Need food ideas

October 26, 2009 5:42 AM

I've decided to stay and work in my on-campus studio five days a week. I live off-campus. What low-price food can I bring/prepare each week (lunch & dinner) that doesn't necessarily need to be refrigerated? (though I do have access to a microwave)

I'm an art student who has been spending more and more time in her studio studying. Unfortunately, when I get hungry, I will always end up in Chick-Fil-A. This is a pretty expensive habit. Last semester I made pb&j sandwiches to tide me over but I'm getting really sick of those.

My studio can only be accessed by about 18 other people, all of whom are my classmates and I'm not too worried about people taking my food if I store it in there. We do have a small, departmental communal fridge, so I can technically bring food that needs to be refrigerated but I'm wary of my food disappearing.

I thought about bringing snacks (wheat thins, fruit snacks) but since this is lunch and dinner, I also want something more substantial. So far all I've got are ham &cheese sandwiches and pb&j that I make at home and bring to school.

I'd appreciate any and all suggestions as I am someone who has a terrible time focusing when she's hungry. Thanks!

posted by pulled_levers to food & drink (14 comments total)

I lived off of beans and rice while in school. You can't get much cheaper than that.

Cook rice before hand, no one is going to take plain white rice from the fridge. Bring in a can of beans and a can of diced tomatoes/chilies. Mix in a bowl and nuke for a few minutes.
posted by Loto at 5:45 AM on October 26

Hot sauce is the key.....

I could eat refried beans every day as long as I have hot sauce. They are extra yummy if you supplement them with cans of diced chiles.

Peanut butter and hot sauce sandwiches are easy and quick, and the hot sauce makes it taste like something dinner-y instead of something dessert-y.

Open a can of tuna and add some hot sauce and eat with saltines. Yum!

And don't forget kipper snacks....with hot sauce!
posted by ian1977 at 6:08 AM on October 26

Previously questions that may help you: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
posted by runningwithscissors at 6:23 AM on October 26 [2 favorites has favorites]

Previous*
posted by runningwithscissors at 6:24 AM on October 26

Rice and beans in a little THERMOS. You can buy a little widemouth Thermos in the school supplies section of Target for the price of one Chik-fil-A value meal. Fill it all the way up it'll stay hot all day.
posted by dirtdirt at 7:01 AM on October 26

Macaroni and Cheese, the baked kind, heats up really well. If you take it in the morning and have it for lunch, refrigeration shouldn't be an issue.

Make and freeze small containers of your favorite soups. These would be perfect to heat up for dinner.

I eat a lot of cheese, apples, and almonds because they transport well.

Have granola bars to throw in your bag for days where you are just too busy to back anything more elaborate. As long as you have something to eat you are less likely to be tempted by delicious Chick-Fil-A.

(I will be watching this thread closely as I too have a chicken sandwich addiction problem this semester)
posted by mmmbacon at 7:04 AM on October 26

You can hot pack Borscht in glass jars where it'll keep for years. This winter I put up both pints and quarts so that I could crack open a pint for lunch when I'm eating alone. That may be to large a serving for you but you could use half pints as well. I'd add buns to it which keep well but soda crackers would work too. You could bring entire cases to school and just leave them there.

Pork and beans is another option though you need a pressure canner for those. Though commercial versions are available. There are all sorts of canned prepared food available that will be cheaper than eating out even if you throw half of it away. Stuff like non-condensed soup and chili. Buy a case at a time and just leave them in your studio. You'll need to supplement with fruit and bread to get a more balanced meal.
posted by Mitheral at 7:24 AM on October 26

Whole wheat couscous- add boiling water, cover, and it's done. Nice change from rice, and more substantial-tasting and filling than the 'white' couscous. Add raisins for breakfast, cooked veggies for dinner. Also virtually odorless- a plus if you're eating in your studio.

