After a day of handling classes, extracurriculars and homework, students can be befuddled by the simplest of tasks: boiling water.
For students who find themselves off the meal plan and cooking on their own for the first time, the task of preparing healthy, affordable meals can seem foreboding.
But armed with just a few utensils, anyone can whip up simple meals that fit into the college schedule and budget.
“If you have a skillet, a pot to boil, a good knife and a cutting board, that’s all you need,” said Dorette Snover, an owner and chef at the C’est si Bon Cooking School in Chapel Hill.
The convenience and versatility of rice cookers and blenders should make them staples for college students, said Whitney Dane, the teacher at Kid’s Kitchen, which is part of the Carrboro Recreation and Parks Department.
“You press one button, and it cooks it all for you,” Dane said.
Dane also said rice cookers can be used to roast meat and heat soup, while smoothies loaded with fruits and vegetables are a cheap, filling and quick meal.
Snover suggested cooking foods that keep well over time and can be stored, like brown rice and pastas.
“Onions are forgiving, and soup is always easy to cook,” Snover added.
When cooking on a tight schedule, preparing filling meals in bulk can stretch one meal into several, Dane said.