Simple food combines two things that I love. The first and obvious is food. The second is minimal effort. Some people like to make Consommé and be fancy, but that’s not how I run my life.
As a college student, sometimes you have to make foods that take minimal effort. Whether it’s because of a time constraint, you have no clue how to cook, or are limited on funds for ingredients, there are times when simple is better than complex. And I’ve made a list of the seven foods that are better simple.
1. Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is amazing. Crunchy and delicious, southern and traditional, fried chicken is a classic staple for many people. But here’s the thing: some people like to add all these extra spices, extra coats of flour, and special healthier oil. IT’S FRIED CHICKEN, IT ISN’T SUPPOSED TO BE HEALTHY. But that’s an article in itself. Fried chicken is the bomb diggity when it is simple. So let’s keep it that way. Please?
2. Mac & Cheese
Some people like to add stuff to their mac and cheese to make it taste “better.” To those people I say you haven’t had Kraft macaroni and cheese. It’s cheap too. So when people are all like, “let me add bread crumbs,” I want to punch them in the mouth because I can’t drop a few bucks on panko breadcrumbs. I get it, some people like to spice up those old recipes, but just cheese and noodles is sometimes better than adding hot dogs and bacon into your dish.
3. Cheesecake
Be honest: when was the last time you had cheesecake? Not Oreo cheesecake or carrot cheesecake, just simple cheesecake. Adding Oreos to cake is great, but sometimes the simple cheesecake can scratch the itch. I think that cheesecake is one of those foods that you appreciate so much more when it’s done normally. Try it, it will change your life.
4. Grilled Cheese
I know I’m going to lose some friends when I say this: grilled cheese should just be bread and cheese. Before you write down my address and head to my home with your grilled ham and cheeses, let me rationalize this for you. Grilled cheese is best with just cheese and bread, you don’t need ham, multiple cheeses, or cheese on top (I am looking at you chefs that like to make things unnecessarily hard). All you need is the easy to make, tasty grilled cheese.
5. Ice Cream
Not to be controversial when starting this, but I think that the best thing about ice cream is the ice cream. I’m not a huge fan of cones. I know that’s crazy to say, but I never got the hype that was the cake or waffle cone. What I recommend is just your average three scoops of wonderful cold goodness. No sprinkles, no syrup, and no cone. Seriously, just try it when you’re going through a breakup. It’s the simple things, I tell you.
6. Pasta
Pasta is delicious. You see, pasta is one of the foods on this list that I think can go either way. The reason why I have it on this list, however, is because sometimes the best kind of pasta is just marinara sauce and noodles. Nothing super fancy because it lets you appreciate the texture of the noodles and the taste of the sauce. There aren’t any meatballs to get in the way, extra cheeses to cloud your taste buds; it’s kept simple and it tastes simple. Also, it works on a college budget.
7. Peanut Butter & Jelly
Here we are, the simplest food to make when you’re in a pinch and want something that tastes yummy. Want to hear an atrocity? Some people like to change up this simple beauty and add all these complex ingredients. This sandwich calls for three ingredients: jelly, peanut butter, and bread. So then why do I see people adding meat to this joyful little sandwich?
8. Rice
I’m a fan of fried rice with all the extra stuff in it like carrots, eggs, peas, you know the whole party. But you know what tastes hella good and is totally on point? Just normal steamed rice. That’s right, the next time you hit up a Panda Express, get steamed rice and it will change your life.
9. Fruit
I worship fruit, but I love fruit by itself. Sometimes sugar is good to add to these fruits, but nothing beats just apple slices.
I appreciate that people like to make things interesting, but when you’re like me and can’t be breaking the bank everyday, then sometimes simplicity takes the win.