College Friendly Recipes

By Gracie Gibbs

As summer comes to a close, students are sent back to school with bags packed and hopeful hearts for a great semester. One of my most memorable experiences in college was making dinner with roommates, or simply trying to survive on a college budget. So, here are a few quick, easy, and somewhat healthy dorm meals.

1. The Air-Fryer Quesadilla

Although I was halfway through college before I purchased my own, an air-fryer will be your best friend. It's simple to use, has an easy clean up, and is relatively quick! You can throw anything in your air-fryer and it will taste 10 times better than a community oven (in my opinion).

A quick and easy recipe for the air dryer is Quesadillas. All you will need is.. 

1. Tortillas
2. Salsa
3. Cheese
4. Cooking Spray

You can make these more complex, ofcourse, but this is a simple cheese quesadilla fit for those late nights.

2. Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken 

The name is self explanatory, but an easy chicken crockpot recipe is necessary. What’s not to love? You leave it to cook all day with minimal effort, but are left with a delicious meal. You’ll need 

1. Chicken 
2. Pineapple 
3. BBQ Sauce 

And while this is the condensed version, you can throw this over rice or penne pasta for a little extra umph! 

3. Easy Salmon and Rice 

I know what you’re thinking, salmon on a college budget? Not possible. But, if you live near an Aldi, it is! They have great options for lower costs groceries, including salmon and rice! So, the ingredients are simple. In a pan, you’ll combine

1. Salmon, (skinned)
2. Salted Butter and seasonings ( I opt for lemon pepper!)
3. Then, you'll need to sear on medium heat until golden brown. 
4. Cook rice however you’d like. Boxed rice is super easy and packs a ton of flavor. (My favorite is the Zatarain's Dirty Rice)
5. Combine and voila. Super simple, and super tasty too!