Dorm Room Cooking 101:

For many, gluten-free diets are super daunting. From more difficult recipes to not being able to purchase the 1-dollar donut at your closest shop, going gluten-free is a task not many people choose to endure. But, some people don't get the luxury of choosing.

My name is Justin, and I am a current college student with an Elementary Education major and a theology minor, and I go to a small school of only around 1000 students. The community that I found here is absolutely incredible, and the professors are the best of the best. Still, there is one area in my life that has been unsatisfactory upon coming to college, and thats the food.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease when I was in third grade, as well as the majority of my family. My mom had an amazing passion for cooking, and she would make us every meal. She especially loved baking, her favorite being homemade bread. But, needless to say, going gluten-free was a massive turnaround, and we had to scour the internet for each new recipe, hoping that we could find one that tasted amazing and was cheap- two rare aspects of gluten-free baked good.

So, we adapted. As I grew up, I inherited my mother's passion for cooking, joining her in it. We developed many different recipes, including an incredible 2-ingredient dough that we can use for pizza, cinnamon rolls, donuts, and many others (all much better than the store-bought compettitors). In addition, we found the best flours to use for the least amount of money- flours that produced mouth-watering cakes and cookies. Going out to eat with friends left us craving burgers with pretzel buns and onion rings- we make those too. You name it, we probably have a recipe for it.

But, it was a shock to me when I came to college the fall of my freshman semester and realized that I no longer had the luxury of a kitchen. The school provided for my gluten-free needs, always offering a salad bar or a portion of the dining hall specifically for dietary needs. Still, most options were always either dry or soggy and often left me unsatisfied and hungry. I resorted to eating out almost every day, and my budget was completely gone.

Without the use of a kitchen, I quickly dove into my student handbook to discover what I could do to ease my hunger and cravings, and I was shocked at how much I could truly do. So, here are my top three tips for how to eat well without a kitchen, especially for someone like me, stuck in a dorm room with celiac disease. Everything that I list is easy, cheap, and safe for those of you on any kind of diet!

1. Figure out your microwave

Most likely, in every college dorm hall, you have a microwave. Figure out different meals you enjoy, and see if you can cook them in a microwave with a microwave-safe bowl or mug!

My favorite microwave meals:

1. Scrambled eggs in a mug

2. The Moistest Mug cake; chocolate, vanilla, or apple

3. Baked potato with creamy cheese and crisp bacon

4. Ooey Gooey Mac and Cheese in a mug

I have cooked those items way more than I should have, and they're super easy and cheap and don't require special skills. Those are only a few of the items that can be made in a microwave. Find a recipe for your favorite snack!

(All recipes listed will be posted within the next couple of weeks!)

2. The crock-pot

Most dorm rooms don't allow any appliances with an open flame or can easily make smoke, but I have the perfect remedy! The slow cooker, aka the Crock-Pot, is one of my favorite appliances to use when I know I can't make it to dinner but want warm, savory meals.

If you're like me and live in the cold midwest, sometimes you just crave something you can put in a bowl and snuggle up with when the air turns bitter. The slow-cooker is exactly what you need to be able to find that cozy goodness in your dorm room.

You can find a 1.5-quart slow cooker on Amazon for 15 dollars, perfect for one to two people! I use the crock-pot very often, and some of my favorite meals consist of:

1. White chicken chili

2. Chicken rice soup

3. Gluten-free apple crisp (very midwest of me)

The crock-pot is one of my favorite ways to cook a good meal, and I highly recommend it!

(Again, I will post the recipes as soon as I can!)

3. Coffee, coffee, coffee!!!

Coffee is essential for those late-night study sessions and early morning classes. Many dining halls offer coffee that may look more like tea with how thin it is, and the coffee shop around the corner is sucking up all your money! If you're on a budget and need ways to make good coffee, I have just the tips you need.

If you have the money to invest in decent coffee makers, that money will go a long way compared to your 5 dollar latte that may not even taste like coffee.

If all you crave is a normal cup of joe, a Keurig is easily the go-to. Quick coffee in thirty seconds for you to grab and go and perfect for the dorm room!

But, if you want something a little fancier, something that will grab all your roommate's attention, follow these steps:

1. Buy a cheap espresso machine

Although I would love to buy a 500 dollar machine, that's unrealistic right now, and you can get a decent machine between 30-100 bucks.

2. Grind your own beans

I know pre-ground coffee is easy and cheaper, but you will get the best results with your coffee if you buy your own beans! Find a cheap blade grinder for 10-20 dollars, and put those fresh grounds into your espresso temp! I recommend any small-business beans for 10-15 dollars a bag, try not to go with any big business like Starbucks because you will be able to find better beans for cheaper somewhere else, I promise.

If you would like more information on how to easily make homemade (or dorm-made) lattes, frappes, and cappuccinos, I will be posting my guide soon!

The bottom line:

Being in a dorm room is no excuse to go hungry and have to make midnight McDonalds run every night. There are much easier ways to eat well!

If you fully indulge in those three tips, I promise you, all of your roommates will be asking you to become their personal chef.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me in the comments or on my page! If these tips helped you save an extra dollar from going out to eat, hit me up with a small tip of an extra dollar and I can put more articles, guides, and recipes out there!

Above all, be safe and God bless! Enjoy, y'all!