Lifetime Achievement
There is something to be said for college students: they are poor, and more importantly, industrious. Let's face it: the average meal plan gets you, the undergrad, what? 15 or so meals in the campus caffs every week. Out of those meals, how many do you find a) healthy, b) tasty, or c) worth the swipe of your ID that it takes to get you into the buffet style, lamp-heated showcase of mass-produced foodstuffs? Exactly.
What are your alternatives? The microwave and mini fridge in your apartment can only get you so far. That, and your part time job barely gets you enough gas money, let alone dough to splurge on groceries. We have a culinary dilemma here.
Needless to say, you will become a microwave chef by the time you graduate. As you walk across the stage at graduation to receive your BA, they might as well hand you a golden spatula as well to signify that you can feed yourself and your friends edible food from the rawest forms of food life.
What are your alternatives? The microwave and mini fridge in your apartment can only get you so far. That, and your part time job barely gets you enough gas money, let alone dough to splurge on groceries. We have a culinary dilemma here.
Needless to say, you will become a microwave chef by the time you graduate. As you walk across the stage at graduation to receive your BA, they might as well hand you a golden spatula as well to signify that you can feed yourself and your friends edible food from the rawest forms of food life.
If You Can't Be Rich, Be Creative.
I figured that it might be worthwhile to give my own insights on college cooking. If you can't be rich enough to buy turkey arugula wraps to accompany your lunchtime fair trade organic blend coffee with cactus sugar, you'd better get creative. Or you'd better develop a taste for cafeteria-made lukewarm, overcooked spaghetti.
You don't have to be this much of an engineer.
1. Be an Engineer. Don't rely on frozen dinners or all-in-one dry food packets that require two tablespoons of margarine and a cup of water. Buy staple ingredients that you can keep on hand. Then, when you buy your fresh fruits or veggies, you can create your own meals. Noodles, beans, or rice go good with just about any vegetable. Don't be afraid to create your own dishes. Even if things head south in the kitchen, remember: it will make a great story when you reminisce about your undergrad days.
I could live on white rice if I have enough spice. And lemon.
2. Don't Forget The Secret Ingredient(s): Spaghetti may not sound interesting, and rice with broccoli won't be knocking anyone's socks off anytime soon. However, the cheapest secret ingredient that's guaranteed to make your food pack a punch (in a good way) is at your fingertips: spice.
Garlic powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper, tumeric, paprika--even salt--you can buy these herbs powdered for about a dollar each. It's well worth the investment. I'm steering my college cooking away from the recipe book and more toward a "do what feels right" approach, so I offer the same advice to you. Buy what smells good. Season your chicken, your veggies, your pasta, your rice--season everything. That's what makes a meal taste good.
Garlic powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper, tumeric, paprika--even salt--you can buy these herbs powdered for about a dollar each. It's well worth the investment. I'm steering my college cooking away from the recipe book and more toward a "do what feels right" approach, so I offer the same advice to you. Buy what smells good. Season your chicken, your veggies, your pasta, your rice--season everything. That's what makes a meal taste good.
"These were white when I bought them...last semester."
3. Think About Quantity. Chances are, your college years are the formative times for you to figure out how much 1/4 pound of beef is and the magic of cooked/uncooked rice servings. When you are buying perishable foods, factor in how many people will be eating it and how much time you have before it'll grow spots or a beard. Keeping milk in a fridge won't preserve it forever. You can have a free-for-all when spending on dry cereal and granola bars, but watch out for the perishable stuff.
If you've got it, flaunt it.
4. Share the Love. If you can cook, reveal your mojo power to your friends. They will revere you for your skillz, and you won't have to eat alone, watching reruns of Battlestar Galactica on Netflix. If you're a guy, this advantage doubles for you, as many of your counterparts claim to be terrible cooks. Women like men who can hold their own in the kitchen, trust me.
5. Buy The Necessities. If you plan on cooking your way through four years of college, I recommend you buy a few appliances to make your experience a little less painful:
-a microwave
-a crock pot
-a skillet
-a casserole dish
-Tupperware. LOTS of Tupperware.
-a microwave
-a crock pot
-a skillet
-a casserole dish
-Tupperware. LOTS of Tupperware.
Finally....
Remember: Your college years are not defined by the food you eat, but by the friends you nearly break the law with and the tests you ace by God's grace. At some point, you'll cook something fancy and impress everyone, yourself included. At some point, you'll slurp Ramen noodles and lay on your futon, moaning about your paper due for X---- class due in eight hours. Keep a contingency plan. Save money for pizza. Be like Justin, this site's head editor--develop a deep, abiding love for PBJ.