College Food!

What were your favorite things to cook up or eat when you were a student in college, or if you're currently one now?

I start in a few days and was wondering on the ESSENTIALS! I know about Ramen, any other suggestions? Of course I will be on a student budget and I also will be required to make my own meals with my dorm mates on weekends, as the school doesn't serve food on weekends.

I personally don't eat cheese (unless it's mozzarella), that's the only restriction for me, but feel free to list cheese-filled recipes for others to enjoy.

I got in the best shape of my life on a beans and rice diet with plenty of chicken there too. The best thing about that kind of food is you can season it differently each time and use different combinations and types of rice or beans and it stays fairly balanced in protein, iron, and the rest of the essentials.

And I ate for less than probably 3 dollars a day on that diet. I cheated once a week and splurged on a twenty dollar sushi meal. Still good for ya though!

I dunno, I am pretty happy eating pretty much anything. Me not being picky is probably what allowed me to enjoy actually eating that stuff daily.

reply to post by SantaClaus

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Mmm... that sounds good.

Definitely have to keep that in mind.

I never cooked while in school. School food services or fast food.
Grad school I was married so she made enchaladas y tostadas con Tecate.
I sure miss her cooking.

reply to post by whaaa

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Aww...

Yeah. My school doesn't serve food on weekends and cooking is pretty much required those days because there is no local fast food.

English muffin/cream cheese/ham/cheese
Bagel/cream cheese/ or jam
Pickle wrapped in ham and cheese
Chicken in a Biskit and a chunk of cheese (handfuls followed by big bites.. )
PB&J
Pizza delivery (Woodstocks)

Hi,

1) Baked potato with salsa, sour cream,and danish feta.

2) 2 Min noodles, after boiling them, drain and fry in some butter/olive oil and garlic.
Then chop up some pineapple, salame, bell peppers or whatever you like and fry them lightly. Chuck into noodles add some mozzarella and voilla!

You can chuck pretty much any combination in there, I use pizza titles!
Hawaian, pepperony, whatever.

3)Nacho's con pollo, with tomato and chilli salsa. Don't forget the guacamole!

I just eat honey Cerelac when I'm hungry and lacking energy. Somehow baby cerial gives me loads of energy and helps me focus.

You guys rock =)

The food here is delicious! But I did indulge in the following college foods:

Rice-a-roni
Jello No Bake Oreo Cheesecake

I made a king cake

I've had a good deal of Goldfish and Water Crackers.

Quick/easy to make Pasta with garlic and oil. Thinly slice a few cloves of garlic and add to olive oil in a pan. If you're cooking a whole pound (whole box) I would say use about a quarter cup of oil. Do not use too much heat when cooking the garlic, medium/low. Add salt. When the garlic starts to look light brown remove from heat.

Cook your pasta. Add salt to the water, about a tablespoon if cooking a whole box of pasta. Usually it's angle hair, linguini, or can really be any pasta even frozen ravioli.

Drain pasta before cooked completely, al dente`. About 2-3 minutes before instructions say to cook the pasta. Add pasta to oil/garlic in pan and heat for about 2-4 minutes on medium/high. Stir the pasta so the garlic/oil coats everything. Transfer pasta to bowl or plate. Sprinkle Romano, Parmesan or Locatelli cheese and toasted bread crumbs.

As an option you can add sun dried tomatoes that were also sauteed with the garlic/oil, cooked broccoli, or even beans such as cannellini (white kidney beans in a can), or even red kidney beans in the can. Use the canned beans drained and rinsed. All of these extras should be sauteed with the garlic/oil in the pan before adding the pasta to the pan.

Whats good about this dish is that it is good for you (garlic, olive oil) and tastes better the next day, and you can keep it for about 3 days in the fridge.

[edit on 16-9-2009 by Electro38]

Another one that my sister used to make in college. Buy jar sauce, english muffins or Italian bread. Put sauce on muffins or the Italian bread (Italian bread cut length wise, or sliced) add shredded or chopped mozzarella (you can also use ricotta cheese). Bake in oven at 450 F until cheese melts and starts to bubble.

If you'd like to make your own sauce that's another story, but this comes out good with jar sauce.

Hot open snadwiches:
Get some some sliced turkey, roast beef or ham from your deli or supermarket. Get a jar of gravy (turkey or beef flavored). Some slices of white or wheat bread. Put the gravy in a pot and add the meat, heat. Prepare plate with 2 slices of bread then put meat on top of bread, add the gravy.

Beans and toast:
Can of pork and beans heated and poured over slices of toasted bread.

Variation: Slice up a hot dog or two, or polish sausage heat in pot with beans.

reply to post by ravenshadow13

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Get a boyfriend and make him take you out to eat on the weekends.

Yeah, I'm no help. Sorry. For me if it wasn't in the cafeteria, it was either Ramen, frozen dinners, eating at work (I waited tables in a restaurant as my part time job), taking something home after work and reheating it the next day, or went out with my boyfriend.

We had mini fridges and microwaves in each dorm room but I hate microwaved food and don't like cooking without a stove and oven.

Do you guys have a main dorm kitchen or is cooking in your room the only option?

There's always the plug in burners....

Steakumms were always a good option....and pork is often a cheaper meat. Good old Shake N Bake over some thin chops were always a good meal along with a pack of $1 noodles and sauce (in packets, in the pasta aisle).....

Hamburger meat is always good too....spaghetti, tacos, hamburger helper, all kinds of possibilities, hehe....

[edit on 17-11-2009 by Gazrok]

Right now I'm living off of oat meal, hard boiled eggs, bananas, and milk.

I'll have other things like grilled chicken and the likes when I have the time to grill it.

Foreman grill.....

Reading the thread, I could only think of one thing.

What do you have to cook with ?

A proper stove and oven, a crock pot, plug-in burner, can of sterno, fire pit out in the quad, microwave in your room, etc...

What you have to work with would help narrow down what you can prepare.

Also, do you have a fridge available to store fresh food ?