11 Easy Meal Ideas for College Students

Cooking in college presents a challenge to even the smartest student. These ideas and recipes can quickly—and cheaply—transform a lackluster meal or snack option into something much more exciting (and delicious!). Breakfast Ideas 1. Spruced-Up Bagels Grab some bagels and cream cheese, slice a tomato (save the rest for later) and pour yourself some fresh orange juice to create a quick and energizing meal. 2. Quick Pancakes Dont have a lot of time, supplies (like eggs, milk, and flour), or cooking tools? Grab a container of Bisquick Shake n Pour, add water, pour into a frying pan, and voila ... hot, steamy pancakes! Dont forget to bring the syrup. 3. Blueberry Pancakes in Disguise Krusteaz makes a pretty decent—and usually pretty low-priced—Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix. (Its in a box, usually on the same aisle as the flour.) However, thanks to a recipe on the back of the carton, you can quickly turn it into blueberry pancakes. 4. Egg Sandwich to Go Crack an egg into a coffee mug, sprinkle in some cheese and beat it with a fork. Microwave for 45 seconds, then scoop the cooked egg onto an English muffin (toasted, if you can). Youre out the door with a filling sandwich in hand in less than 5 minutes! Just make sure you rinse out the mug before the egg is permanently caked on. Lunch andDinner Ideas 5. Macaroni and Cheese With multiple, easy-to-make options available, theres no reason why you cant enjoy a dish of mac and cheese now and then. You can add ingredients yourself and cook it on the stove top, or you can buy the simple stuff that just requires you add water and microwave it. Add some veggies on top to up the nutritional value. 6. Simple Bread and Cheese Grab a small baguette, a chunk of your favorite cheese and something nice to drink. This makes a great snack or small meal and is easy to eat while studying. Add salami if youre extra hungry or a dollop of jam if you want to sweeten it. 7. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup If you have a stove or toaster oven, making grilled cheese is about as easy as it gets when it comes to comfort food. Melt some butter in a frying pan to crisp both sides of the bread, then add some cheese between the slices. Heat up tomato soup on the stove or in the microwave to complete this classic meal. 8. Microwave Quesadillas Grab some tortillas and shredded cheese, and pop em in the microwave. In under two minutes, youve got a delicious snack that leaves very little mess behind. 9. Roasted Veggies Anything If you have an oven, chop up some of your favorite vegetables, toss them in olive oil, add salt and pepper and roast them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 60 minutes. Broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, and carrots make a good mix. You can use them in a different dish every day: roasted veggie burritos, roasted veggies over rice, roasted veggie pizza, roasted veggie pasta or roasted veggie panini. You can do a lot with them, and they keep in the fridge for about a week. Desserts 10. Fruit and Yogurt Parfait Its pretty self-explanatory: Add fresh (or thawed frozen) fruit to a cup of yogurt, top with your favorite granola and voila—a healthy-ish dessert. 11. Mug Cake You can find all sorts of recipes online, but heres the gist: Put together all the ingredients you need to make a cake in a microwave-safe coffee mug, microwave them for about 2 minutes, then let your creation cool for 30 seconds before adding toppings or diving in.