I know college can get busy and ramen can become the norm, so here are some easy kitchen-free meals to fuel your brain!
It is incredibly easy to make and lasts in your fridge for up to a week! You can add lots of toppings of choice to switch it up, so you never get sick of it.
Benefits: chia seeds are full of fiber for my girlies with stomach problems, they have omega-3s for healthy hair and skin, and will keep you full for a long time
Tip: check your chia seed expiration dates, and add some greek yogurt in for extra protein!
How I make it:
(to be honest I don’t have any measuring cups with me in college so I just eyeball these measurements)
- Take a glass jar or container and fill it with 3 tbsp of chia seeds
- Add milk of choice (cow, oat, almond, chocolate, protein shake, etc.) so the seeds are fully submerged (I also stir in greek yogurt here)
- Immediately stir the seeds in the milk so they are (or else they will get clumpy, and no one wants a mouthful of seeds)
- Close the jar and Wait 5-10 minutes
- Stir again
- Allow chia seeds to absorb liquid mixture for at least 10-20 minutes, or until thick pudding consistency. (I like to let mine sit in the fridge overnight)
- Add toppings of choice (I like to add frozen berries and mango because they last in the fridge for a long time, as well as pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and granola)
I meal-prep several jars at a time so they are convenient meals for later, and it helps me get more fiber in (because most college dorm meals are not high in fiber)
Benefits: easy high-protein meal, tuna has omega-3s for healthy hair and skin, seaweed is full of minerals for my dehydrated girlies
Note: I usually get tuna in water for less calories, but they both have their pros and cons
- If you drain your tuna, it is better to get tuna in water because draining tuna in oil can take some of the omega-3 fatty acids with it
- Oil packed tuna has more vitamin D and selenium
How I make it:
- Take a microwaveable rice (buying these in bulk is cheap and lasts for a long time) and follow the instructions on the package
- Drain (or don’t) a can of tuna (or two cans, I don’t know how hungry you are) into a bowl
- Mix rice and tuna together
- Add toppings of choice (sriracha mayo, sesame oil, furikake, etc.)
- Open a packet of seaweed and enjoy
Benefits: egg is an easy protein booyah
How I eat it:
- Cook two eggs scrambled, mix microwaveable rice, add sauce of choice (furikake, gochujang, etc.)
- OR Take two hard boiled eggs, mix microwaveable rice, add sauce of choice (furikake, soy sauce with chili flakes and green onion, etc.)
Benefits: broccoli is one of the super-vegetables, and the sauce makes them yummy to eat
If you have a kitchen, this is an easy way to get your vegetables in
How I make it:
- Put water in a pot and cover it to boil
- Cut the stems of the broccoli
- Wash the florets
- Once the water is boiling, add the broccoli florets to the pot.
- Cook the broccoli, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain in a colander and transfer to a container
- Let it cool before putting it in the fridge
Making the sauce:
- Sesame oil
- Salt
- Pepper
I am not usually a big fan of vegetables, but this combination is so yummy. I can eat vegetables for days with this sauce. You can store the sauce and broccoli in the fridge to enjoy for days.
Benefits: natto (fermented soybeans) has mad vitamin K for strong bones, is a high-protein high-fiber food, and has probiotics for better gut health (for my girlies with stummy issues)
Note: it has a kind of stringy texture like okra and a distinct smell, so I would call it an acquired taste. But health-wise, loaded with benefits.
- Take your vitamin D pill with natto (vitamin K) for better absorption (if you feel tired/ have brain fog, you are probably vitamin D deficient. Our bodies can’t actually absorb much vitamin D from the sun, but that’s for another article).
How I make it:
- I usually buy it in bulk and put it in the freezer, so it doesn’t go bad
- On the day of, I’ll put it either in the fridge to defrost or on my counter
- If it's still frozen and you forget to take it out, you can microwave it for 30 seconds or so (*but this may compromise certain nutrients and beneficial bacteria in natto)
- The packets usually come with mustard and soy sauce, you just put them in and mix everything together until it gets stringy
- Then heat up your microwaveable rice and open a packet of seaweed and eat