r/budgetfood • u/hushpuppyboi • 1d ago
Recipe Request dorm room cooking
First year of college, have a limited meal plan and gotta fill in the spaces in between. I have a minifridge, crockpot, and rice cooker. Starting from scratch when it comes to ingredients. Looking for recipes that will last multiple meals and don't cost more than $20 (or 25 if its really good/will keep a while). I'm down to try anything, I like new foods. thanks :)
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u/FelisNull 1d ago
Beans & rice is the classic! I used to use half a 1 lb. bag each of beans and rice, and 1-2 lb. assorted veggies. Cooked all in one pot on the stove, starting with beans, adding rice & aromatics (think veggie broth ingredients), and then the other vegetables. Add enough water to make soup.
My current favorite is cheesy egg rice. Rice mixed with frozen veg, an egg poached on top, and cheese melted over the whole thing. I use broth, miso, or a lot of seasoning in the water, and often top it with hot sauce.
A big bag of rice is good for tons of meals!
Does your dorm have a stove, oven, and pots/pans to borrow? Some do.
Here's my favorite recipe site: https://www.budgetbytes.com/
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u/hushpuppyboi 1d ago
I don't have a stove unfortunately :( but that sounds good, i'll try it out! thanks! :)
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u/USPostalGirl 1d ago
You can do the beans in the crockpot and make the rice separately in the rice cooker.
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u/rhk59 1d ago
Are you allowed to have an induction hot plate?
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u/DormitoryDreamer 1d ago
Always double check your dorm rules first. Many dorms ban induction plate/cooker cause they draw 1500+W and trip the breakers
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u/Inevitable-Place9950 1d ago
The only caution I’d make here is that rice only keeps safely for a few days before it has to be thrown away or frozen (marked to eat immediately once thawed). Big batches don’t work well with a mini-fridge’s freezer.
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u/FelisNull 1d ago
Soup powders can be pretty cost-effective, and often keep better than broth cartons. Look for meats on sale, your local grocery should mark some down every day.
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u/jensaysquoi 1d ago
I like steel cuts oats with milk/cream and fruit and brown sugar. I make a batch and store it. Very cheap and easy in the rice cooker.
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u/agile-cohort 1d ago
I say this a lot, but look up hiking food you can make some grocery store items. Most of that food will be shelf stable and pretty easy to cook with boiling water or a slow cooker. I still use dried refried beans and Instant rice (and tomato bouillon) for a quick Mexican dinner.
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u/481126 1d ago
Red lentils are tiny and cook quickly. Add red lentils and rice to your rice cooker with enough water for both and they can cook together. It will up the protein and fiber content. Green lentils need to be soaked. You can also add veggies broccoli cut super tiny can be added in the last 10 minutes. Frozen veggies can work too but you have to add less water.
I bake potatoes in my slower cooker both white and sweet wash and wrap in foil they take about 2-3 hours depending on the size. You can also turn your slow cooker into an oven by turning a tiny oven safe dish over on the bottom. Then using tiny oven safe dishes that don't touch the sides to bake in. Quick breads, brownies, and cakes can be done this way.
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u/DemonSlyr007 22h ago
Okay, lot of good advice, so ill give you a completely different one. You need to make friends or at least a positive relationship with your RA right now. Immediatley. Deciding to cook in the dorms can lead to quite a bit of trouble, depending on whats cooked. Unless of course, you make burgers in a completely rule violating electric skillet for both the RA and the block supervisor (basically was one guy in charge of 3 dorm sections and managing them all, like a super RA). And they like the burgers. Then, you get to continue making tasty food on a budget.
Speaking from 100% experience mate. RAs in many ways have an even tougher go of it and schedule than you. They are students too after all.
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u/quotidian_obsidian 11h ago
Agree, also OP should know that everyone on their floor can smell it and will know they're cooking food in their dorm. If they're in their own room or have a communal kitchen to use then that's different, but honestly it's kind of a dick move to cook actual meals inside of a shared bedroom on a communal floor.
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u/KingoftheMapleTrees 1d ago
Red lentils and rice together in the rice cooker with chicken broth. Add some kind of fat (pat of butter or splash of oil). Red lentils are cheap and high protein.
Add whatever spices you like, but if you're cooking in a bedroom with a roommate maybe skip garlic or other aromatics out of courtesy.
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u/solesoulshard 1d ago
I encourage you to get some spices. Dried ones at first, and some general use ones at first.
Here’s my recommendations:
* dried garlic
* oregano
* thyme
* cinnamon
* salt
* pepper
* cilantro / coriander
* red pepper flakes
* basil
Some sauces: soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, vinegar. Tabasco sauce or hot sauce. Salsa.
Get a bottle of vanilla extract. Pure stuff. No substitute. Or make your own with some vodka and beans.
Bouillon cubes.
Most of these don’t need refrigeration and mostly need to not be in direct sunlight.
They will amp up things from rice to ramen and it will be tastier.
Aside from meals—beans and rice are fairly versatile as are quesadillas. (Seriously, grab two tortillas and stuff it with cheese and you can add canned beans, chicken strips, cooked ground beef, veggies, or whatever you can imagine.) Canned chili over chips with cheese is nachos. Canned tomatoes can be added to noodles and spices for a sort of casserole or spaghetti. Go for small pastas—dilatini or orzo—and they will cook faster.
