I am a junior at Penn State, and this is the first year I am living off campus. After spending two years dorming, I was super excited to live in an apartment this year. I was eager to have my own bedroom, live with my friends, and have the freedom I've been wanting. However, there was an elephant in the room.. I had no idea how to cook!

After relying on the dining hall for two years, I was definitely apprehensive to live on my own. I worried that I would have to eat ramen or takeout every night. Well, I have been at school for over a month now and I can proudly say I haven't yet turned to ramen.

I have cooked dinner almost every night, and I learned that cooking isn't nearly as scary as I thought. In fact, I have come to truly enjoy it. So, here are some meals I've made that I hope will inspire you to cook.

Breakfast

Amanda Kessler

Eggs with spinach, ezekiel bread with almond butter, and strawberries.

This breakfast is super easy and delicious!

Amanda Kessler

Açaí bowl.

I love Playa Bowls, but the prices there tend to add up. So as an alternative, I made my own with a Trader Joe's Organic Unsweetened Açaí Purée packet. All you really need for this is fruit of your choosing, granola, honey (optional), and açaí of course!

I didn't follow a recipe for this one, but here is a good place to start.

Amanda Kessler

Brown rice cake with almond butter, pumpkin butter and granola.

This one doesn't involve much preparation, so it's quick and easy if you're pressed for time. Plus, it's perfect for fall if you love pumpkin as much as I do.

Lunch/Snacks

Dinner

Amanda Kessler

Turkey stuffed peppers.

For this, I used ground turkey, Trader Joe's Rice Medley (found in the frozen aisle), tomato sauce, cheese and low sodium chicken broth. I followed this recipe, modifying it to use more sauce. This is one of the first meals I made at school, and my roommates and I loved it.

Amanda Kessler

Chicken Fajitas.

I was nervous to make this, but it ended up exceeding my expectations. I used Frontera Classic Fajita Skillet Sauce and I followed the instructions on the bag.

Amanda Kessler

I served it on a heated tortilla with black beans on the side.

Amanda Kessler

Shrimp stir fry.

This meal was so easy and so good. I used Trader Joe's "Rice Medley" and Trader Joe's "Shrimp Stir-Fry." Trader Joe's is a favorite of mine, if you couldn't tell yet.

Amanda Kessler

Chicken parmesan with roasted broccoli and pasta.

I impressed myself with this meal, not gonna lie. I sautéed the chicken with olive oil and butter for a few minutes, and then I baked it in the oven. No breading necessary! Then, for the broccoli, I used 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon pepper, and then I roasted it at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. The pasta is just penne with marinara sauce.

Amanda Kessler

Ground turkey Mexican style quinoa salad.

I threw this meal together with leftovers. I had ground turkey (leftover from taco night) with Trader Joe's Mexican Style Corn & Quinoa Salad. I also added leftover black beans to the salad, as well as spinach and avocado.

Amanda Kessler

Chicken with roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes.

This meal was simple and delicious. I used a pre-marinated chicken breast from Wegmans, and then I roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes.

Amanda Kessler

Ground chicken stir fry.

Chicken stir fry is one of my favorites at home, so I decided to try making it. I followed this recipe, replacing the ground turkey with chicken, the carrots with peppers and the homemade teriyaki sauce with Soy Vay "Veri Veri Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce." Once again, the rice is Trader Joe's "Rice Medley."

Amanda Kessler

Pesto pasta with veggies and ground turkey.

For this, I used Trader Joe's Pesto Pasta Veggie Sauté Kit and I followed the instructions on the bag. I also added ground turkey for some protein.

So there you have it! Cooking in college really isn't as hard or scary as it seems. I hope that some of these meals inspire you to get rid of that ramen and get cooking.

Let me know if you try any of these! (DM me)