Easy, Healthy, Inexpensive Meals to Make in a Dorm Room
| 3 min read
Adjusting to college life is hard, especially if you live in a dorm. Junk food surrounds you at every turn and you probably don’t have access to a full kitchen. That’s where these healthy-cooking tips and recipes come in. They will help you fill up on nutritious fare all year long and only require a refrigerator, microwave and blender to create. The best part? You don’t have to be a student to whip up one of these dishes—they work for anybody who wants to eat well without a lot of fuss!
- Wrap it up: Skip the fast food. You can make lunch easy by creating a sandwich wrap with just about anything. Pick up some some fresh meat from your local deli (opt for low-sodium varieties when possible) and top it with all the veggies that will fit. You can also try Delish’s Tropical Chicken Salad Wrap, Eating Well’s Turkey, Corn, and Sun-Dried Tomato Wrap or this vegetarian Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap.
- Supersize your salads: Late nights and busy schedules can be hard on your body, specifically on your immune system. Salads full of vitamin-packed fruits and veggies are a great way to combat illness–and they don’t require any appliances to make! Be sure to add some protein so that you stay full longer. Some of our favorite recipes are Martha Stewart’s Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad, Allrecipes.com’s super easy Smiling Caprese Salad and Eating Well’s Southwestern Salad with Black Beans.
- Go for simple soups (hold the steam!): Cold soups aren’t just for summer! They are refreshing, easy and chock-full of nutrients. Just chop up the ingredients, throw them in a blender and leave the puree in your fridge to chill. A few popular recipes are Whole Living’s Tomato-Peach Gazpacho, Delish’s Cold Avocado Soup and Martha Stewart’s Cold Southwestern Corn and Shrimp Soup.
- Take your microwave to the next level: Microwaves aren’t just for heating up pre-packaged or frozen meals, which can be filled with unhealthy chemicals and preservatives. Think of your microwave as a miniature oven and look up some homemade microwaveable meals, like this great list of recipes from Greatist.
- Plan accordingly: Above all, you need to be realistic. You’re going to be attending events with free pizza and getting late night Chinese food after study sessions. Make sure to prepare as many healthy meals as you can during the week so you won’t feel so badly about having a junk food binge every now and then. For more info on meal planning, check out these tips.
College is a great time to establish healthy eating habits and learn to enjoy cooking. If you take a little time to experiment with your food choices and find a healthy routine now, you’ll be happier, healthier and more successful in school and beyond.
This blog post is part of #HealthyMe, a personalized web experience based on your health and wellness goals. To sign up today, visit http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/healthyme
Photo credit: Howard Walfish
