How to Make Delicious, Nutritious Dorm Food Without a Stove

My first dorm room was nothing to brag about. About as big as a walk-in closet and a half, it was nothing to compare to the giant bedroom I’d left behind at home. My roommate and I had to sleep on bunk beds, something that made me feel like I was 5 years old again, while studying harder than I ever imagined in my life with little air to even breathe in! You’d think a private college would have been a little better at providing spacier dorm rooms, but none the less, I showered in flip flops down the hall in the community shower just like every other girl on my hall. And then,…there was the food situation. I lived out of a mini fridge, with no stove and only a tiny microwave, something all too common among college students today. This situation creates the myth that dorm room has to be unhealthy and come out of packaged containers to even be feasible. This is as far as the truth as it gets. Here’s why:

How to Survive Your Dorm Room and Eat Healthy With A Small Budget

If you’re one of the many college students out there who’s tired of eating cafeteria food or looking to prepare your own healthy (and veg-friendly) foods inside your dorm room instead of subsisting off ramen noodles or processed packaged snacks, take heart. There is hope! If all you have is a microwave and a mini-fridge, it truly can be done. Make a little extra counter space, even if you have to use your desk or the ironing board in a pinch for a little food prep space, and you’re set to go.

Here are some delicious, nutritious foods from breakfast to lunch, dinner and even snacks that are completely vegan, easy to make, and even friendly on your budget too! No more cafeteria dairy-filled macaroni – let’s give dorm food a new meaning, shall we?

Breakfast:

First, skip those processed breakfast bars that advertise themselves as healthy. They’re filled with sugar, processed grains, and sketchy ingredients (with possible GMO’s). They also don’t last a long time once in your belly. The cheaper route (and tastier one)? Make old-fashioned rolled oats in the microwave or smoothies as your go-to breakfasts and as two of the healthiest choices anyone could make period.

Cooked oatmeal and overnight oatmeal are both really easy to make (see how-to tips for overnight oats here.)  Or, if you like smoothies, get yourself a small blender like a Magic Bullet (or even better, the Nutribullet), which will both store easily and are very low in cost. They also work incredibly well to be so small.

You can make your morning smoothie by keeping some shelf-stable non-dairy milk on hand like unsweetened vanilla almond milk (just keep in the fridge after opening) and then add a tablespoon or two of nuts like almonds (or almond butter), some flax seed or chia seed, a small scoop of oats or hemp protein, frozen greens/berries (which are cheaper and take up less room than fresh), and even some plain cocoa powder which adds antioxidants and is cheaper than raw cacao. You don’t even need to use bananas if you’re watching your sugar content or don’t like them with some special tips.

See all of our smoothie recipes and all of our oatmeal recipes. If you’re tired of oatmeal, try some creative add-in’s that will change the way you think about America’s favorite humble breakfast.

Benefits: Oats are one of the best foods for maintaining a healthy heart, weight, stabilizing your blood sugar, prolonging hunger, reducing cravings for sugar, and for reducing nervous tension (something I think every college student and even adults could benefit from). Smoothies are a fantastic way to add more produce to your day in a time when most of us don’t get enough. They’re also portable which means you can take them to class with you, and when made with the ingredients above, they are truly a phenomenal healthy balanced meal of protein, fats, and carbs.  See how to make a healthy, incredibly filling smoothie if you need some extra tips.

 Lunch:

Lunches can be as simple assandwiches on sprouted grain bread (Food for Life Ezekial bread is a great choice) or you could even use premade vegan soups (use BPA free containers and low-sodium choices like those from Whole Foods 365 brand) and heat up some soup in your microwave. We have several sandwich recipes you can also ponder over to make (choose those with veggie fillings when possible).

Not into sandwiches? Cook up some quinoa or rice in your microwave with frozen steamable veggies (the bagged kind are great for taking up little space and saving time!) You’ll just need a glass Pyrex dish (don’t use plastic for toxicity reasons) and some water to cook them with. Once finished cooking, season these up with some spices and seasonings. These are both also cheap options as well and can be turned into various flavor combinations with nothing more than a couple seasonings and condiments like hot sauce, mustard, tamari, and tahini. See our favorite quinoa recipes for more ideas, and all of our rice recipes as well.

