25 Easy College Meals You Can Make in Your Dorm Room

Aug 09, 2022

Waffle Iron falafel waffles held in a hand with a white plate and ramekins of sauce make one of 25 easy college meals

You may think living in a college dorm means the end of good cooking and a constant diet of bad cafeteria food and Pop Tarts, but if you've got an affordable waffle maker, a microwave and a mug, you can turn into a pretty incredible home cook with the right recipes — and we have 25 of 'em for you! Most of these dishes are ready within 10 minutes, making them perfect for whipping up in between classes or for late-night study breaks. Ace these college recipes, from ramen hacks to meals in a mug, this semester!

Vegetable Ramen

Okay, we’re not sure you can ever call those $1 packets of ramen a real meal, but adding a bunch of fresh vegetables to them sure helps their case! Fresh spinach, sliced cabbage and frozen peas are quick-cooking produce and can go in as soon as you stop boiling the noodles. (via Serious Eats)

Mac in a Mug

It doesn’t come out of a box or use mysterious cheese powder, but it does taste amazing! Bonus: It makes only one serving, so the eating-all-five-servings temptation is eliminated. (via The Better Martha)

Ramen Stir Fry

Skip the flavor packet this time around and turn your attention to that super cheap, pre-measured serving of quick-cooking noodles that you can do anything with! The twirly ramen noodles are fun to eat, and you can throw all kinds of veggies and spices into them. (via Soup Addict)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

G ranola bars are an absolute lifesaver when you’re in a rush, but why are those little bars so expensive? For the college student on a budget, try these super delicious bars that are healthy for you and made in the microwave! (via Bakerita)

Waffle Maker Hash Browns

We had no idea there were so many uses for the waffle iron! Making hash browns in a waffle maker gives them the perfect amount of brown crispy goodness. (via Macheesmo)

Cocoa Mocha

If you don’t have a coffee maker, but you do have a microwave, then you can make this frothy, delicious coffee with instant coffee and hot chocolate. Naturally we topped our beverage with marshmallows. (via Brit + Co)

Chocolate Muffin

If it’s called a muffin, we can eat it for breakfast, right? Right? (via Dessert With Benefits)

Eggs in a Nest

This healthy breakfast can literally be made in 30 seconds! You’ll be getting protein and some fiber if you use whole wheat bread, making this breakfast better than most of the greasy things available in the cafeteria. (via Brit + Co)

Microwave Salmon

Don’t hate it until you’ve tried it! We think you’ll be amazed by how good this salmon dinner turns out even in a microwave. (via Savory Sweet Life)

5-Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake

Grab a bowl and some over-ripe bananas (plus a few staple baking ingredients) for this champion breakfast, after-class snack, or late-night munchie. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Waffle Pizza

Don’t order in again. Pull out that waffle iron and try making a pizza crust! You could even have a mini pizza party with the roommates where everyone gets to pick a topping. (via Waffleizer)

Cinnamon Apple and Banana Oatmeal

Add fresh (easy) or frozen fruit (EASIER!) to your oatmeal to give it an extra boost. Plus, nothing is more warming than cinnamon oatmeal when that walk across the quad start to get chillier. (via Brit + Co)

Taco in a Bag

You can only eat at Taco Bell so many times before you start craving some homemade Mexican food. Try this easy “taco” that won’t even get any dishes dirty, making clean up a breeze. (via Betty Crocker)

Ramen Pad Thai

Get crazy with some Asian fusion and make pad Thai out of those old ramen noodles. Just add fish sauce, fresh lime and a handful of peanuts to the spice packet, and you’ve done some impressive ramen hacking. (via Serious Eats)

Falafel Waffles

These falafel-filled pita wedges are made in the waffle iron and make a great grab-and-go lunch for long days of classes. You can fill them with falafel and Greek yogurt and not worry about them dripping on your cute outfit like a traditional falafel wrap. (via Serious Eats)

10 Minute Risotto Cups

Forget standing over a stove for an hour, these delicious dinners are made in the microwave in less time than it takes to agree on what to watch on Netflix tonight. We tried a couple different flavor combos like butternut squash + sage and bacon + kale. (via Brit + Co)

Cold Peanut and Coconut Ramen Salad

This noodle dish is somewhere between a Thai-style peanut dipping sauce and a cold sesame noodle salad. Just add peanut butter, chili sauce, garlic, cilantro and some coconut milk for a creamy, delicious noodle dish. (via Serious Eats)

Blueberry Muffin With Streusel Topping

Keep that summer lovin’ going just a little bit longer and make these glorious blueberry muffins in a mug. They’ll make your dorm room smell amazing, but that means you might have to share one with your roomie. And that cutie down the hall. (via Kirbie’s Cravings)

Chocolate Chip Cake

This delicious dessert is dangerously close to being classified as healthy, which means you might be tempted to make it often. (via Chocolate Covered Katie)

Microwave Cherry Crisp

These individual crumbles only take 90 seconds to make in the microwave so you won’t have to take a super long study break! The cherries get nice and juicy, and there’s a buttery, sugary, oat topping that is just perfect. (via The Pretty Bee)

Mug Omelet

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and with a tasty omelette this easy to make, we think we might finally have time to enjoy that meal! Have fun experimenting with different flavor combos and add all kinds of meats and veggies for extra protein. (via Just Putzing)

Waffle Iron Grilled Cheese

Who needs a panini maker when you can make delicious grilled sandwiches in your waffle iron! And trust us; eating a sandwich with little finger grooves is a lot of fun. (via Fifteen Spatulas)

Coffee Cup Quiche

A cute coffee cup is the perfect vessel for a quick meal like quiche. It takes only any ingredients you have on hand and a couple minutes of cooking time. (via St. Louis Today)

Microwave Berry Cobbler

Breakfast or dessert? You get to decide with this tasty cobbler that you can make in a couple minutes. Use fresh berries if you want, but frozen berries work just as well for those wintery cravings. (via Domestic Fits)

Minestrone Soup

Surprise! This soup was not made on a stove but was created in 10 minutes with the microwave. This hearty, fresh version of the Italian soup is packed with vegetables, beans and flavor for a meal that will get you through those math notes. (via Martha Stewart)

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