During my sophomore year of high school, I wanted to start a baking blog. I spent two or three days a week with my kitchen aid mixer and even thought of a name. My baking blog dreams were squashed when I found that I was intolerant to all the foods.
Okay, maybe I am exaggerating a little bit, but I am intolerant to dairy, soy, all grains, and red meat. Consuming these foods results in anything from migraines to digestive issues. Before you ask, “What do you eat?!” let me tell you what I do eat: Fresh fruits and veggies, chicken, eggs, bacon, and nuts. I have gotten used to a limited diet and feel great when I follow it. I know that I’m not alone in my restrictive diet and I also know that there are many people who have a much more limited diet than I do. I have found that the easiest way to categorize my eating is to say that I am paleo (even though I spend all my dining dollars on Starbucks caramel iced coffees, which is not at all paleo).
Needless to say, one of my biggest concerns about college was the food. I pretty much resigned myself to living in my floor’s kitchen and wasting a bunch of money on a meal plan that I would never use. I scavenged all over Google, Pinterest, and my favorite paleo blogs to find practical dorm recipes and tips but came up empty-handed. If you are in the same boat as me, fret no longer, friend! Eating (sort of) paleo in college is not only doable, but pretty easy! I’m far from a pro here (I’ve only been doing this for two and a half weeks), but I’ve got a couple of pointers and ideas for you!
1. The Dining Hall: I opted for the 12 swipe meal plan as opposed to the unlimited plan because I really didn’t believe that the dining hall had anything to offer me. I also didn’t think that I would be staying on campus every weekend so I thought 12 would be more than enough. I was wrong on both accounts. There has only been one day that I’ve walked into the dining hall and been disappointed due to lack of choices. They have an allergen-free station where they offer fresh veggies and protein cooked without soy, eggs, dairy, and other things. Most days they serve chicken or fish with broccoli, carrots, and rice. I can’t eat the rice, but the veggies and protein are always fabulous! On days when they serve beef I usually head to the salad station and make a chef salad with hard boiled eggs and bacon.
2. Vegetables: I know I’m not alone in this, at least I really hope I’m not: I love broccoli. Some nights, I just sit down with a broccoli steam bag and stare at my notes study really hard. These green bags of goodness have only become more e-steamed in my eyes since college. I pop a bag in the lounge microwave and put some butter and salt on it and I’m good to go! I am a big advocate for these if you can fit them in your fridge. If you have coconut amino, toss some on your veggies and they will taste like stir-fry! I also love the little snack size bags of baby carrots to munch on with breakfast or as a snack.
3. Sweet potatoes: If I tell you I love you more than I love sweet potatoes, you know you’re dear to me! These little nutrient packed guys are my most favorite food. They are so easy to cook and so versatile. I highly recommend a microwave potato pouch so you can enjoy this treat before a test or for breakfast.
4. Salad: Honestly, just go to the dining hall. I brought some kale and romaine to college and have made one salad. It’s too much work to go all the way to the kitchen to wash the leaves and make the salad, so save yourself the effort and fridge space and just bring your favorite salad dressing concoction to the dining hall with you. Most colleges, if not all, have stellar salad bars with choices of greens and toppings! You could always get your greens in a to-go box and take it back to your dorm if you have protein in your fridge.
5. Protein: My protein options consist of chicken, pork, and eggs. Just like in the salad case, unless you just love cooking in your hall kitchen, I would rely on the dining hall for protein. I miss having my mom by my side to confirm that my food is still safe to eat so I get a little scared about the meat in my fridge. I live close by, so I brought some chicken from home and froze it so I had lunch for about two weeks, but I just do not want to spend all the cooking and clean up time required in the kitchen.
6. Breakfast: Breakfast is my favorite meal and is typically the one that I eat in my dorm, but the dining hall does always have eggs, some type of potato, (tater tots or home fries) and fruit. I usually choose to eat chicken apple sausage (Aidell’s is my favorite brand) and a sweet potato with some fruit. Banana pancakes are also a tasty choice. This recipe has been on a million websites, so I am in no way taking credit for it, but if you haven’t seen it, here it is again: 2 eggs, 1 banana, cinnamon, and vanilla all blended together and cooked over coconut oil until bubbling and then flip. The other day I made a bulk batch and just reheated them from my fridge throughout the week.
7. Fruit: So here’s my predicament: I love fruit. But, I hate washing fruit. So, my advice to you and to myself is to wash your fruit (and veggies) the day you buy them and keep them in your dorm. Maybe if I were closer to the kitchen I would wash them as I ate them, but it’s kind of a hike for a handful of berries so I usually just eat them unwashed. It’s college, I can do what I want, right?
8. Snacks: I eat Lara bars like candy, so I try not to keep them in my dorm. But maybe you don’t have the self-control of a 5-year-old faced with donuts and can keep Lara bars in your dorm as a good emergency snack. I have the same problem with crunchy peanut butter and dark chocolate. I just cannot keep them near me without devouring them, but maybe they work for you! I like raw almonds and raisins because, let’s be honest, you cannot fool yourself into thinking that they are candy. Individually wrapped almond butters are a good studying snack and any self-packaged fruit (think bananas or apples) is a good option.
