As any college student knows, cooking in a dorm room can be... interesting at best. In my dorm, we have a communal kitchen that is perpetually dirty, so over the school year I had to limit myself to things that I could either microwave or make in the dorms. So these are the foods that tended to make their way into my shopping basket whenever I was at the store.
1. Ramen
This is the obvious, if not cliche, starting point. Despite what many believe, I actually don't mind the taste. Since the stove in the kitchen is often occupied or gross, I actually make my Ramen using my one-cup coffee maker. That way, whether I'm procrastinating working on a paper or binge watching food shows, I never have to leave my room. I also like to go back and forth between regular Ramen and Cup-o-Ramen. I think one of the reasons that I like Ramen, besides that fact that they are under twenty cents a pack, is that there are so many flavors. My top picks are Creamy Chicken, Roast Chicken and Oriental.
2. Popcorn
Popcorn is one of my personal favorites because it is so versatile. Miss supper in the Caf? Make a regular bag. Need a quick pick-me-up between classes? Have a snack-size. Craving sugar? Have kettle corn. Movie night with the girls? Grab a bag of Movie Theatre Butter Style. No matter what the situation is, popcorn can fit the bill.
3. Fruit strips
These are my favorite snack to put in my backpack. I tend to get the Target brand (as they are the cheapest only brand I know of). They are kind of like a thicker version of a fruit roll up. As a healthier snack, these are great to eat between classes or at the library. I personally get the multi-flavor pack so I have options (if you haven't noticed the trend, I like having options).
4. Microwave noodles
When I'm still craving carbs but I am tired of Ramen, these microwavable noodles are usually where I turn to next. Although they are not the most filling (I usually end up eating two), they work for when you are craving that cheesy noodle goodness. Just be careful; sometimes it is almost better to spend the extra fifty cents to get the name brand versions, because the store brands can be hit-or-miss when it comes to cooking. If you have a freezer available to you, lean cuisine also offers a decent selection of noodle-oriented microwave meals.
5. Veggie Straws
In order to keep the dreaded "freshman fifteen" away, I tried to keep chips out of my dorm as much as possible. So, veggie straws became my healthy substitute for when I was craving a salty crunch. When I would get these, I tended to stick to the sea salt flavor.
