The worst part of cooking is having to spend money on groceries. I’d be happy to cook up something better than mac and cheese, but c’mon, who has the money? Everyone knows the rules about the caf at school: food stays inside. But at most cafeterias, you’ll be able to take out a piece of fruit or a bagel. You might even be able to get a tub of ice cream if you’re really gutty. So here’s a list of snacks you can make using ingredients you borrow *cough cough from the cafeteria.
Note: I do not advocate for stealing food from the caf, (but I won’t tell anyone either).
1. Healthy Apple Chips
If you have an oven in a shared kitchen or maybe your own kitchenette, then you can make this recipe. Take an apple each meal after you leave the caf and within a few days you’ll have enough to make a whole serving of these healthy apple chips. They’re the perfect sweet snack that require little to no effort to make.
2. 3-ingredient Gluten Free Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
You honestly only need three ingredients for these cookies and trust me, they taste so good. They’re simple and not terribly bad for you either which is always a plus. Politely exit the caf with a couple bananas and wait for them be ripe. Mash ’em up and mix them with those instant oatmeal packets and jar of peanut butter I know you have sitting in your room.
3. Fairy Bread
If your caf allows you to take a couple pieces of bread out then go for it. If you’ve got the ninja skills to get a whole loaf … I won’t continue. But either way, roll ups are quick and easy. Roll in whatever you have in your room. Peanut butter, jam, Nutella, etc. These rolls just use cream cheese and sugar. Pretty basic.
4. Devilled Eggs
If your caf has hard boiled eggs, you can instantly upgrade them by turning them into a bougie dorm room snack for later. Eggs are pretty easy to smuggle, just be careful they’re not hot.
5. Cranberry Orange Relish
If you’re getting sick of plain old cafeteria jam, make your own spread. This cranberry orange relish only needs a food processor and can be pretty much made entirely from cafeteria foods (depending on your caf’s selection.)
6. Microwaveable Baked Cinnamon Apple
The best recipes are microwave recipes. Make an epic dessert with those apples you’ve been gathering from the caf. No oven required to in making this sweet treat that will keep you warm in the bitter cold months of the new semester.
7. Frozen Banana Bites
Another banana recipe, well actually two, because bananas are an awesome dorm room snack. They satisfy your sweet cravings and they pair up well with everything from chocolate to yogurt. I don’t know about your caf, but mine was always stocked up on bananas. Freeze some banana slices with chocolate, peanut butter, yogurt, whatever you want really, and throw them in the freezer for later.
8. Hot Chocolate Spoons
Ok, I really don’t approve of this one but it has come to my attention that some students do in fact take home cafeteria cutlery. While this might not be the best idea, here’s something you can do with your spoons once you’ve got them. Talk about a literal #SpoonTip. Package up your little hot chocolate spoons and give them out to friends and family.
9. Cake pops
Stay with me on this one. Cake pops are just mashed up cake mixed with icing right? Well, why can you use muffins or cupcakes? Muffins were a huge breakfast staple in my caf and cupcakes were a common dessert. If your dining services let you take a baked good to go, then you have half of the main ingredients needed to make this fun snack.
10. Pizza Fries
This one doesn’t have a recipe, but it really doesn’t need one. Use that stale piece of caf pizza (because, yes it is always stale) and cut it up into French fry-like sticks. Pop em in the oven and bake until they’re crispy enough for you to dip and ketchup and enjoy in your dorm room.
11. Blueberry Banana Smoothie
Ya, more bananas. This recipe is quick and easy but honestly, you can throw any fruit you can get from the caf into a blender with some milk or juice and probably whip up a pretty mean smoothie.
12. 2-Ingredient Applesauce
This recipe could not be simpler. Apples and cinnamon. If you’re slick sneaking out of the caf you could probably get everything you need in one trip. Applesauce might not be the most glamorous snack but it’s easy, delicious, and let’s face it, you live in rez and don’t have many options.
13. Stolen Fruit White Wine Sangria
You might not be able to get the wine from the cafeteria, but you can sure as hell get everything else. This one’s less of a snack but it’s still a treat. Now that exams are almost over, treat yourself with some sangria made entirely out of fruits from the caf.
14. 3-ingredient Breakfast Cheerio Bars
These are kind of like grown up Rice Krispie Treats. All you need is honey, peanut butter, and Cheerios, all of which are most likely available at your caf. You’ll need a heat source but a hot plate will probably do just fine. Then you’ll have the let them set up in the fridge and there you have it, homemade cereal bars.
#SpoonTip: Sub in your favourite cereal to completely customize your bars.
15. Apple Pops
If you’re over cake pops and you’ve had enough of massive candy apples, you’ll love these. These apple pops are equally fun to make as they are to eat. Cover them in chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, and all sorts of candy. You can leave them in the fridge so you always know you have a snack waiting for you, or you can eat them all right away. No judgment.
The caf really is more than just a place you go three times a day (or more) to eat meals. Take advantage of all your dining services has to offer. With these little hacks you’ll always have a snack in your room for when you’re just too lazy to make it out of bed.