Benefits: Sprouted grain bread is extremely high in protein, flour-free, and tastes amazing! It comes sold in the freezer section so you’ll want to keep it in your mini-fridge to use throughout the week. It’s alive with nutrients that will keep you energized and worth the extra $2.00 per loaf it costs compared to shelf-stable refined whole grain bread that doesn’t keep you full long and is much lower in nutrition. Low sodium soups are fantastic for keeping you full when they’re made from plant-based foods like beans, legumes, grains, and vegetables. Choose those from organic brands as the best bet. Pair with some sprouted grain bread or extra steamed vegetables to keep you full.

Dinner:

 

For dinner, go with the same ideas as lunch (soup, veggies, sandwiches), or heat a sweet potato in the microwave and top with salsa, nutritional yeast, and even some other veggies. Sweet potatoes are also really cheap and actually taste amazing with some tahini or cashew butter on top! You might even be able to swing making a vegan (even gluten-free) pizza in the microwave if you have some parchment paper or a large enough glass microwave plate. Or, just make a raw pizza instead! When in doubt, vegan chili is always satisfying (and cheap) to save the day.  If you’re not feeling something cooked for dinner, and didn’t have a smoothie earlier, who says you can’t use dinnertime to make a smoothie bowl?

Make your smoothie extra thick by adding 2 cups ice cubes or almond milk ice cubes, pureeing, and scooping into a bowl. If you’re having it for dinner, be sure to add some oats, protein powder or nut butter so it’s plenty filling and contains healthy proteins and/or carbs.

You could also make a massive salad bowl if your fridge has room for ingredients (tomatoes, avocados and peppers can all be kept out at room temp) or make veggie and rice bowl if you didn’t have rice earlier. Add some beans (use BPA-free containers or tetra-packs), some spices and seasonings, and some fresh greens if you have room in the fridge. Don’t forget to use raw or steamed veggies and you’ve got yourself a filling dinner for less than $5 per serving. Be sure to choose whole grain rice whenever possible. Brown, wild, and black rice are all great choices.

Benefits: Whole grains like rice, oats, and quinoa are all fairly affordable and powerhouses of magnesium, B vitamins, protein, iron, and amino acids. They’re also filling and their fiber helps combat digestion problems, along with prevent unstable blood sugar levels. Be sure to always choose whole grain versions instead of processed cereals or crackers made from these grains. Steamed vegetables from frozen packs can be just as nutritious as fresh versions and are easy to prepare and flavor. They’re also much healthier cooked this way than coated in oils or fats like those served in the dining hall. Vegetables and grains are also both very grounding to the body, which can help keep you calm and collected to get rid of those exam nerves!

Snacks:

Snacks are pretty easy to keep in your dorm, but if you’re not mindful, they can cost you both money and calories because many are so high in sugar and fat combined. To keep things light and healthy, go with fresh fruit, chopped veggies like celery, carrots, red bell peppers, and keep some healthy dips like hummus and lower sodium salsa (less than 100 milligrams per serving) on hand.

Other good ideas are healthy (no sugar added) vegan protein bars,  fruit and nut bars or homemade granola bars, but be sure they don’t include added sugars or oils as the healthiest option. Remember fresh foods are always best and when bought at a farmer’s market or on sale, they’re also very affordable.

How to Make it All Work:

All in all, you truly can eat healthy in your dorm room without ever having to eat in the cafeteria. The key is to keep your dorm well-stocked with key ingredients like these mentioned above. If you’re out of room and don’t have a lot of space, visit the store every three days instead of weekly, and only buy what you need for those three days. You can also keep your spices and condiments that don’t need to be refrigerated in a Rubbermaid container or even a shoe box and store it in your closet if you have no kitchen counter space. Get creative and make it work for you!

Also be sure to check out a vegan starter grocery list for those on a budget, which contains items that any dorm student can keep on hand to save money and emphasize nutrition. Oh, and if you handle caffeine, get  a coffee maker and make yourself some coffee for those long study-sessions. If not, there’s always good old green tea and the power of whole foods. 

If you’re a college student that’s eating healthy out of your dorm room, and eat a plant-based diet, we’d love to hear what tips you have to share. Leave a comment below to give us your best tips!

Lead Image Source: Vannessa P./Flickr