What’s on My Plate: Recipes for the Everyday College Student
Picking out all the shortcomings in our diet is the easy part- figuring out how to make up for these shortcomings is a lot harder. “I should be eating more veggies, but I don’t have the time to prepare them; I should be drinking more water, but the taste is so boring compared to juice; I would cook more, but I don’t know what to make” are all common excuses students make when it comes to dining in college. Now that we have covered some of the nutritional deficiencies in college students and the most common micronutrient sources- how do we actually implement these foods into our diet?
While I experimented in the kitchen growing up, most of my meals were not as appetizing as the ones I idolized on cooking shows. During my time in college, I have had more time to refine my cooking skills and build a modest collection of go-to recipes. Here are a few of my favorite recipes and quick meals that can help add back missing micronutrients to the everyday college student’s diet.
Homemade Egg McMuffin
Ingredients
- English muffin
- 1 or 2 eggs
- Turkey sausage or bacon
- Cheese (optional)
- Olive oil
- Seasoning (to taste)
Instructions (Time to make: 8-10 minutes)
Lightly oil the bottom of a medium-sized frying pan. Place frying pan onto stove at high heat.
Once the oil begins to warm, crack eggs into the pan and lower heat. Cook eggs using preferred method- I prefer fried eggs or scrambled eggs for this recipe!
Remove eggs from pan and reapply oil to the bottom of the pan. If you want a toasted English muffin, begin to toast it now.
Place sausage or bacon into the pan and cook through.
Assemble your sandwich with desired toppings and enjoy!
Due to the sources of animal protein- such as eggs, sausage, and cheese- this meal is a great source of vitamin B12, zinc, calcium, and vitamin D. I usually make this breakfast, or some variation of it, every day before my classes.
Vegetarian substitutes: Remove the sausage/bacon or use a planted based substitute! Adding veggies like mushrooms and spinach will also help to up the vitamin D and calcium amounts.
Dorm substitutes: Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches!
It may sound silly, but a lot of items you can get within the freezer aisle can still be nutritious! Just make sure choose a brand that is low in sodium, trans fats, and added sugars.
Air Fryer Salmon and Rice Bowl
Ingredients
- Salmon (about 1 lb)
- Rice
- Seaweed snacks (1 package)
- Avocado
- Olive oil
- Toppings (sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, kewpie mayo)
- Seasonings (to taste)
Instructions (Time to make: 45-60 minutes)
Fill pot or rice cooker with desired amount of rice and begin to cook.
Meanwhile, cut salmon into 3-4 pieces. Oil the skin and flesh side of salmon with olive oil and season to taste- I normally use a blend of black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic seasoning, and chili powder.
Place salmon into air fryer and cook for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Cut desired amount of avocado and set aside.
Assemble rice bowl with toppings of your choice and enjoy with seaweed snacks!
If I’m being completely honest, I borrowed this recipe from a TikTok trend. After trying it once, it quickly became a staple dinner that I make at the beginning of the week and often have enough leftovers for 2-3 more meals afterwards. Due to the salmon and seaweed, this meal is a great source of vitamin B12 and iodine. If you choose to use brown rice instead of white rice, you can also increase the zinc amounts!
Vegetarian substitutes: Tofu
Dorm substitutes: Microwaveable Rice!
Unfortunately, most dorms do not allow air fryers. If you live in a dorm that does not have a kitchenette or kitchen area, using the common kitchen will be the best way to cook salmon and tofu. To cut down on your time within the common kitchen area, minute rice can be used to substitute stovetop rice! While you may lose out on some of the nutrients and fiber, due to the difference in grain processing, a balanced diet can make up for these losses.
Quick Meals
For those who are short on time, or want to spend the least amount of time in the kitchen as possible, here are some other meal options I often turn to:
- Dried Noodles (+ a prepared protein and vegetables)
- Rice and beans with spinach
- Bagel and cream cheese
- Mini potatoes (+a prepared protein)
- Salad mixes
Moral of the story, to add more nutrients into your diet, eating the same foods every day is probably not the best thing to do. Being “healthy” does not mean following diets that have you drink smoothies and eat salads at every meal. While having staple meals is fine, getting a variety of different protein, fat, and carbohydrate sources will increase your chances of getting all your nutrients. As always, make sure to check in with a registered dietitian or nutritionist for certified advice before making major changes to your diet.
About the author
Rachel Stennett
Rachel Stennett is a sophomore pursuing a dual degree in dietetics and psychology with a focus in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Florida. After completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to continue to graduate school. At the end of her studies, she hopes to begin practice as a registered dietitian with a specialization in eating disorders. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys kickboxing, hiking, creating artwork, and watching films. She has been a Pearson Campus Ambassador for UF since Spring of 2022, and is excited to see what other opportunities the program has to offer.
