Here it is people. We all get the paranoia that comes not only with entering a new home away from home, but from the moment you hear your stomach grumbling and you come to the horrifying conclusion that mama isn't there to hold your hand and cook all your meals for you--it's officially all up to you.
Of course, there is takeout. But is your bank account really going to thrive after consistently relying on Jimmy John's freaky fast delivery morning day and night? Didn't think so.
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So do not panic, because below are the following recipes a person who doesn't even know how to make ramen can abide by, and can save your pocket as well as the Jimmy John's man quite the doozy of a first semester back at school.
BREAKFAST
Granted, I'm expecting most readers to have a grocery store by them. What do you first think of when breakfast comes to mind? That's right, pancakes. For those who don't know how to make batter or rely on Bisquick to just add water and pour, even that is a whole lot more effort than I'm sure you're wanting to put in.
Banana pancakes ingredients (makes 5 pancakes, serving size 1 person)
1 banana
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (if banana and egg is all you understand on this list, this third ingredient is optional)
Crack one egg and whisk together (a fork will do) in a bowl with the banana until creamy. pour mixture into pan on the stove. When the bubbles start to appear in your banana pancakes, flip, or mix together and have a healthy, protein-filled pancake mashup to start off your day.
If you're not feeling as fancy... another option that keeps for a long time (AKA only have to go to the store once every couple weeks for) is your classic yogurt, granola and berries.
Granola parfait ingredients:
Fruit: I prefer strawberries, blueberries and bananas but feel free to get any fruit you want!
Granola: All-time favorite granola is called Purely Elizabeth, one with a salty, slightly cinnamon-y taste without preservatives!
Yogurt: Greek yogurt is my favorite, I typically get the Greek Gods Traditional Plain greek yogurt and have 3/4 cup of that which has a long expiration date in case you're worried about it expiring.
**If you're lactose intolerant try substituting yogurt for 1 cup of almond milk**
Otherwise, normally for my breakfast go-to's I usually turn to eggs. Sometimes if you're craving an avocado toast, throw a fried egg on top and add some tomato! Very nutritious, and oh so good.
How to make eggs in many different forms
Scramble: Crack egg into bowl and mix around quickly with a fork until yolk is all blended. Heat up pan and pour liquid egg into the pan. Stir around until the eggs don't appear to be "wet" anymore. Scoop onto plate. Munch.
Fried: This is where you crack an egg directly into your pan that is already heated up, let it cook awhile until the white part isn't transparent anymore. Use a spatula to scoop underneath the egg and flip it completely over. If you like your yolk runny, let cook on the other side for 10-15 seconds before removing from heat. If you want it to be a little more done and the yolk to be harder, keep cooking in pan for an additional 2 minutes (max) on low heat.
Sunny Side Up: When you don't want to risk cracking the egg for a fried egg, just simply do the first step and crack it into the pan and wait until the egg is cooked without flipping it. Put a lid on top of the pan in order for it to cook all the way through. After 1 minute on low heat, check on the egg and dependent on how runny you like the yolk continue cooking or remove from heat. Munch.
LUNCH
Typically for lunch I go for salads, sandwiches, soups, etc.
Soups - you can pick up canned soups that will sit in your cupboard for a day when you can't seem to put in any more effort than opening the can and dumping it into a pot. Especially now that (unfortunately) the cooler temps are knocking at our door, we should always have a nice Campbell's tomato, Ramen or Chicken Wild Rice soup to fill our tummies with.
Hot dogs/Brats (aka mega hot dogs): Easy to cook, simply fill up a pot with a bit of water, plop them in and in minutes when the water and hot diggity dogs come to a boil they are ready to scarf down within minutes.
Salad:
Rotisserie Chicken Salad:
Chances are, if you live by the grocery, your grocery store is going to make their own FULL rotisserie chickens. This is an absolute blessing even if it looks intimidating. Believe it or not, the rotisseries are already fully cooked and ready to eat as soon as you get home. You can pull of pieces throughout an entire week of keeping it in your fridge for sandwiches and salads.
Try it with:
-Walnuts
-Blue Cheese/Parmesan/Goat Cheese/All of the above
-Craisins
- Italian dressing (any favorite dressing of yours pre-made that you can stick in your fridge)
Veggie/Fruit Salad:
2 cups romaine lettuce (pre-bagged at the grocery)
-Carrots
-Bell peppers
-Cucumber
-Apples
-Strawberries
-Grapes
-Onion
(any combination of these ingredients would be delicious, trust me. I've tried 'em all)
Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich:
Slab some chicken between a couple slices of whole wheat bread, ciabatta, or a tortilla and top with lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo for a quick and easy yet satisfyingly fantastic lunch on the run.
(TIP: Make the night before and keep in your fridge for the next day for when you have classes back to back)
Deli Meat:
Another thing a lot of people don't take advantage of is the Deli at your local grocery store. Go up to the person behind the counter and ask them for your favorite meat, whether it be turkey, chicken, ham, roast beef, pastrami, salami, you name it, they have it. Typically people order a half pound to a whole pound, depending on how often you eat it.
Retrieve your deli meat from the store, put it on bread, a wrap, or just have it plain with a little mayo, cheese, and lettuce and do a lettuce wrap deli meat sandwich. The protein and fresh food will keep you full longer than something like a bag of Cheez-It's for lunch.
DINNERS
I'm an avid fan of buying frozen meats. Yes, that sounds bizarre, but there is such a wide variety and it is all very easy to cook and keeps in your freezer for as long as you want it to occupy the space.
Typically, salmon burgers, hamburgers, turkey burgers, and chicken breasts are my go-to favorites. All you have to do is add some salt and pepper and put in a sauté pan and sear them up until they're done! Truly not a lot of effort and with a piece of fruit and some dessert you'll be having more quick and easy well rounded meals then you ever thought possible--especially out of your freezer.
A lot of people get intimidated by cooking protein; i.e. my housemate. It's not as scary as it seems, and if you look up on the internet how to cook a frozen chicken breast (or anything else) it's typically a two-step process that will have you fully satisfied and NOT wanting more because you're so full. Ha, get it?
Salmon Parmesan:
First I must give credit to my beloved housemate who lent me a bite of this delicious creation that never has let me think of salmon the same.
Go to store and buy a fresh cut of salmon, or if you want to get frozen that will work too (located in freezer section, fresh located behind the counter of the seafood section of your grocery store).
Atop the piece of salmon, mix mayonnaise and parmesan cheese and spread onto the raw piece of fish.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit and place piece of salmon with parm mixture on a cookie sheet and into the oven for 10-25 minutes dependent on how big a piece it is.
When this baby comes out the cheese will be golden brown and the salmon will melt in your mouth.
Not a fan of salmon? Use any other type of fish, or you could even bake a piece of chicken or put this cheese mix on a burger and cook it the same way in the oven. The options are endless.
DESSERT
If you're like me and you HAVE to have some sort of sweet after dinner, Halo Top ice cream has come out with a delicious array of low-calorie ice creams of many different flavors. It's something that you can splurge on without feeling too guilty.
Not into sweet things? Salty Smart Pop popcorn will hit your salty-spot just nicely and give you a health-conscious reward after a long day of school and work.
And just like that, presto change-o, with a few of these beginner recipes up your sleeve you're going to be your housemates' new favorite person and will quickly start to be known as the next college version of Chef Boyardee.
Keep your skillets hot and your tummy's hungry, there'll be more recipes sure to come.
