Whether you’re a parent trying to prepare a son or daughter to move away to college, or a college student trying to find things to eat besides a bowl of cold cereal and pizza, these recipes are here to help!
Why College Recipes?
I have a son heading to college in this fall and another son will follow in a couple of years. A few months ago I set a day each week aside to have them prepare dinner. Sunday was the easiest day for us to do this. Each week they choose a meal they like to eat, and then I teach them how to make the recipe. We have been compiling the recipes in binders for them to take to college. As their mother, it is nice to know I’m not just sending them off with a random cookbook to college or with the hope they will find something to cook on Pinterest. By the time I drop them off at school, they will know how to meal prep and cook all of the recipes in their custom-made cookbooks. Because it has been such a good experience for me to do this with my sons, I wanted to share the idea with those of you who are also sending kids to college. I have enjoyed this time with my sons in the kitchen. We talk, we laugh, we listen to music, and we eat. I’m sometimes surprised by their questions about how something is made, especially when I’ve probably made the recipe hundreds of times during the years they’ve been growing up.
A Taste of Home
It’s comforting for me to know they will be taking a little taste of home with them with these college recipes. I hope they will provide some sustenance for them during their college years, and remind them of the fun times we had making them at home. I know it will be a happy memory for me! A recipe binder or book with homemade recipes is a thoughtful high school graduation gift for a family member or friend. See my recommendations at the end of this post.
Easy College Meals
It is healthier and less expensive to have things on hand to make at home than to buy fast food or order takeout. College cafeterias often provide healthy food choices, but they are also very expensive. College students with basic cooking skills can save time, have more energy, and save money. The key is keeping it simple! These meals are simple with basic ingredients, and they don’t take much time to make. Many of these recipes are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, or can be easily converted, for college students with special dietary needs.
Breakfast Recipes
Most college students will probably choose sleep over breakfast, but breakfast is essential to fuel the body and the brain for the day. It doesn’t have to be complicated. In less than a minute you can make a bowl of whole grain cereal with a handful of blueberries on top. If there’s a little more time, preparing one of this recipes will give a power start to the day.
Lunch Recipes
With a little creativity, lunch for a college student can be more than a bowl of ramen noodles. Adding some protein to lunch makes a big difference in avoiding the afternoon slump. Sandwiches and wraps are great for on the go. Make one up the night before and grab it on your way out the door.
Dinner Recipes
Usually, the evenings are a little easier for college students to take the time to cook. When you consider travel time or delivery time, cooking at home is faster and of course, healthier. A simple dinner of pasta with frozen meatballs or a prepackaged stir fry takes just a few minutes to throw together. All of the recipes below take under 30 minutes to make and have very few ingredients. What’s even better? There will be leftovers for lunch on another day!
Easy Snacks and Treats
Trust me, the best roommates are roommates that can cook! Sharing a homemade snack or chocolate treat is the fastest and easiest way to make friends in college. Whip up some of these recipes for a weekend movie night or study session and you will be the most popular person in the dorm rooms or in your apartment.
High School Graduation Gifts
Give a creative and personal gift to a high school graduate! A compilation of your favorite family recipes that they can take to college and beyond will be a priceless gift. Even better, make a memory! Invite a high school graduate over and teach them how you make some of your favorite recipes. I recommend a three-ring binder with plastic sheet protectors for recipes for college students (as pictured above). Print your recipes and put them in the sheet protectors. All of our recipes are printable, as are most recipes found on cooking websites and Pinterest. It will be a gift that will keep on giving throughout their life!
