From dorm-style microwaveable products to gourmet dinner-party meals, these recommendations are bound to bring some more variety to your college diet.
GYRO KIT
Starting with food easily prepared in a dorm, one of my favorite meal kits to buy is the Gyro Kit from Sprouts for about $15. The family kit contains pita bread, sliced lamb meat, and freshly-cut tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions as toppings. It comes with two dipping sauce options: yogurt-based Tzatziki or a “Fire Feta” sauce. It only requires that you heat up the meat and bread in a microwave-safe dish, top it off with your preferred ingredients, and you have yourself a delicious Mediterranean meal! I typically store the kit in the fridge and enjoy a few more meals for the next few days.
CHICKEN SKEWERS
Another product that has become a staple in my apartment, yet can also be enjoyed in a dorm, is the Mediterranean Style WestEnd Cuisine Grilled Chicken Skewers from Costco.
One purchase contains two packs of 7 chicken skewers (14 total) that can be heated in the oven or the microwave. If you decide to shoot for a more well-rounded meal, pair it with a nice side of rice or vegetables. They are easy to prepare and remarkably flavorful; it is genuinely some of the best refrigerated chicken I have ever had, only costing around $21.49!
GREEK PASTA SALAD
For the apartment girlies that have a mild obsession with pasta dishes, like I do, it doesn’t get much easier than Greek Pasta Salad. Simply cook some bow tie pasta, chop some veggies, and throw it together in a bowl with feta cheese! You can make your own dressing from the recipe or purchase a Greek vinaigrette, like the Girard’s Greek Feta Dressing available in most grocery stores. This is a wonderful, refreshing meal with low effort preparation and rewarding results.
Greek Pasta Salad Recipe: https://www.savoryexperiments.com/greek-pasta-salad/
MISO RAMEN
Ramen gets a major upgrade when prepared as a miso soup. This Miso Ramen recipe only takes 15-20 minutes and requires very little culinary skill. The basic ingredients include ramen noodles, miso paste, and veggie broth and are often accompanied by flavors of ginger, garlic, sriracha, mushrooms, and green onions (that’s how I make it). This dish definitely qualifies as a major comfort food, and perhaps your next hyperfixation meal.
Miso Ramen Recipe: https://choosingchia.com/miso-ramen/
VEGAN CASHEW FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
Last, but certainly not least, is one of my favorite dishes: Zesty Vegan Pasta with Cashew Alfredo Sauce. My best friends/roommates prepared this for me one night last year and I have been hooked ever since.Since this recipe can take about 45 minutes, I would recommend grabbing a friend to help you out (maybe add a glass of wine into the mix)! The key to this recipe is using the Pappardelle pasta available at Trader Joe’s, as well as soaking the cashews for a few hours before blending the sauce. The creamy pasta is accompanied by sautéed mushrooms and peas, which all together create flavors that are out of this world!
Vegan Fettuccine Recipe: https://www.feastingathome.com/vegan-alfredo-sauce/
