For many of us, living off campus as an upperclassman is the first time we're fully responsible for feeding ourselves. Growing up, my mom made dinner for my family every night, and I never realized how hard that was. Now that I'm going on year 3 of having my own kitchen I've seen how easy it can be to fall into the same old patterns of eating the same unhealthy things. It's important to plan for what you want to cook each week, efficiently buy groceries, and explore different meals that you wouldn't normally think of. There are so many options out there!
When you first move into your empty house or apartment at the beginning of the year it can be daunting thinking about everything you need to fill it with. Most people are used to there being a full spice cabinet of everything you could ever need, but now is it worth buying all of the McCormick's bottles for yourself? These little things can slip your mind until you're halfway through a recipe and realize that you're missing something. Plan ahead!
Think about the items you used most at home. For me being the basic eater that I am, salt & pepper, cinnamon, garlic powder, and paprika are my go-to's. The key to having an ample amount of spices that you may or may not use is to split the task with your roommates. If everyones comes with a few that they like, it will give you options without being wasteful.
One item I could not live without in my kitchen is my pan spray. I hate trying to cook eggs, and having them immediately fry onto the pan and need to be scraped off. Pam brand is my favorite, because it comes in different flavors, such as original or olive oil. Speaking of, olive oil is another great item that can be used in many different ways. Frying chicken on the stove is much more flavorful when you can cook it in a flavor.
Snacks! This seems like an easy one, but more often than not I tell myself I don't need a bag of chips to avoid myself from binging. Ultimately I end up not having anything to munch on between meals. There are healthy versions of this that are perfect to always have in the house. I love having flavored pretzels and hummus or guac to fill me up.
Lastly, it's important to have a simple meal that is ready to be whipped up at any time. I always have a dozen eggs and a box of pasta and sauce just in case I'm rushing and don't have time to put something in the oven. I try to limit how often I make this, but it's easy to store for awhile without it going bad.
Grocery shopping can become a big part of your life, which may be great. I personally hate going. I am a big proponent of ordering my groceries online and picking them up from the store or having them delivered right to my house. This saves me so much time and I can pickup everything on my list without getting ~distracted. While wandering through the aisles, it can be easy to grab a treat and convince yourself you absolutely need it. This can become a costly habit. I aways make a list of what I'm running low on and make sure to buy all the ingredients that I'll need to make dinner for the week.
Since you're thinking about what to cook ahead of time, try buying ingredients that can be used in different ways. I never get food without buying chicken. With switching up the marinade and side dishes, it can be exciting multiple days in a row. Having sauces and condiments is just as important as having the main event of the meal. These are also somethings that are easy to split with your roommates so that nothing goes to waste.
Doing some research ahead of time will help you find new recipes that you never would have thought of. And after feeding yourself everyday, you'll want some variety. Plus it helps to find recipes that are easy to cook for one. Sure leftovers are great, but you are going to get very sick of eating the same thing for 4 nights in a row. This will also help cut costs of overbuying, and things won't go to waste if you buy too much at once.
Comments