Everyone’s skipped breakfast before. As college students with jam-packed schedules, it seems so much more favorable in the moment to push the snooze button than get up and make breakfast. These recipes take very little time, require cheap, simple ingredients and equipment that you more than likely have in your room already. You’re welcome.
Overnight oats are a true lifesaver: Versatile, cheap and satisfying. The basic recipe is also so simple: equal parts old fashioned oats and milk of choice. Milk can be tricky in a dorm setting, so we recommend using products with wider expiration periods like almond milk. Or, to save some money, bring an extra water bottle to the dining hall and fill it with milk there. The night before your 8:30 class, combine the oats and milk and let sit in the fridge overnight. Boom! You can customize it any way you want based on what you keep handy; my personal favorite add-ins are honey, peanut butter, vanilla and chia seeds, but you can add fresh or frozen fruit, jam, nuts; the possibilities are endless!
This article would be truly remiss without a microwave recipe. If you haven’t heard of Bigger Bolder Baking, you are truly missing out on some of the most iconic mug recipes out there. We love this recipe for a microwave breakfast cookie because it takes less than 5 minutes and uses ingredients you probably already have! As a freshman, I would always take home an extra piece of fruit from the dining halls for snacks, and recipes like this are a great way to use them! This recipe is super simple too- just combine the banana, peanut butter, rolled oats, honey and milk then microwave for one minute and boom, a warm, energy-packed breakfast to enjoy during that virtual morning lecture. The full recipe (along with tons of other mug recipes) can be found here.
If you’re making either of the recipes above, then you probably have peanut butter and oats in stock in your dorm already. In which case, you ought to try these no-bake energy bites that you can make ahead and keep around for a quick breakfast on the go or a snack throughout the day. These only take peanut butter, oats, honey, flax seeds (optional) and chocolate chips (who doesn’t love a bit of chocolate with breakfast?) and boom, you’ve got a grab and go breakfast for the week. For ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, click here.
Maybe you’re sick of oats or allergic to peanuts- have no fear, your time hasn’t been wasted. Maybe your idea of breakfast needs to contain eggs or meat or else you won’t consider it. That’s fine, that’s valid, and you’ll want to know this recipe. Who would’ve thought you could microwave eggs? This microwave omelette-in-a-mug from Buzzfeed Tasty has 424 reviews and a 5-star rating, so we know it’s trustworthy. It’s super simple too, just egg and whatever mix ins you have available, from lunch meat to veggies. Mix it up and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway (an essential step for even cooking). Boom, a high protein, low carb breakfast option in less than 5 minutes! Find the recipe (and the helpful reviews) here.
Maintaining a balanced diet as a freshman on-campus is hard, and breakfast is often the first thing we let go. Try these simple breakfast options to make sure you have enough energy to make it through your day!