hall just so I don't have to eat the food. I'd much rather cook, but on a college student's budget, I have to be thrifty. Here are some ways we can put that couple of thousand dollars to good use and be creative with the food the dining hall of doom has to offer.
Alfredo sauce and pasta.
Boxes of pasta are cheap, I've bought a few boxes for $0.79! As far as the sauce goes, all of the ingredients should be found in your dining hall. All you need is 1/2 cup of butter, 8 oz of cream cheese (a.k.a. eight little individual cream cheeses), 2 tea spoons of garlic powder (you can find that by your pizza station), 2 cups of milk, 6 ounces of grated parmesan cheese (also found by the pizza station) and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. I have made this a few times before and it comes out great!
Pizza bagels.
If your school has a pasta station, you can just steal some red sauce. If not, invest in a jar of red sauce of some sort (normally around $2.50). What you can do is take some bagels from your dining hall, get some cheese from the salad station. Put the red sauce on your bagel, then cheese on top and bake until cheese has melted.
Orange spritzer drink.
Sometimes you need something a little different when it comes to drinks. Try an orange spritzer! It's super easy all you need is sprite/sierra mist/ sparkling water and orange juice. Something very refreshing, especially with the coming of spring!
Cucumber, tomato, onion salad.
This is delicious, and all of these items should be found in your dining hall. Just take some cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions. Throw a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper on top, and you have a delicious (and even healthy) snack!
Peanut butter and banana toast.
Get whatever bread of your choice and after toasting it, put some peanut butter and a cut up banana on top! All of these items should be found in your dining hall and it takes less than 2 minutes to make!
Homemade ice cream sandwich.
This is the perfect thing if you're in the mood for a good desert. Just grab two cookies from your dining hall, slab some ice cream in the middle, and you've got yourself you're own ice cream sandwich!
Caramelized apples.
Just chop up an apple and put some honey on it. Microwave for about 30 seconds and if you have cinnamon sugar, throw that right on top. It's the perfect snack for someone with a sweet tooth on a budget.
Smoothies (of any choice).
If you don't have a blender of some sort, this might not work for you. However, all you need is some yogurt and fruit from your dining hall and just blend it together. Talk about not gaining those extra lb's in college
BLT sandwich.
Make sure you grab some bacon at breakfast so at lunch just take some lettuce and tomato and bread (And mayo if you like it). Then you'll have yourself a BLT.
Styles of pancakes.
My school has a waffle maker, but I prefer pancakes. What I do is take some of the waffle batter, grab some toppings right next to our ice cream, and go home and make a variety of pancakes. Whether it be chocolate chip or banana, it's always a good choice.
Egg sandwich.
Get a bagel, eggs and bacon from your dining hall, and you can make yourself an egg sandwich! Much better combo for a breakfast choice.
