College Food, Part II

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a posting entitled “College Food.” And since then, I have had many college students contact me and ask for additional college food suggestions. So today, I'll provide you with a few more tips that should not only keep all you college students well fed, but also (hopefully) save you some money.

First, don't try to cook like your mother. And that's not to say that your mother is a bad cook, because – well, if she's anything like my mother, she's unequivocally a great cook. No, the point I'm making here is – don't overdo yourself. You're not (or presumably not) a 40-something year-old with a couple decades of cooking experience and a fully stocked kitchen. No, you're a young college student with little cooking experience, living in a tiny apartment equipped with a hotplate and a couple of milk crates. It is perfectly fine to make yourself a large salad or a bacon and cheese omelet and call that dinner.

Second, go out and buy a couple of good cookbooks. (Or well... ultimately, you'll need to buy three cookbooks, but since my cookbook is not yet published, we'll stick with the first two.) Purchase an inexpensive Italian cookbook and inexpensive Mexican cookbook. Why those two, you might ask? Well, the Italians and the Mexicans have become masters of affordable eating. Truly, I think more than any other cuisine the, Italians and the Mexicans have developed a delicious repertoire of recipes that one can prepare on very little money. And buying both books allows you to mix it up once in a while. Because let's be honest here – spaghetti is a very cheap and delicious dish, but after a month of nothing by marinara, you're probably going to want a taco or two.

And third, share the burden. Starting a dinner club is a great way to not only save yourself from cooking every night, but it can also save you money. So get together with a small “family” of friends and take turns cooking. It'll give you a break from the kitchen. You'll learn some new recipes. And since you're buying everything in bulk, you might as well allow your friends to help you finish that 5 gallon pail of mayonnaise before it expires at the end of this month...

I hope these tips help. And good luck to all the college students out there who are heading into their first summer on their own.