college
ok im a college student soon to move in my own apartment. i was wondering if anyone could give me tips on cooking for just me. i know eating leftover will save food and money. and my friend just eat fast food all the time and thats to unhealthy .....any suggetions???
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15 Comments:
Soups and stews in a crockpot
Home made pizza
Check out recipe books in the school library. Invest in a toaster oven (better for making sandwiches and reheating pizza) and a microwave.
There are some thing that don't reheat well like fish than can be eaten cold on salads. There's always a way to use up leftovers.
gingercookiewithlime at 12:59PM on 07/11/09
Take an English class.
milesdga at 1:19PM on 07/11/09
If you search through talk, you'll find an older thread with many suggestions for easy, inexpensive meals.
CJ McD at 1:28PM on 07/11/09
Check out the Weekend Cook and Tell: going solo. I've posted some of my own favorites already there. Also do a search on cooking for one. Learn to plan your meals (then shop accordingly), and do NOT be afraid to use your freezer. Want lasagna? Enchiladas? Make a full pan, yes, just for you, eat your meal, pack away a leftover for the next day in the fridge, then wrap the rest up in individual servings, mark them, date them, and freeze them. Trust me.
joyyy at 2:19PM on 07/11/09
Chili.
Learn and experiment with Chili. Leftovers freeze well and there is lots of room to play. They make decent take to school leftover and will probably cheaper than school cafeteria.
If you get a small slow cooker you'll be able to experiment more often. I got a decent "apartment sized" slow cooker for $10.
jlweber at 3:18PM on 07/11/09
Cook food that can last you at least few days. I love to make Egg and Ham Fried Rice, Pasta Salad, Pot Roast using slowcooker, Lentil Dip, Chicken Noodle soup. All of these are easy to make and only using few ingredients.
You can freeze them or just refrigerate them if you are going to finish them in few days.
eviliciouz at 3:57PM on 07/11/09
@miles: you literally just made me snort coffee out of my nose. thank god it was cold.
gastronomeg at 4:40PM on 07/11/09
A word of advice, only cook food you really know you will eat/enjoy and not waste. Sometimes myself and people I know will cook food they think is either economical or healthy and then it doesn't get eaten. Not wasting food is the best way to save money.
Also, learn to rely less on meat for your meals. Eggs, legumes, smaller portions of meat will help cut down on your grocery bill. Bulk up the remainder of your meal with vegetables and carbs.
ag3208 at 5:20PM on 07/11/09
keep stock in the freezer and at the end of the week throw leftover proteins and vegetables in for weekend stew.
krr07a at 5:36PM on 07/11/09
i'm with ag3208 on this one. I do mostly subsist on grilled cheese-esque dinners. (with decent cheese, of course): good bread or tortillas, a bit of leftover protein or eggs or whatever. [so, like ag said, quality carb-focused] also, i adore frozen pizzas-- one will last me like, three days. lastly, my home is only an hour away, so I often bring to school leftovers from home meals.
handmade stock and bread and things seem like a good, economical, wholesome idea; but I usually haven't the energy or the inspiration to employ these when I'm in student mode. -- just stick with the easiest things.
emilytaylor at 7:03PM on 07/11/09
stock=easy in your crock pot.
joyyy at 7:16PM on 07/11/09
EGGS.
such a life saver.
hummus, frozen vegetables, chili. easy.
essay at 1:30AM on 07/12/09
I am in college as well, I have zero time to cook. So when I do get a chance it is pasta, quesadillas, sandwiches, or some sort of vegetable with rice. I always have frozen veggies, pierogies, ravioli, and chicken in my freezer. Cheddar cheese, tortillas, bagels, canned beans, and eggs in my fridge/pantry. Keep things simple, almost any dish can really be made for one person. I don't know about you..but i am with emily taylor, I don't know what college student has time to make stock or anything adventurous. And also, crock pots seem like a great idea but I can't schedule my life far in advance enough to know that I will be home in 6-8 hours to eat it. Between, class exams, library time, activities, and attempting a social life...I can't be certain I will be back at my apartment at any given time. But maybe you are more organized than I am! Good luck!
GinaPet at 6:18PM on 07/12/09
Buy seasonal, and buy things on sale. If you have a freezer buy sale items in bulk and freeze it. If eating for 1 divide things in individual portions . Start clipping coupons and go on line and find coupons to print out.
pjracz10 at 6:54PM on 07/12/09
There is a GREAT book called "What's a cook to do?" You can find it on Amazon. It's a simple, how-to-cook-anything book, small, to the point. Highly recommend it for anyone just learning, or seasoned cooks looking for a quick glance reminder or inspiration.
-Dawn
Eat dinner with your family tonight, I mean it!
WickedGoodDinner at 7:05AM on 07/13/09