Make-Ahead meals for college student?
khandi
13 years ago
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diinohio
13 years agolindac
13 years agoRelated Discussions
Easy peasy cooking for a college student with limited
Comments (56)Some thoughts... Cooking for yourself can be boring and almost painful. Ideally get a roommate (or gf or other) who loves to cook or for whom you'd like to cook, if that's an option. Cooking for one can be expensive, but sometimes better than eating same boring fast food too. I enjoy a good sandwich to this day. Some deli meat, decent bread or bun or even some whack-a-tube biscuits. Flame type grills are banned in a lot of apartment/dorm situations. An electric grill might be allowed. Foreman type are appliances and seldom not allowed. I've never had a Foreman type but see a lot of people talk about putting a couple wet paper towels in the unit when you're done and let it steam the gunk off while you eat, then wipe it down. And, I know from experience, just because stuff is dirty doesn't mean it won't get used! Especially by college kids, bachelors or the like! :) An electric frypan is a versatile appliance. Cook, bake, steam and more. Easy to clean up. Is there an issue with roomies helping themselves to the food if he puts up a "stock"? That could be an issue. Much depends on what he likes so I can't really help with recipes, more trying to give ideas. I also know if you don't like to cook, are busy, don't like to eat out, don't feel well or whatever reason you might not eat well, especially if eating isn't a priority with you. The last couple weeks, I've averaged eating every 2-3 days. Doesn't hurt me to miss a meal but a college kid needs nutrition too. So there's a concern I'm sure. One organizing idea is some meal planning help. Sit down and do a menu for a couple weeks, helps with using the stuff too. For example: Sunday: Pot roast, potatoes, veg of choice Monday: Roast beef sandwiches Tuesday: Soup/Salad Wed: Store bought roasted Chicken, instant Mashed potatoes, salad Thurs: Leftover chicken etc One thing I thought of is country style ribs or baby backs for that matter. Braised are simple and good eating. Lots of meat and little waste, well no waste on CS. Deli slaw or make his own from a bag of slaw mix and a bottle of poppy seed dressing with a little extra seasoning. Suggestions on organizing and things like that might mean more than just some recipes, but a few recipes he likes, even if adapted from canned, deli or the like could help. Tater tot hotdish is easy enough. Quick chili. Chunky soup in a can ain't all that bad either folks. Yes, it's not gourmet fare but then again it beats a a McSlider anyday. Quesadillas are easy and you can do a variety of things. I like a "pizadilla". Tortillas, pepperoni, cut up brown & serve sausage, pizza sauce and cheese. I usually do a double decker. Into the electric frypan, do one side, flip, then add the next layer, then flip once more. Good eats and quick. There's always toast and peanut butter. Peanut butter and celery sticks. Crackers, cheese and summer sausage. Brown & serve sausage & eggs with some toast and maybe some Simply Potatoes or fry some canned sliced potatoes. Hash brown casserole? Toss in some meat. Hamburger/macaroni hotdish is easy and tasty. You can do a good garlic bread and top it with some pepperoni and cheese. None of these are overly time consuming but sometimes if you just don't feel like it, you won't do it. Hope you're getting some ideas and hope he doesn't starve to death! :)...See MoreHow often do you hear from your college student?
Comments (12)Ohh, same boat as you, only last year. What a tough time being a parent, no? Finally resigned myself (with a little support from DH), that if I/we didn't hear from DD, it was a probably a good thing. DD was busy, had work to do, making new friends, adjusting to living with 2 roommates (DD is an only child), and everything else that comes with going away to college. Also, the college DD attends, requires all incoming freshmen to do a First Year Seminar which pairs the freshman with mentors in groups. The upperclassmen (mentors) do things like meet informally on a weekly basis to answer questions about adjustment to college life, have bi-weekly dinners with the peer group, make a point of checking in on a student who seems may be having trouble, etc. Also, a mandatory first semester class was FYS, which was all about adjusting to college life. That class is held by the professor assigned for each major. DD went in undeclared and stayed with her FYS advisor through her entire freshman year. DD's professor/advisor had his entire group of freshman and peer mentors come to dinner at his home ~ a farm he shares with his wife. Nice BBQ, bonfire, music, get to know you, casual social thing. So nice of him to do so. DD declared a major at the end of her Spring semester. Now has a different advisor. DH & I were very glad the school mandated this FYS, as we feel it was sooo important that there was some support provided to every freshman as they moved to a new chapter in life. A safety net, if you will Had we heard from DD everyday, it would have been an indicator that she wasn't acclimating, or at least not trying to do so, if DD was still so "wired" to me/us. Would say I got a few texts, not many. Calls, less than texts. First time home was only 2 weeks into the Fall semester. DD had a "mini-meltdown/pity party" about the dorm room, how hard her classes were, how much work, yada yada. Well, as I wasn't the most sympathetic audience, I had a sit down with DD and let her vent, but then I asked DD if she would like to trade places with me, or with any of her high school classmates who weren't fortunate enough to have gone away to college. I think