Ah, the college life: newfound coffee addictions, perpetually dirty laundry, and midnight snacks of French fries and ice cream. As we venture into our academic careers and struggle to declare majors and define relationships, the most telling characteristic of all is revealed: our eating habits.
From sophomores fighting to lose the freshman 15 to seniors who’ve moved off campus but still steal food from the dining hall, we all have eating habits that shape our food choices.
Lucky for us, there are about as many recipes as there are college personalities. Here are just a few of the cookbooks that correspond with the crazy lives of college kids.
You’re Broke: Everybody Loves Ramen
The cliché college meal: ramen on ramen with a side of ramen. We get it. This unconventional cookbook is for college students who are ready to step up their ramen game — a baby step, albeit, but a step up, nonetheless. Simple but sassy recipes like “A Vegetarian’s Slipup” and “Flaming Poultry and Peanuts” are intermixed with food-themed word searches and crossword puzzles to keep cooking fun. Of note is the most important recipe variation of all, “Saturday Brunch Ramen.”
Less of a cookbook and more of an “open this package and add some other stuff” kind of book, Everybody Loves Ramen will surely resonate with students whose day-to-day survival depends on dehydrated noodles and access to microwave ovens.
You Eat Mini-Cupcakes on the Reg: Lucy’s Bakes
You are the campus busybody, the socialite; the one responsible for baking everyone’s birthday cakes. Exhale. Your job as campus pastry chef just got a whole lot easier. Recipes in Lucy’s Bakes are fast and foolproof — so go ahead, study for that mid-term exam, update your Facebook page, and make peanut butter fudge — all at the same time.
Whether you need muffins for the Philanthropy Club bake sale or cookies to celebrate your best friend’s half-birthday (why is this still a thing?), Lucy’s got you covered with speedy recipes that get you in and out of the kitchen in as little as 10 minutes.
Rest assured, these treats will be liked by all. Each recipe comes with a section on “What Testers Say,” so you’re sure to maintain your status as favorite baker and most reliable friend.
You Do Anything to Get the Girl: PETA’s Vegan College Cookbook
This one’s for all the nerds out there who’ve discovered that the quickest way to a girl’s heart is through greens. It doesn’t take a semester of ethnographic research to catch on to the trend: guys who ditch meat get the girls. This cookbook is better than a Tinder profile picture featuring your puppy. Veganism shows a side of you that’s compassionate, sensitive, and sure to leave your crush craving more.
Woo her with vegan snacks like “Spring Break Tahini Bikini Dip.” If things look like they’re heating up, go ahead and try “Friends With Bennies Baked Beans.” When you’re ready to move on to your next vegan fling, see the recipe for “Breakup Pudding.”
You Post Pics of Brunch: The South of France Cookbook
For the students who studied abroad and won’t let anyone forget it. Perhaps you’ve never boiled an egg and are only familiar with kitchen tools that come in the form of high-speed blenders, but since traveling the world, you’ve become obsessed with the cuisine of the European country you called home for a semester or two.
Though you surely will never cook from it, this extravagant book sits on your desk as a conversation starter (remember when I was in Europe…) and a reminder of your exotic times abroad. More importantly, it creates the perfect aesthetic for that Insta pic of your decked out dorm room.
After all, who knows when you’re going to need to whip up Cassis Champagne À La Giscle or Moules Marinères? Better safe than sorry.
You Eat Carbs Like It’s Your Job: One-Pot Pasta
This is a book for both athletes and those prone to shaming anyone who attempts a “carb-free” diet. One-Pot Pasta gives you the starchy goodness your heart desires, and packs in protein like no other.
Forget about that roommate who keeps harassing you to do your dishes, and don’t worry about being late for swim practice. You can make these pasta recipes in one pot and will only have to spend 30 minutes in the kitchen.
Varieties like Turkey and Peas, Quick Pesto, and Four Cheeses will keep you carbed-up while still stretching your culinary creativity. Rejoice in the quick carbohydrates that will get you through the next four years. One-Pot Pasta recipes give you noodles for days, but nobody said you have to share.
You’re Too Busy to Stop Studying: Toast
Take your breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert to go, or eat it as you sprint to class. Toast is filled with recipes that are all served atop everyone’s favorite ingredient: bread.
Pick from spreads like almond butter and baba ganoush to toppings of figs and sprouts. If you’re feeling bold (or just want to get rid of leftover snacks and aging fridge items), try combos like goat cheese, blueberries, and pistachios. To keep it simple (and speedy), stick to mozzarella and spinach.
Don’t miss out on meals because of your crazy schedule. When in doubt, pile your favorite ingredients on a piece of toast so your food can travel with you.
You’re Hangry AF: The Starving Artist Cookbook
Step out of the spotlight, put the paintbrush down, take off your ballet shoes, and give the guitar a break. Now that you’ve mastered your performance art, it’s time to get serious about cooking.
Those mac and cheese boxes with fun noodles in the shape of bunnies or SpongeBob may be your go-to cuisine, but conquering the kitchen has always been on your mind. With illustrated recipes that are sure to keep you on track, The Starving Artist Cookbook gives you a chance to get comfortable with classics like roasted chicken, lasagna, stir-fry, and roasted root vegetables.
Nobody likes a hangry artist. Get your cooking game on-point so you can fuel the rest of your creative outlets.
You Only Drink Juice That’s Green: Make Your Own Rules Cookbook
You were raised on organic veggies and downward dogs, and your inbox is full of self-help articles that your mom keeps forwarding to you.
Yoga fanatic meets smoothie-lover meets senioritis. This is the cookbook you trust to help get your life together before college is over. Breakfast smoothies, quinoa bowls, and meditation mantras are all included in this kumbaya singalong of cookbooks. The solution to your over scheduled academics and excess number of extracurriculars is just a meal away.
The dining halls and vending machines that dominate college campuses make it easy to neglect the kitchen and all the wondrous opportunities it offers.
Regardless of whether or not you consider yourself a foodie, a cook, or a baker, your eating habits and college lifestyle are bound to be reflected in a cookbook or two — all you have to do is take a look…and a taste.