College is full of challenges, what with having only four years to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life.
It also can be tough on parents, who often not only have to help pay for their kids' higher education but also must feed and house them in the process.
It's a bit of relief when college students finally move out of the dorms with their expensive meal plans, and into an apartment where they can make their own meals for much cheaper. Or at least that's the plan until reality sets in.
After going to classes, possibly working part time, doing homework, volunteering with student organizations and maintaining an active social life (it's college, after all) there's just not a lot of time for cooking. So when your kid no longer can use a meal swipe for lunch or dinner, it's tempting for her to fill up on fast food and fulfill late-night cravings with artery-clogging goodies from the local convenience store.
But there are easy ways for your child to incorporate cooking into his or her schedule _ and it's cheaper and healthier, too.
They're bound to have a box of noodles and a few stray packages of soy sauce from takeout Chinese. Why not add a few green vegetables and sliced chicken breast to create classic lo mein noodles? They don't even need a wok _ any decent saute pan will work, and the dish comes together in minutes.
Bread is another college apartment staple, and when the slices are buttered and then soaked in a mixture of eggs and milk, topped with shredded cheese and baked, it transforms into a satisfying casserole that can be cut into squares for a grab-and-go breakfast or late-night snack.
Skillet enchiladas are easier still, and after wolfing them down for dinner, the microwavable leftovers will be a welcome alternative to that MTO sandwich for lunch the next day.
In choosing recipes for college kids, convenience and speed is of the essence. A dish can't require any hard-to-find ingredients, and it has to go from stove to table in short order. For a generation that's tuned into social media, it also helps if the food make for a great photo. Or as my daughter Olivia put it, is "Insta worthy."
In that vein, we offer below some quick and easy recipes that even reluctant first-time cooks will easily master.