the light bulb went off for DD. After our discussion, it seemed as tho she had gotten it, and truly appreciated having the opportunity to be away at school. By the end of the Fall semester, DD couldn't wait to go back from Christmas Break. Thankfully, it all fell into place and worked out well. If you feel your DS is not isolated, and otherwise seems to be doing well, then I would just try to wait for him to communicate. I tried to sit on my hands, so as to let DD get into her groove at school, only texted if necessary, and responded to the texts DD initiated. I knew she was adjusting okay after the first few months, and I am confident in my relationship with DD being very strong at its core. I figured if she needed me, she would call or text. I also did some baking, sent her favorite cookies along with a mid-semester care package. While recently on vacation visiting family (DD is now a sophmore), I asked about a another family member whose DD is the same age as my DD, and who is now attending her sophmore year at college away from home. I was curious how much communication went on between that student and her mom/dad/family? Well, the person to whom I was talking had taken said student to her college orientation, as her parents were both working that day. The speaker at orientation told the parents (mine wasn't the parent), that if you aren't hearing from your child, send them a text or email, or even leave a VM on their cell, that you are sending them $$, or do they need anything? See how fast they respond. LOL. So, we just tried a little experiment after this vacation conversation to see if the advice was good advice. Heard back immediately from DD. We laughed so hard about how true that orientation speaker was. So, there is something to that particular strategy. Fall break isn't too far off. My DD attends a private college, so they have a fall break next weekend, but most big universities don't have the mini break, first time home will be Thanksgiving. Just wait till you see the difference in your DS. It was amazing watching from afar, my DD change into an independent young woman. HTH....See MoreV. early stage q in re competitive college admissions
Comments (103)Hi Pattycakes, It wasn't really the gist of my post to argue for or against a BS education, especially since I did not attend one and we are only learning about them. But since I am the OP, I will give this one a go. I said it before, but the post has gotten unwieldy to go back and read, for sure, so I will say it again...Giving up some of the every-day-ness, from grades 9-12, would be a true sacrifice. Part of the reason DH and I retired so young was to allow us to be uber-involved in our kids's schools, activities and lives generally , and we are. We get a lot of enjoyment out of it and (most of the time) they do, too. But if you have a kid who is willing to work very, very hard at a worthwhile goal that they value, it is hard to say "no". You seem to assume that schools don't spend any time on morals, character, community service (or maybe that they don't mean it). Many if not most private schools (boarding and day) have ecclesiastical roots, and issues of honor and morals and service are very important to the culture. Character education is not mere lip service, and community service requirements are meaningful, from what I have observed. Personally, i find it quite different from my generation and quite heartening. Moreover, since neither DH nor I practice a formal religion, we appreciate that our children, via private school, have had to attend chapel services and Quaker meetings. Their academic environments enhance what we try to teach them. You are also assuming that all boarding school aspirants are interested solely or primarily in monetary success. Many are, of course. Such is true of any random group of Americans as well. But, I do not think that BS aspirants are unusually mercenary at all. First of all, a good chunk of them come from generational wealth that kind of leaves them free to pursue something more... interesting, if you will. I notice there is a heavy emphasis on the arts at these schools; drama, music. Film making, fine arts, writing. And a fair amount of people interested in public service, the environment, humanitarian work. I am certainly not saying it's all "kumbaya", but these schools are in real demand, and they can find more than enough smart hard working kids, so they look for interesting, smart, hard working kids. People who can make a difference, not just a living. (not matter how good a living) Frankly, without getting too political about it, these schools tend to be very liberal and rather socialist-leaning, and if anything I would say they would somewhat teach their kids to eschew the pursuit of filthy lucre! (all the while asking their parents for some more of it, please)...See MorePreparing meals to freeze
Comments (3)These containers are food grade containers. They seal securely. I also have a kitchen thermometer. It works great and I could not change back to cooking daily. There has been a lot of shows on the telly about the foods in shops. We have had the horse meat scandal as well as other documentaries of having food tested and finding horrible things in fast food, prepared meals in shops and processed foods is terrifying. But making up fast foods like burritos, fajitas etc...I know what we are eating. I refuse to eat processed foods and will not feed them to my kids. My children are all grown up now but I still want them to eat healthy and know what they are eating and hopefully they will take this on and continue in their homes. Thanks for the reply. I appreciate all views as it does give me things to think over....See Moreoilpainter
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