Powdered milk. Dehydrated soup mixes (bulk bins in health food stores can have awesome ones) are good because adding soup to any meal makes it seem less like crap you had to throw together at school and more like an actual dinner/lunch.
posted by variella at 7:34 AM on October 26

Like the Thermos suggestion, but for a fridge-to-go:

My options for at-school meals really expanded when I bought a cloth lunchkit with insulation ($10) and a couple $1.99 freezer packs. It'll at least stay cold until the mid-afternoon if you pack it in the morning.

Presto, cold foods that you don't have to worry about getting stolen.
posted by Beardman at 7:35 AM on October 26

Mujadara is not especially delicious-looking (ugly food = less risk of theft) but is simple, filling, and quite tasty. You can make several meals' worth at a time. Eat it cold, room temp., or heated. Maybe add some plain yogurt with a little salt and garlic mixed in.
posted by Meg_Murry at 7:48 AM on October 26 [1 favorite has favorites]

Stock the studio with sandwich and wrap/burrito making supplies. Out of the fridge, a loaf of bread, tortillas, PB, almond butter, apples, honey, packets of tuna, and cans of refried beans. If you can find them, they make single-serving packets of hummus that don't need refrigeration. Laughing cow cheese wedges don't need refrigeration either. In the fridge, jam, mustard, mayo, spinach/lettuce, cheese, hot sauce and salsa (hopefully none of this will be stolen; people may use the condiments, but probably won't take them).

If you have a variety of sandwiches and wraps, you won't get as as tired of them. Also, you won't have to remember to take food with you. If you want, you can bring lunch meat with you on a daily basis - that's more likely to get taken, and more expensive. You might want to do this with the cheese, if it gets taken as well. You can even leave it out of the fridge for one day.
posted by insectosaurus at 9:53 AM on October 26

My son is in this situation and I've been sending him with a bunch of ready-to-eat foods that are cheap and easy to pop in the microwave. Most of these are under $2

Canned soup (many of them have a pull tab, so no can opener needed) (Wal Mart had them 4/$2 this week)

The college staple: Ramen noodles - cheap and filling.

Zatarain's makes fabulous read-to-serve meals with rice/beans/meat.

Kraft or Velveeta mac & cheese in single serving packages. Just add water and microwave.

There are lots of single-serving Asian meals that are cheap and easy to pop in the microwave. Just take a trip down that aisle.

This will sound weird, but my son LOVES Stovetop Stuffing : ) It's cheap, filling, and available in single-serving size, or by the can if you really love it. Super easy to prepare!

Chef Boyardee - Many now come with pull tabs, so you can just dump in a bowl and heat.

Instant oatmeal. Just boil some water in the microwave and enjoy!
posted by caroljean63 at 9:55 AM on October 26 [1 favorite has favorites]

Go to a bookstore (or preview on Google Books) and check out college cookbooks. I've been going through the PETA Vegan College Cookbook lately. I'm not vegan (I'm pescetarian now), but it is a good source for quick, relatively healthy ideas that generally only require a microwave to prepare (if that). So your shopping list would be things like canned beans, microwave rice, vegetables, fruit, ramen, nuts, etc. But you can substitute ingredients as necessary to fit your diet. But really, any sort of student cookbook might help you out.
posted by cmgonzalez at 10:40 AM on October 26

Fast Spaghetti is easy, delicious and innocuous. This recipe was taught to me by a Sicilian woman who happens to be my best friend. You will need 1 can of tomato paste, butter, garlic, salt and pepper. If you into it, Parmesan cheese is a great accompaniment. The secret to this is how you prepare the tomato paste.

Boil water for spaghetti, fettuccine or whatever pasta you like.

While the water boils...

Add 2 tsp of butter and garlic to a pan on medium high heat and just as the garlic turns the lightest shade of brown add the can of tomato paste.

Stir this mixture and let the tomato paste brown. Add 2-3 tomato paste sized cans of water (depends on how thick you like your sauce) salt, pepper and another tsp of butter.

drain the pasta, spoon sauce over the pasta add cheese...it is delicious. Play around with the amount of spices and tomato paste and when you feel creative add fresh basil and red wine.

Plus if you have a date, it's a sexy dish.
posted by gypseefire at 9:22 PM on October 26 [1 favorite has favorites]