Now that school has begun, so has the daily struggle of being an overly busy, extremely broke college student. Things change: meal prep goes out the window, expensive restaurants are no longer a Friday night activity, and breakfast becomes a thing of the past.
This year is different from most. Now that the majority of classes are online, priorities have changed. Managing time and staying focused have become student’s only survival methods, and deciding what to eat for dinner isn’t always at the top of the list of “important things that need to be done before 11:59.”
That is why most of us students have our own ways of eating. It’s not because we’re lazy, but simply because we’re too busy and too broke to give a damn. The obvious student meals are KD, hotdogs, Mr. Noodles, oven-ready pizza, and anything canned you can find for cheap in the discount aisle.
My absolute favorite is Mr. Noodles. No favourite flavour, but according to TikTok if you add a scrambled egg, garlic powder, and lots of butter to your noodles, you’ll be eating them the same way Kylie Jenner does. Amazing. You can eat like a billionaire for under five dollars. Same thing goes for spaghetti. It can feel fancy with literally no effort; just boil it and shove it in a pan. A pack of noodles tend to be under two dollars, sauce goes on sale often for one dollar, and the meat is completely optional. Although you can buy a small pack of ground beef for three dollars.
The best way to study is with a bag of Doritos. A fun fact is that Doritos taste better after sitting in the freezer for a couple of hours. My personal favorite is Sweet Chili Heat, but the Nacho Cheese has a pretty good reputation. The bags are big, cheap, and full of just the bare minimum amount of nutrition to keep you alive until midterms and finals!
My favorite way to eat like a student is to bring a giant bag to your parents’ or relatives’ house. Then sneak into the kitchen and grab anything that looks appetizing and like it might last a couple days in your fridge. I like to call this the Provision Bag. If your parents do not live in the city, then become close friends with adults who have a stable income and a fully stocked kitchen. This is not considered a crime because they love you and are proud of you for pursuing debt – or rather an education. Take advantage of it while you can; once you’ve got that degree this will no longer be acceptable. You’ll sadly be expected to buy your own food.