4 College Cooking Hacks

4 College Cooking Hacks
  • Opening Intro -

    You can't study on an empty stomach.

    But when you're in college, it can be hard to find the time or the money needed to make a nice dinner.

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These tips will help you eat better while saving your food budget so that you can go out with your friends after class.

Invest in Appliances

You can’t bring your entire kitchen with you to college, but you can get one or two great appliances. Try a slow cooker, toaster oven, a Panini press, or electric kettle. Pick something that works with the types of foods you like to eat, and buy a high-quality version that won’t break on you halfway through the semester.

A single appliance will open up an entire list of food options. A slow cooker lets you make soups, stews, oatmeal, and even mashed potatoes.

A toaster oven can cook everything from melted sandwiches to endless baked goods. And an electric kettle will completely revolutionize your ramen noodle game.

Keep Things in the Freezer

When you’re on a tight budget, nothing is more frustrating than watching your food go bad. And yet, the best deals on food usually involve large packages with way too much for a single person.

The solution is to freeze your extras. Buy a bag of eight kaiser rolls and eat them over the course of an entire week. Make a large pot of soup and freeze several portions for later.

If you’re in a dorm room, look for a mini-fridge with a freezer attachment. You’ll be able to keep fresh milk and frozen supplies on hand all semester long.

Learn to Love the Microwave

Microwave cooking isn’t always glamorous, but it’s great in a pinch. And if you’ve got both a microwave and a mug, you can make a surprising number of recipes. Scrambled eggs, desserts, and even macaroni all make great "mug meals" for one.

Microwaves heat things, but they don’t always cook them to the same texture you’d expect. Experiment with your microwave to find the perfect time and temperature for each of your favorite items. All forms of cooking take skill, and even reheating leftovers can be done well.

other valuable tips:

Eat Your Protein

A balanced diet helps you think straight and get better grades. Most cheap meals are just carbs; noodles, potatoes, and cereal all suffer from a serious lack of protein.

Eggs are the cheapest form of protein, and you can cook them in many different ways. Try them scrambled, boiled, fried, or baked. You can make a large batch of hard-boiled eggs and store them in the fridge as a quick snack. Just boil them in the dorm kitchen instead of in your dorm room; you don’t want anyone complaining about the smell.

Your goal is to maintain a balanced and consistent diet while you focus on your studies. Find a few items that you like and get good at cooking them. If you enjoy the food you eat at home, you’ll be less tempted to spend your entire budget on fast food later on.

Image Credit: Pixabay

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Categories: College Living