10 Quick and Easy Recipes for College Students

If the idea of eating ramen and macaroni and cheese for four straight years isn’t thrilling, don’t panic. You don’t have to starve through college, it’s possible to eat decently on a budget. To prove it to you, here are 10 quick and easy recipes to master for college students, regardless of whether you’re going to a traditional campus or an online college.

1. Quesadillas. You can go simple with a cheese quesadilla or add flavor by tossing in chicken, tomatoes, avocado, black beans, green onions, and peppers. Throw them in the microwave for a few minutes, and you’re good to go. Serve with guac, salsa, and sour cream.
2. Omlette. Packed full of protein, this staple is a great meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, with easy customizations. Add cheese, green onions, ham, peppers, spinach, or tomatoes for more nutrition.
3. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Tomato Soup. This classic meal is a great go-to meal can be made healthier by adding a slice of tomato and spinach leaves to the sandwich.
4. Baked Potato. All you need is a microwave, potato, and tin foil to get this meal going. Toppings could include canned chili, green onions, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and bacon bits.
5. Pasta Salad. Heat up your favorite pasta on the stove (I prefer shells) while dicing up your cheese and veggies of choice. Once the pasta is cooked through, toss them together, add ranch dressing, and voila! Dinner.
6. Vegetable Stir Fry. Cook up some Rice-a-Roni while dicing onions, peppers, and carrots. Cook up the veggies in some oil with garlic, then add teriyaki sauce for flavor. Serve on the bed of rice.

7. French Toast. Photo: Karen Neoh on Flickr

   French Toast. This quick and easy meal is a great way to use your stale sandwich bread. Crack an egg or two into a bowl, add a bit of milk, a dash of salt, and cinnamon, then stir. Dip the bread and fry it up in a pan and you’ve got yourself French toast! Adorn with butter and syrup, or fresh berries and whip cream if you want to impress.

8. Fried Rice. If you have leftovers from your veggie stir fry, why not repurpose them for fried rice? Scramble some eggs with green onions or chives, then add the rice leftovers and chopped ham deli meat.
9. Chef’s Salad. Wash and tear up iceberg lettuce or mixed greens, topping it with boiled eggs, chopped ham, cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and bacon bits. Top with ranch dressing.
10. Pita Pizzas. Cover pitas with tomato sauce, pepperoni or ham, veggies of choice, and cheese, then bake in the oven for a few minutes. If you don’t have an oven, put it on the microwave or heat on the stove.

Don’t miss these great food resources for college students:

• Super College Chef
• Small Kitchen College
• Good Eats
• The College Food Blog

For more inspiration, check out more blog posts from My Colleges and Careers with tasty food ideas for starving college students!

• Breathe New Life into Ramen
• Grilled Cheese Remix
• Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas for College Students
• Guest Blog: Healthy and Easy Meals: Perfect for College Students