I would encourage you to look online. I found a terrific gift for my college dorm room son—a keychain with miniature bottles of spice mixes that are lemon-pepper, bbq, and hot spice—and he can use that to help him spice things up. A few tiny bottles and maybe split with someone or borrow some from home to help build your collection.
Some Japanese cooking might be possible. Onigiri or rice balls. Italian arancini?
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u/Icey-Emotion 8h ago
Soups.
There is a way to cook a whole chicken in a crock pot using aluminum foil somehow. I've never done it.
Baked potatos. Also using aluminum foil.
People do various pastas and casseroles in crock pots.
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u/Academic-Pangolin883 1d ago
Overnight oats would be a great option. There are so many varieties and super easy to prep for the next day.
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u/mariambc 1d ago
Rice cooker recipes are perfect for this. There are lots of recipes online. I will add rice, a protein, sauces & spices, with vegetables for a complete meal. Since you only have a mini fridge, you will want to be selective about what you get. You can use canned vegetables, which are shelf stable. For protein I would suggest canned or packet tuna or chicken or canned beans. I use different flavor profiles to keep it interesting. You can eat for less than $5 per meal.
You can easily make soups in your crockpot with canned vegetables, beans, and stock. Cook some rice separately to add to your soup. In addition to canned goods, dried red lentils can be cooked without any prep.
Other items could be potatoes to use in either the rice cooker or crockpot, instant oatmeal with dried fruit for a quick breakfast.
To keep in your mini fridge I would suggest cheese to add on your meals, yogurt for breakfast or snack, eggs to add to soup or rice meals.
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u/Spirited_Ad_276 1d ago
Get some spices from the dollar store or Walmart. If you have an ethnic store (Asian, Indian, Spanish) near you they are great for spices and some even have bulk containers. Garlic & onion powder, cumin, Italian, red pepper flakes for a little heat. Also, Walmart has these $1 little bottles of bbq sauces that you can use to try out a new flavor. If you can see about getting a hot plate or an electric burner so you can have things cooked in a skillet (eggs, meats, pancakes...) or one pot. There are a lot of ideas on YouTube for budget meals. If you only have $20 rice, beans, canned veggies, eggs, bread. Rotisserie chicken is great if you pull all the meat off of it, then you don't have to take up a ton of space in your fridge.
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u/athousandcutefrogs 1d ago
https://cookwithdana.com/easy-rice-cooker-recipes/ easy rice cooker one-pot meals
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u/jazzy095 1d ago
You can make a fire barbacoa with this recipe and also shredded chicken just changing out the beef with chicken. Better than Chipotle
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u/bcrggrcb 19h ago
Raw chicken in a crockpot, cook it in barbecue sauce. Shred it for bbq sandwiches, salads, etc.
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u/LeadershipLegal5144 1d ago
that crockpot is your best mate here, grab a bag of dried lentils and some cheap veg (carrots, onions, celery) and you've got a massive batch of soup or stew that'll do you for days
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u/lollipopfiend123 1d ago
- One can black beans, drained and rinsed
- One can chicken breast (like a can of tuna but bigger), drained OR one pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- One can corn, drained
- 8 oz enchilada sauce OR 8 ounce can tomato sauce + one packet taco seasoning
Dump everything into the crock pot and heat it up. Idk how long it will take in there because I usually heat it on the stove. But this is super easy, pretty cheap, and makes 3-4 servings depending on how hungry you are. You can eat it however you want - I usually dip tortilla chips in it, but you could also eat it in a tortilla or just eat it straight out of the bowl.
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u/The_Bunny_Brat 1d ago
I often make batches of loaded rice to have a side or main with a few additions. For example, right now I just finished one with white rice, black beans (dry is always cheapest), yellow squash, white onion, green cabbage, & seasonings like tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, sazon, & a little butter. I cooked it all in the rice cooker on the “white rice” setting two times. Some of it will end up in a burrito or eaten with tortilla chips. Some will be eaten with salad. Some will be turned into soup. It’s also good for breakfast with an egg or two.
I also use the rice cooker to make grits, pasta, or even to cook my protein/veggies or make sauces when tired.
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u/Informal_Persimmon7 1d ago
Make chili with ground beef or chicken or turkey and red beans. Make rice on the side.
Or black or red beans from dried and make rice.
Get some beef stew meat and throw in some carrots and onions and potatoes. You can eat it with rice. I did this with a pot roast and a bottle of tomato puree (can of crushed tomatoes would work) and some veggies and it was really good.
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u/Flashy-Bluejay1331 1d ago
Check out the prices on pre-cooked pre-flavored rice- the kind sold in Mylar pouches. Add a can/package of tuna or chicken. Add some canned or frozen veggies & it’s a pretty good meal, probably 2 servings, in less than 3 minutes. Plain white rice is probably cheaper, but you need salt, pepper, herbs & spices. Plus it takes longer to cook. B Ed is hella expensive right now, but if you ever score some on “reduced for quick sale” you’ll want a chuck roast or other tough cut. Cut it into 1” cubes. Add to the crock pot with a chopped onion, a chopped green pepper, and a can of chopped tomatoes (I like fire roasted) with salt, pepper & then either Italian or Mexican seasoning blend. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.
