By Bryn Dunbar

You may not realize it yet, but there are many circumstances that might call for cooking in college. Eating every meal of every day in the dining hall can get pretty boring and going out for meals adds up. Perhaps you want to forgo the meal plan all together and save some extra dollars. Or maybe you want to make your friend the best birthday cupcakes ever! Here are some ways to spice up your meals in college.

The Easy Route
Easy Mac and Ramen are the stereotypical college kid meals and no one is denying that they can be delicious. Their popularity derives from the fact that they are easy to store in a dorm room, can be bought in bulk and are easy to make. All you need are a bowl, a utensil and a microwave—all things that can be easily purchased or found in a dorm. You can try adding chopped bell peppers to Easy Mac to give it some variety. With Ramen, try putting some frozen veggies into the mix before microwaving to give it some more oomph.

Cooking Utensils
If you want to do some cooking that goes beyond the microwave, it might be worth investing in some cooking utensils. Staples can include measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board, knives for chopping and a mixing spoon. You might also want to get a big item or two, like a saucepan or a cookie sheet. Saucepans can be versatile and double as mixing bowls for baking. It may seem like common sense, but don’t forget to have a fork, knife, spoon and perhaps a bowl (you can eat most types of foods in it), so you can enjoy the delicious meals you will make.

Recipes
You don’t need a cookbook to find thousands of recipes. Just do a search on the Internet for whatever dish or meal you want to make and you will be rewarded with more recipes than you ever wanted. The Real Simple Food & Recipes section has lots of easy and delicious recipes. The site also features healthy tips and step-by-step cooking videos.

So if you’re interested, why not try some of these recipes while you still have free time this summer? You can wow your roommate or significant other when the semester starts.

Image Source