Most dorm rooms don’t have stoves in them so preparing your own meals can be challenging. Other dorms, like military dorms, may provide a small kitchenette with only a stove and a refrigerator and nothing else. Here are a few simple ways you can prepare your own food without having or using a stove.
* Warning * Before attempting to cook with any of the below appliances check with your campus to determine what kinds of appliances are allowed in your dorm room.
George Foreman Grill Cooking – The George Foreman Grill is probably the most important and favorite appliance for dorm living. You can cook anything in the George Foreman Grill. It is also one of the appliances most college dorms will allow.
Toaster Oven Cooking – Toaster ovens are a fairly cheap and small kitchen appliance that even a dorm room can handle. They emit very little smoke unless you burn something and require no additional pans.
Some simple things to prepare in a toaster oven are sandwiches, cheese sticks, fish sticks, chicken patties, taquitos and bacon. Even fresh chicken breasts can be cooked in a toaster oven. You can also heat premade personal sized dinners in the toaster oven provided you remove them from the plastic container they come in.
Hot Roasted Chicken Breast Sandwich Recipe
1 package pre-cooked chicken strips (these are for sale in most grocery stores in the meat section)
1 slice swiss cheese
2 pieces bacon
lettuce and onion
ranch dressing
1 hoagie roll
Directions:
Cook 2 pieces of bacon inside toaster oven.
Slice open the hoagie roll and lightly toast inside toaster oven until it just starts to get crispy but doesn’t turn brown.
Place chicken strips on the bread and cover with both slices of bacon. Top with swiss cheese.
Slide the sandwich into the toaster oven so that it is an open faced sandwich. Remove when cheese is melted. Spread ranch dressing on the bread, add lettuce and tomato and enjoy.
Crock Pot Cooking – Crock pots are great appliances for people living in dorm rooms because a small batch of soup or stew can be cooking all day long while you are away at class. Grocery stores carry premade stews, soups and roasts in the freezer aisle for only a few dollars. Premade frozen crock pot dinners are great for inviting guests to your room for dinner.
1 package Hillshire Farms Lil Smokies
1 16 oz can chicken broth
1 small bag pre-sliced carrots
1 can sliced potatoes
*optional – 1 bag chopped cole slaw mix
Directions:
Dump everything into crock pot except for the cole slaw mix. Add a little water if necessary. Cook all day. Before serving add cole slaw mix but be sure to only add the cabbage and not any seasoning that may come in the package. Cook for 20 more minutes and serve.
Spaghetti & Meatballs Recipe
1 Large can spaghetti sauce
1 can prepared and cooked meatballs (buy at Wal-Mart or Costco)
1 Package uncooked spaghetti noodles.
Directions:
Dump in crock pot and cook all day.
Waffle Maker Cooking – Believe it or not waffle makers can make more than just waffles. For instance waffle makers make good scrambled eggs – shaped like waffles. They also make cheese sandwiches and in pinch can do French toast as well.
To make scrambled eggs with a waffle maker simply crack eggs into a bowl, add milk and wisk. Pour a small amount into the center of the waffle maker being sure not to pour too much lest it bubble out from the sides. Close the waffle maker until eggs are thoroughly cooked.
Counter Top Electric Griddle Cooking – The sky is the limit when it comes to cooking with an electric griddle. You can make hamburgers, steak, bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, fried potatoes, chicken, fish, ham and pork chops.
Electric Griddle Fajitas Recipe
1 pound carne asada (or round steak) sliced into strips by the meat guy at the grocery store
1 onion
small flour tortillas
1 package Lawry’s Fajitas seasoning
Directions:
Cut bell pepper and onion into strips.
Fry carne asada, bell pepper and onion in skillet
Add ¼ cup water
Pour in Lawry’s Fajitas seasoning
Warm tortillas and serve.
Electric Skillet Cooking – Cooking with an electric skillet is unbelievably easy. You can make anything from hamburger helper to lasagna in it. It comes in handy for making homemade stir fry or tri tip.
Miscellaneous Tips:
If your dorm doesn’t have a small fridge consider buying one to keep leftovers and snacks in.
You can cook almost anything in a microwave.
It is possible to make a grilled cheese sandwich with an iron. (turn off the steam setting)
It is possible to make a quesadilla with an iron.
Shop at the dollar store.
Soup can be heated with the hot plate part of a coffee pot.
Water can be heated with the hot plate part of a coffee pot.
Minute rice can be cooked on a coffee pot hot plate.
Man can survive on nachos alone.
A coffee pot can make hot water for Top Ramen or other pastas.
An electric tea pot boils water.
