One of the most difficult parts of transitioning to college is the meals. Sometimes, you just need a break from dining hall food and miss the taste of homecooked food, but it’s too much of a hassle to drag a million pots to the kitchen and clean them up afterwards, so these seven healthy, simple, recipes are some of my fallback favorites and new ideas I’m excited to try- and all of them can be made from the comfort of my room (bless).
1. Cucumber Sushi Rolls
It sounds a little strange at first, but these cucumber sushi rolls are refreshing yet filling little bites that are easily customizable. All you need are cucumbers, rice, basic utensils, and whatever veggies, proteins, and sauces you want to spice them up!
2. Burrito Bowls
Craving Chipotle but not loving those regular major hits to your budget? No fear! If you have a little time and some simple ingredients on hand, all you need to do is combine rice, beans, and your fav toppings for an amazing alternative.
3. Mason Jar Salad
If you’re looking for a meal that’s aesthetic, easy to carry on the go, and healthy, these mason jar salads are perfect! They can even last a few days, so it’s a fun way to incorporate meal prepping into your routine. All you need to do is put your ingredients in the right order, and flip it upside down or toss it with a spoon to enjoy.
4. Microwave Quesadilla
For an absolute culinary novice (like myself), this simple and quick meal is thankfully near-impossible to mess up and is a perfect throwback to late night middle school sleepovers. You can also add more flavor to this meal by using veggies, meat, or any other filler of choice between your tortillas.
5. Microwave Salmon
I was super skeptical of this at first (catching salmonella and leaving my dorm microwave smelling like fish is NOT my ideal start to freshman year), but this salmon recipe is actually delicious! The flavors combine nicely to make a restaurant-worthy filet at an affordable price.
6. Ramen Bowl
Ramen noodles are an easy temptation to give into- quick, microwavable, and they come in their own cup, but with just a few extra steps, you can take your ramen game from an unhealthy snack to an inexpensive and healthy way to satisfy that craving. All you need besides the packaged noodles are a few veggies and an egg.
7. Microwave Omlet
As the iconic Ron Swanson once said, “Why would anybody ever eat anything besides breakfast food?” You won’t need to with this simple and reliable classic- to make things even simpler, you can even make this in a mug, or make slight variations on the recipe to have scrambled eggs instead!