<p>So I'm about to start my sophomore year in college and I decided not to get a meal plan because it is so overpriced and not very healthy. Except now I'm freaking out a little bit about how I'm going to eat. I don't want to eat out a lot and I don't want to spend a lot of money, so does anyone have good ideas for quick, healthy, and easy meals? I have a microwave, george foreman grill, and access to a kitchen.</p>
<p>buy food that you like to eat -> cook food you like to eat -> eat food you like to eat</p>
<p>As long as you have a regular grocery store nearby (e.g. not one that is inside the dorm building or on campus, those have inflated prices) then you should be fine to buy food like you would at home and cook like at home.</p>
<p>We aren’t allowed George Foreman grills nor do we have kitchens, so I am very limited. But there is only one meal plan, and it’s a required part of the housing payment, so that makes it a bit easier.</p>
<p>buy food that can be used in different ways. take grilled chicken for example: one day you can put it on top of a salad, another day you can add it to mac and cheese (i swear it is delicious), and another you can make the chicken the entree. that way, your food is versatile and you don’t get bored of it easily since it’s being paired with different things every time.</p>
<p>I googled “20 minute meals” and got a bunch of sites that provide recipes for easy to make, and healthy meals. Also, if you go to the Food Network website, they have a tab at the top of the page labeled “Quick and Easy.” Also take a look at the “Quick Meals” generator on the left side of the page. It looks like it could be very helpful. </p>
<p>I wish I could cook, but I have managed to burn soup… on several different occasions…</p>
<p>I screwed up cooking ramen and easy mac. =(</p>
<p>I love rice and that is a cheap way to get food. You can mix all sorts of things in rice.</p>
<p>If you’re limited in terms of looking implements (George Forman grills, stove, etc.), check what your dorm has. Often, they’ll have a common kitchen with plenty of the things you’re banned from having. Added bonus: you can cook super-cheap if you have a “stone soup” – everyone wants your homemade food, so provide some ingredient, have everyone else add, and then costs are split to feed a group.</p>
<p>Just don’t actually add stones to the stone soup. My sophomore year in Honors English we read the short story stone soup… so our teacher decided to make some, and put some real rocks inside. It tasted like cigarettes… easily one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever tried. Community soup… good. Stone soup… highly inadvisable.</p>
<p>I think your teacher was just being cheap and wanted a free meal. 
Best story ever!</p>
<p>For OP: go to the library or bookstore and check out some books on dorm cooking. They have a surprising number with really great recipes that are really cheap and easy to make.</p>
<p>…Actual stones in soup? That is quite disgusting…</p>