When you move out of the dorms, it gives you great freedom, and even better, no more dining hall food. This is amazing, because as any Drake student knows, the food at Hubbell is well… subpar. Upperclassmen finally get to live off campus and now get complete control over what they eat.
If you’re anything like me though, suddenly there are too many choices. The indecision hits. I have to go grocery shopping and pick out what I want to feed myself? No thank you. Yes thank you… but also no.
I actually enjoy cooking. I just don’t enjoy picking out what to make.
I go to Aldi every other week or so (because obviously it’s the most affordable option) and am constantly forced to think about what I need to purchase to properly feed my self. Being a human is so much work.
If anyone needs ideas or inspiration, here are a few of my go to’s:
Rice and Beans
Aldi has this one boxed dirty rice mix (pictured above) which makes for a solid, cheap, staple. It is shelf stable so there’s no rushing to eat it before it expires, so I usually keep a box of it in my cupboard.
Add a can of beans (another cheap ingredient) because yay protein, and boom you’re good to go.
Bonus points if you throw in a couple handfuls of spinach to try to be healthy. I’ve learned to treat myself like a toddler and just sneak spinach into everything I cook. It cooks down so small you barely even know it’s there.
Rice and beans. A classic.
Crescent Rollups
You can in fact eat like a child. There are no rules against it. Buy some crescent rolls, roll them up with some cheese and a meat of your choosing, and it makes a meal. Usually I’ll use either deli meat or hotdogs.
Most meat is ridiculously expensive at the moment so that limits some of the things I cook simply because I don’t like spending money.
Usually I’ll throw a bag of frozen vegetables in the microwave as a side dish too. We try to be at least a little bit healthy. I know my body would revolt if I don’t feed it something colorful every once in a while.
Crescent rollups are quite honestly delicious, and no one can tell me otherwise. We’re not gourmet around here, we just eat for fuel.
CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES
I can not give you all the keys to life’s success, so this is my last food suggestion, but I feel very passionately about this one.
CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES.
Chocolate chip pancakes are the key to my happiness in this world. Maybe I’m being dramatic, ok, but I sure do love them.
Sad? Pancakes. Tired? Pancakes. Stressed? Pancakes. Celebrating? Pancakes. Can’t think of any other food? Pancakes. Just want pancakes? Perfect.
Every Sunday morning I make myself chocolate chip pancakes. It’s a rule. That’s not to say you can’t have chocolate chip pancakes any day of the week (breakfast, lunch, or dinner), but Sunday mornings will always be for chocolate chip pancakes.
Trust me, they will make your life better.
