72 Meals You Can Make in a Dorm

72 Meals You Can Make in a Dorm | Millennials with Meaning

Last week I shared the top 10 Things I Learned Living in a Dorm. The biggest thing I was dreading about dorm life, right after sharing a bathroom with seven other people, was not having a kitchen. I realize that might not top the list of concerns for most college students, but I didn’t earn the nicknames “Betty Crocker” and “Martha Stewart” in college for nothing! I like to cook and have since day one, so moving into a place with no oven or stove was a new (and unwanted) challenge for me. I’ve never been the biggest fan of microwave dinners, and we weren’t allowed to have hot plates in my residence hall, so I had to get crafty.

I studied my student handbook like I was preparing for a test to determine exactly what I was and was not allowed to have in my dorm room. Many kitchen appliances were strictly prohibited, but nothing was said about slow cookers! So off I went to Target to buy myself a $15 Crock-Pot. Soon I was salivating over the smells of pot roast, homemade soup, and shredded beef tacos.

But there were still some recipes I’d ordinarily make over the stove or in the oven that I wasn’t sure how to replicate. I did some Googling and was surprised to find microwave instructions for many meals that I hadn’t considered microwaveable.

I also realized many of my favorite sweets didn’t require baking and could easily be made with only a microwave! I was a pretty happy camper from that day on. I already had a spoon, a fork, a couple microwave-safe cereal bowls and a few cheap plates, but I bought a few more tools to expand my recipe options:

  • a large plastic bowl with a lid
  • a cutting board
  • a sharp knife
  • a 4 ½ x 6 ½ inch baking dish to halve my favorite 9×13 recipes
  • a mixing spoon
  • a mug

That was it; I was in business! Once I made my first batch of puppy chow in my new dorm, it suddenly felt like home.

But you definitely don’t have to limit yourself to chocolate-covered cereal if you’re living in a dorm. You’d be surprised by just how many options you have, whether you’re looking for breakfast or dessert, junk food or a healthy meal.

First, let’s get the easy ones out of the way. These are hardly recipes, but they are dorm room standards:

  1. Cereal & milk
  2. Easy Mac
  3. Hot Pockets
  4. Sandwiches
  5. Ramen noodles
  6. Popcorn
  7. Granola bars or protein bars
  8. Instant oatmeal
  9. Pizza Bursts or Pizza Rolls
  10. PB&J
  11. Frozen taquitos
  12. Frozen burritos
  13. Microwavable soup bowls (Campbell’s and Healthy Choice make these)
  14. Salads – prepackaged or homemade
  15. Store-bought bagels with cream cheese
  16. Trail mix – prepackaged or homemade

Now for the refrigerated section:

  1. Yogurt parfaits – Layer any combination of yogurt, fruit, nuts, and granola.
  2. Charcuterie – the fancy French term for a meat and cheese plate.
  3. Tuna salad (You may want permission from your roommates first if they’ll be bothered by the smell!)
  4. Onion dip
  5. Instant pudding
  6. Seven-layer dip
  7. Coleslaw – prepackaged with canned dressing or homemade

The microwave stars:

  1. Omelets
  2. Scrambled eggs
  3. Microwave Ready Bacon (I know Hormel makes this)
  4. Nachos
  5. Oreo Truffles
  6. Brownie in a Mug
  7. Quesadillas
  8. Puppy Chow
  9. Microwave-baked potatoes or sweet potatoes
  10. Asian tuna roll-ups (just microwave the tortilla instead)
  11. “Baked” apples
  12. Coconut-Peanut Butter Oatmeal
  13. Special K Bars
  14. Apple crisp
  15. Easy Microwave Chicken Enchiladas
  16. Rice Krispy Bars
  17. Minute rice (Add canned chicken, soy sauce, and veggies for an easy stir-fry!)
  18. Chili
  19. Easy Microwave Caramel Corn
  20. Refried beans (Just be sure to heat them in a microwave-safe container!)
  21. Hot dogs
  22. Fudge
  23. Hot chocolate
  24. Most any kind of cookie dough your heart desires
  25. Breakfast burritos
  26. Quinoa
  27. Peppermint bark
  28. Microwave Beef & Cheese Enchiladas
  29. Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mug Cake
  30. Velveeta Chili Dip
  31. Microwave Bean and Rice Burrito Bowl
  32. Peanut Butter Truffles

We also have our most unique offering, brought to you by that iron you never use on your clothes:

  1. Iron-grilled cheese (or grilled ham and cheese!)

If you have a Crock-Pot or Instant Pot:

  1. Pot roast
  2. Shredded beef tacos
  3. Crock Pot BBQ Chicken with Homemade BBQ Sauce
  4. Crockpot Apple Pie Oatmeal
  5. BBQ meatballs
  6. Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole
  7. Chicken Enchilada Soup
  8. Crockpot Steak Fajitas
  9. Buffalo Chicken Dip
  10. Honey Glazed Crockpot Chicken Adobo
  11. Crock Pot Queso Blanco Dip
  12. Slow Cooker Easy French Dip Sandwiches
  13. Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken
  14. BBQ Sauce Little Smokies
  15. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
  16. Crockpot Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

And don’t forget your Keurig and K-cups if you’re a coffee drinker! They might not be cheap, but they’re cheaper than going to Starbucks, right?

There you have it! All the inspiration you need to prepare a decent meal in your own dorm. Bon appetit!

72 Meals You Can Make in a Dorm

10 Things I Learned Living in a Dorm

72 Meals You Can Make in a Dorm

Delayed Obedience

Newer post