I spent most of my summer reading cooking blogs that are updated every other day by people who have eons more time than me.
This summer I attempted to be one of those people, sans-blog, and failed miserably. I started strong though, making dinners, deserts, at least one thing every other day, until I actually started summer — working, seeing friends and going to horrible summer movies.
Suddenly I didn’t have time for homemade croissants, loaves of babka bread or pita bread from scratch — with freshly-made hummus. None of those are difficult to make. In fact, the worst part of the whole process was waiting — making croissants is a time trap, but deliciously rewarding.
Now that summer is over, the only thing stopping me from actually eating well is the ridiculous course load I signed myself up for.
I would imagine that I’m not the only student with more work than time, and unfortunately when push comes to shove our food is what gets burned. Perhaps this is why the importance of actually eating well — not McDonald’s or Burger King or anything else you immediately associate with college diets — is often completely lost on college students.
What bothers me most is the abundance of easy recipes — and I don’t mean the Rachel Ray version of easy — I mean the macaroni and cheese version of easy, but better, in both taste and health.
Make no mistake, I love macaroni and cheese — but why not step it up? We’re all adults here, we shouldn’t be eating from the kids’ table.
Why not try some Parmesan, Swiss, or maybe some Gouda? Just mix it with plain macaroni, butter, cream. You’ve seen it before, but I guarantee you that this version tastes better than the blue-boxed macaroni of your childhood. Not only is it comparable in time to prepare, but it’s also a step in the right direction healthwise.
Another prime example: Spaghetti sauce.
Do you use Prego? I certainly hope not, for the sake of your taste buds.
I suppose it’s all right if you like it, but it could be so much better and so much richer. The taste could be intoxicating rather than bland, almost a meal in itself rather than a soupy substitute for real sauce.
For a sauce that’s worth the pasta you put it on, you only need three things: Tomato paste, herbs/seasoning, and ground beef. I could go on and on about spaghetti sauce — probably the one thing everyone should be able to make. Instead I will just say that the real merit of a good sauce is how it ages, letting the herbs become bolder overnight as the tomato sauce absorbs their flavors.
Healthier, happier food — something everyone should have; it’s the little things, the details that make a meal so perfect.
I cannot attest to everyone’s eating habits, I only know what I occasionally witness when I go grocery shopping — ramen, microwavable meals, that canned stuff that tastes different every time — it’s not the best of any world. Pasta, chicken and salads — all are easy, healthy and delicious, which makes them perfect for busy students.
Despite what you think, cooking on your own is not so expensive. Ingredients for sauce, pasta, maybe some bread cost less than $10, and makes more than one meal. Chicken only needs herbs, oil and an oven, which is still less than $10, and KFC has nothing like it.
Of course, a salad is the easiest and most obvious route to take for something fast, healthy and customizable. Just throw your favorite vegetables into a bowl (or whatever you happen to find in your fridge), add some oil and vinegar and you have a meal. Simple, light and filling. If you are looking for more than that, I don’t know what to tell you.
This is solely an attempt to dissuade the average student from eating the average meal — from one of those aforementioned fast food tragedies, which achieve ‘flavor’ through fat, salt and sugar. This begs the question: What are you tasting?
If the definition of flavor is nothing but sodium-infused, lard-battered trash then there is a problem.
If you have the means to cook, you should be taking advantage of it.
There are no rules when you are in the kitchen, it’s what you like, and how you like it — but more than likely, it’s better for you. Simple recipes make for rich meals, especially when it comes to meats and pastas, and all it takes is less than thirty minutes and a kitchen.
Take that Rachel Ray.