Buying and eating without parents’ help
Jordan Hollingshead| Crumbs
Jordan Hollingshead | Crumbs
Incoming freshmen to the University of Idaho may be overwhelmed with new responsibilities as they transition into being completely independent.
One of these new responsibilities, and in my opinion the most important, will be managing their diets. Outside of eating on campus for every meal, there are many tips to help students succeed at food.
Always be aware of personal food habits. While shopping, think about what you want, but also think about what is best for your situation. You may be used to having a gallon of milk in the fridge at home, but unless you’re an avid milk drinker, a gallon is usually too much for one person to finish within the best buy date. I also suggest when buying milk, look for the half-gallon jugs of milk that come in the cardboard containers. In my experience, these cartons of milk usually have a later expiration date.
Claire Whitley | Crumbs
Chicken nuggets and mac n’ cheese are easy to make and easy to eat which makes them perfect dorm food.
Always keep a little cash on hand for those unexpected trips to get food with friends. Having this little bit of cash will enable students to make those late night trips to a fast food restaurant when they stay up late with their friends. These occasions will happen more than might be expected, so always be prepared.
Although there is a kitchen in the basement of the Wallace complex which is open to all students, be prepared to cook food in a microwave. The stove to student ratio is crazy down there, and finding the kitchen area open may be a rare occasion. I suggest students stock up on microwavable foods just in case they are in a hurry.
Another plus to having plenty of microwavable meals like Top Ramen, mac n’ cheese and baked potatoes is they can be made right in the dorm room. This creates quick and easy meals ready to eat while studying, which is most definitely going on. All the time.
When students head to the grocery store it is best to avoid going on the first weekend of the month. The stores are so crowded because of people getting paychecks and welfare checks. If you want to get a quick shopping trip done, I would highly suggest waiting until later in the month or going during the week. Or, if WinCo is the grocery store of choice, go at midnight. It is open 24/7.
Just because you are a college student doesn’t mean you always have to eat like one. On occasion it is nice to sit down and enjoy a nice dorm cooked meal. I suggest finding a family recipe, buying a cook-book or even going to the Crumbs website to find a nice recipe to cook and enjoy. Top Ramen gets old after a while, and it is always a good idea to spice up a daily routine every once in a while. The experience of cooking dinner is better with friends as well. If everyone pitches in, dinner can be something of a night out with the gang.
Finding food to eat is just one of the many responsibilities students will have to take on over the course of this school year, but by following these few tips, it should at least take off a little bit of the pressure.
Jordan Hollingshead can be reached at [email protected]