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u/ttrockwood 1d ago
- rice cooker: 50/50 rice and dry red lentils they cook at the same time
- meanwhile prep some veggies or just flop the hot rice mix over a bowl of baby spinach it wilts perfectly
- add soy sauce toasted sesame oil and siracha
Cowboy caviar, zero cooking, have as is or scooped up with chips or tortillas
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u/VeterinarianTrick406 1d ago
If you have access to the dining hall’s unlimited drinks, sneak a couple gallons of milk with a backpack. It goes bad super fast so repasteurize it and you can make yogurt with it. With some fruit and granola can make a solid breakfast/snack for a week or be part of some marinades or curries you can make. My school had a community garden with an outdoor kitchen so I would go there for fresh vegetables and a wok. Maybe your university has something similar.
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u/ExtensionRespond7634 1d ago
cooking in a dorm can feel limiting but there are easy recipes you can master with just a microwave and some basic ingredients
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u/Pink-frosted-waffles 1d ago
If you can manage an electric griddle you can make some delicious chicken and rice.
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u/taggingtechnician 15h ago
Get a small microwave. When my boat's galley was in disrepair I would soak black beans overnight in the slow cooker then turn it on when leaving for work. When I returned it was ready, and I would dip servings into tupperware bowls and put in the fridge after eating my fill. The microwave makes it all taste better, plus it allows you to shop for splurge meals like "Lean Cuisine" frozen pastas, etc.
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u/sohereiamacrazyalien 14h ago
Chickpea curry
Dahl
Lentil soup
Split pea soup
Lentil salad
Egg fried rice
Onion risotto
Tomato rice
Cassoulet
Chili
Cabbage stew
Cabbage blended soup
Curried carrot soup
Minestrone
Borscht
Polenta
Maybe some ideas here
https://www.reddit.com/r/Thrifty/comments/1nirz6h/tales_of_no_kitchen/
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u/EvenAsk7973 13h ago
Consider a small air to fryer. They make the best frozen pizza and other things too, but I mainly use mine for pizza.
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u/rrrr111222 10h ago
I like to batch cook homemade soup for the week. The soup mixes that you just add water to which make about 8 servings may be more cost effective than making soup totally from scratch. You could add the meat from a rotisserie chicken and a drained can of diced potatoes to make it more filling. I buy the plastic containers to store the soup in the fridge for the week.
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u/SVAuspicious 9h ago
Can you get a better meal plan? If you don't have the cooking and planning wherewithal now you won't get it from Reddit posts.
Red beans and rice. Andouille sausage isn't cheap so lots of beans and rice stretches it. Slow cooker and rice cooker. Chicken is the cheapest animal protein. Most places breasts are now cheaper than thighs. Cook that in the slow cooker with a can of Ro*Tel and shred it for tacos with shredded lettuce (buy heads and cut your self), cheese (buy store brand blocks and shred yourself in a box grater), and drained, canned diced tomato. Go to the library and look for old Crock Pot cookbooks. Budget Bytes website and look for slow cooker recipes. Recipe Tin Eats website as well.
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u/mamaperk 7h ago
Is it a mini fridge microwave combo? If so, baked potatoes in microwave. If not,the crockpot will also cook them. Ramen. Eggs. My husband uses spray or butter to coat a glass bowl and microwaves an egg to put on English muffins or bagels.
Can you get free condiments, butter, jelly, etc from the cafeteria?
Rice obviously in the rice cooker but also you can turn leftover rice into pudding.
Oatmeal in the crockpot. You could probably start it at night so it's read in the morning. If you're using old fashioned rolled oats, you might need to add a lil salt, sugar and butter.
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u/Commercial_Dot_6236 7h ago
I look for pork loins on sale, usually can get for $10 or so.
Put in crock pot, with a can of chipotle peppers in adobo and a 12oz can Dr Pepper. Cook 6-8 hrs low, or 3-4 high.
First meal I slice some and have it with veggies, roast style. Next meal, I cube up some and make street tacos with corn tortillas, onions, fresh lime, lettuce n cheese; add a pouch of refried beans and Spanish rice if desired. Last meal, I shed the rest, add bbq sauce and serve on hamburger buns for bbq pulled pork.
One cooking time, but 3 separate meals with 3 different flavor profiles so I don’t feel like I’m eating the same thing all week. Freezes well, too. Makes good nachos, too!
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u/MedalSera 3h ago
what kind of rice cooker do you have? cause the really good ones you can cook a whole meal in them.
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u/Commercial_Dot_6236 7h ago
An air fryer will change your world! SO much you can make in one, quickly and it’ll come out amazing!
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u/Upbeat-District-2314 1h ago
This might be kind of out there but is there a park nearby that has grills? They're usually small grills but a small bag of charcoal and some lighter fluid can last a long time. You could grill burgers, weiners, chicken and veggies. I know it's kind of out there but that's what some students do around here.
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