College is hard enough--what with roommates, exams, papers, and those pesky early morning classes. What to eat and how to avoid gaining weight--the dreaded Freshman 15--shouldn't be part of the challenge.
Even with the best inentions, dining hall food can get boring and serving hours often don't match up with actual student hours. But students needn't be limited to cafeteria good, takeout, or good old PBJ day after day. With a few basic appliances--permitted in most down rooms--students can not only pursue higher learning, but also take a crash course in campus cooking.
Hardware
House rules and regulations vary, so it's important to check with your school before purchasing or using any appliance not supplied in the dorm room. The following items are allowed in most residence halls:
- Refrigerators (3.7-to 4-cubic feet or smaller)
- Coffee pots (2 carafes are useful, one for coffee and one for heating canned soup, beans or ravioli, and even hot dogs, if microwaves are not permitted)
- Microwaves using 1000 watts or less
- Blender
- Some residence halls allow indoor, George Foreman-style grills (with closed heating elements), slow cookers, rice cookers, and popcorn poppers.
- Knives, especially those longer than 4-inches, are not allowed in many residence halls. Consider purchasing a second pair of scissors (for cutting quesadillas, fresh herbs, cutting canned tomatoes in the can, cutting cooked bacon) and a food chopper. But for many things, like slicing fresh fruit (not peeling) or cutting soft to medium soft cheese, a plastic knife will do just fine.
Pantry
Storage options are usually limited, so go for things that are compact and stackable.
- Tuna and chicken in pouches (no need for a can opener, and pouches take up less space), packaged cooked bacon (no need to refrigerate before opening, can be eaten as packaged or heated in microwave)
- Quick cooking oats
- Microwave pouches of rice
- Dry cereal
- Peanut butter
- Olive or other vegetable oil
- Canned beans and vegetables
- Dried fruits
- Salt, pepper, and few spices you'll actually use
- Bread: sliced, flat, pita
- Tortillas, bagels, English muffins
- Crackers and rice cakes
Fridge
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Milk, yogurt, cheese, and butter
- Deli meats, packaged cooked chicken or beef
- Eggs
