When I moved out for my first year of college, I was at a loss in trying to figure out how to balance classes, studying, leisure, and cooking. I didn’t live in a dorm on campus, so I was stuck trying to navigate how to actually cook. However, I found out what the best foods to eat in college are, especially when your schedule is tight or it’s late at night.
1. Make pasta your best friend
You heard me, pasta. It’s easy, it’s versatile, it’s fast, it doesn’t require too much to make, and giving it some flavor isn’t hard work at all. Really, all you need for pasta is a way to boil it and some salt and tomato sauce. That’s it.
I really, honestly, didn’t go too crazy with the pasta. However, I will definitely put up my ultimate college pasta recipe soon (will update with the link when it’s out) and I’ll show you all how I gave my pasta some extra flair and taste.
You can also add something like pesto or even olive oil, some basil, and some salt. Bam. Ultimate college food for a time crunch.
2. Ramen, oh Ramen, how I love you
Yeah, man. Ramen noodles all day, any day. The easiest, most filling ready-to-eat stuff out there. A lot of ramen can be microwaved or you can boil it on the stove. However you make it, ramen noodles are a staple of the college diet.
Honestly though, they really taste good. If you get the right one with the right seasoning (Kimchi is one you can’t go wrong with, by the way), then you’ll enjoy your time. Plus, if you’re really hungry and pulling an all-nighter, maybe some spicy ramen will wake you up.
It definitely will, by the way.
Get 48 packs of ramen at Amazon to fulfill your college needs.
3. Pizza time
I don’t mean you have to order pizza if you don’t want to. If you do, it’s much easier. However, if you’re like me and have some more fun dietary restrictions (curse you, dairy intolerance!) then you can make a quick pizza at home with barely any ingredients.
All you need is an oven or a toaster or something that you can place a tortilla or a piece of bread in, slap some tomato sauce and your favorite toppings laying around your fridge, sprinkle literally whatever cheese you have, and that’s a pizza right there.
Sure, it’s not the most amazing pizza ever made, but it does the job and that’s what matters.
4. PB&J or any iteration of it
Peanut butter and jelly. Fast. Easy. Delicious. Did I mention that it’s delicious?
Yeah, PB&J sandwiches are some of the best when you’re crunched for time. Listen, dinner does not need to be anything crazy or fancy. We’re college kids, for cryin’ out loud! It’s all about rushing frantically and trying to get assignments done here.
So, if it’s late, you’re hungry, and you can’t find any energy to cook food, make a PB&J. All you need is some bread, doesn’t matter what kind, your favorite peanut butter, and some jelly. Boom. Sandwich.
Or, if you’re really crunched for time, just eat the peanut butter on its own. Maybe that’s not the best idea though, scratch that…
5. Tuna Wraps
Okay, this is probably the fanciest thing I’ve mentioned, but canned tuna was a good friend of mine. It’s also really easy to make a tuna sandwich. And if you’re feeling fancy, use tortilla bread to make it a wrap.
All you need is a can of whatever tuna you like, maybe mayonnaise (I personally prefer vinegar), and some veggies of your choice. Mix it all up, slap it in that bread, and munch munch away.
6. Cereal
Dinner, breakfast, lunch, snack, doesn’t matter. Cereal is versatile. It’s delicious. It’s fast and easy. And if you’re feeling up to it, throw in some extra toppings to make it good.
Seriously, you don’t need to do anything crazy for a meal. If you’re on a crunch for time, just eating anything is good. Cereal can be really fulfilling if you get a good kind. A personal favorite of mine are Honey Bunches of Oats. Best cereal, hands down. I would also sprinkle some craisins on top for extra pizzaz.
Also, if you’re REALLY lazy one day, use plastic utensils and a foam bowl. Toss it all out and nothing is left to be cleaned.
7. Eggs. That’s it. Just eggs.
Eggs. Like I said. Eggs and nothing else. Scramble them, fry them, boil them, poach them, I don’t care what you do to them, just eat eggs.
They’re fast, delicious, filling, and easy to make. I usually went for two eggs with a side of maybe some toast. It’s a light effort and it’s good even for dinner. I never cared about breakfast vs dinner food. If it’s good, I’m eating it when it’s convienent.
8. A salad. It doesn’t matter how you make it.
Salads are so fast to make if you really don’t care about making them fancy. Throw some leafy greens, maybe a tomato in there if you’re ambitious, some other stuff if you care, and a dressing on top. That’s it. A salad that’s fast and easy is a blessing.
You really should get salads in your diet, because a lot of fast foods are starchy or full of carbs, which isn’t good long-term. Trust me, as someone that went like an entire week eating pasta and cereal at one point, you’re gonna need a break.
9. Rice with seaweed works too
Minute Rice is literally a lifesaver. You just put it into the microwave with some water and salt and a bit of cooking oil and you get instantly delicious rice. Then, you can pair it with some seaweed and a sauce that you like.
It’s filling, delicious, and doesn’t need more than five minutes if you’re being efficient.
10. Or…just get McDonald’s
Yeah, let’s face it, sometimes making anything is too much effort. At that point, just grab some McDonald’s. They’ve got some value meals that are a good price and they’ve got rewards points now, which you can redeem free food with later. Win-win in my book.
I usually get the Big Mac because you can’t go wrong with that. However, don’t eat too much McDonald’s. It’s really not healthy.
Or eat a lot, who cares?
Let us know what college meals you make when you’ve got no time in the comments below! Don’t forget to share this with someone that needs it or is always bugging you to make them food to eat.
See Also: The best studying tips from a college student
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
