As college students, we all know the pains of continuously eating in the dining hall. The chicken that never quite looks like chicken. The limpy fries (although I do have to commend that our school really isn't that bad). But even if you love dining hall food, there becomes a time when you are sick of the monotony of having extremely similar meals all the time. And when the flavors start to roll into one big taste in your mouth, you know its time for a change. So maybe you order take out or pizza. But that can cost anywhere between 10-20 bucks, and we definitely can not afford that all the time. SO WHAT DO WE DO????
Well, after living on campus alone for a couple of weeks with no dining hall and little to no cash, I began to research how I could survive on a budget. So I've decided to compile a list of seven recipes that can all be cooked in a microwave for very cheap, that actually taste super yummy, and that are also super healthy for you!
FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY...BREAKFAST
Don't go reaching for that cold slice of pizza just yet! You can actually cook an entire breakfast in your microwave...how, you ask? Well, I'll show you!
1. Eggs
I've always been the type of person to eat eggs in the morning; some people like them but some people don't. If you do like them, a cooking article on www.goodhousekeeping.com not only shows you how to cook them four different ways but it also shows you a taste test that they did for each of the different ways to cook it.
2. Bagel
Although bagels in the microwave do not have the same crispyness that bagels out of a toaster do, they are still really good. Especially if you keep a small container of light butter or light cream cheese in the fridge. Yeah, I know bagels aren't that healthy, but they are still pretty delicious.
3. A fancy yogurt bowl
Although your bowl may not be as elegant looking as the ones above, they are super easy to make. All you need to do is keep either some dried/fresh fruit in your room along with some granola. Sprinkle them with a little bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, or a drizzle of honey and you're all set! For more recipes, click here.
IT'S LUNCH TIME!
Again, you don't have to go to the dining halls to have lunch; you can easily make it in your dorm room in a flash in between classes!
1. Chicken Quesadilla
These are super delicious and although the recipe calls for taco meat, you can easily use precooked chicken that will stay in the fridge longer. Quesadillas are a super quick and easy lunch that can easily be eaten on the go! For the recipe, click here.
2. Chicken Veggie Ramen Bowl
Although this recipe calls for a lot more time and also a lot more ingredients, it's super easy to cut it down. It also uses the rest of the chicken from the former recipe so you won't just have it lying around on you!
WINNAH, WINNAH, CHICKEN DINNAH!
1. Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
This recipe IS FREAKING AMAZING. I'm a huge fan of really good sausage, peppers and onions. This recipe makes it with Italian sausage, but I like to use chicken sausage because it's healthier and it usually comes pre-cooked, so all you have to do is heat it up! It also calls for a casserole dish, but you can use a microwavable bowl as well.
2. Chicken Alfredo
Chicken Alfredo is super easy to make and if you live near a grocery store, they usually have a lot of pre-made pasta that can be just put into the microwave to cook. Just make sure you look at the packaging first. The chicken, once again, can be bought pre-cooked and therefore, you just have to throw in the microwave with the sauce and pasta in a bowl and top with a little bit of grated cheese. If you want to add broccoli, just make sure you steam it in the microwave first!
Just as a little side note all of these recipes can be made gluten free as well. Happy cooking friends!
