It is common knowledge that eating well in college is quite the challenge - both for those who are ‘dietarily’ challenged, and those who are not. Even more difficult is trying to prepare healthy meals without a full kitchen and hours to spare, so I would like to share with you a few tips for fast, healthy (at least, healthier) meals that you can prepare in your dorm room and taste great!

Microwave Magic

Breakfast, once a challenge, has now become an amazingly easy meal! Cold cereals, once quite rare, now come in tons of shapes and flavors; my favorites include Cinnamon flavored Rice Chex and EnviroKids “Amazon Flakes” frosted corn flakes. Maybe not as healthy as scrambled eggs, but it’s easy to come by, prepare and store. My top picks for hot cereals (that don’t require stovetop cooking!) are Perky’s Nutty Rice (or Flax) -- hot or cold, it’s delicious, or throw it in the microwave with some milk, raisins and cinnamon and you’re all set. I cannot forget Glutenfreeda’s own instant oatmeal (four fantastic flavors, including unflavored...does that still count? Anyway, my favorite is the Apple Cinnamon) and Glutenfreeda’s frozen burritos, which make for a great breakfast or lunch! You can also find Van’s frozen waffles in most grocery stores, and frozen mini-pancakes at Trader Joe’s.

Lunch and dinner are a little bit easier (and becoming more so every day, it seems): from Trader Joe’s Indian Fare meals to Amy’s classic frozen Macaroni & Cheese or Baked Ziti Bowl, there are so many choices both from the pantry and the freezer. Trader Joe’s also carries frozen tamales and mini-tacos (chicken or beef - totally delicious) and a new line of frozen Indian-style meals, like Butter Chicken(now, these are ‘made with non-gluten ingredients’, but not in a dedicated facility, so consume at your own risk/comfort level!) which stack nicely in the freezer and can be ready in a minute.

All you need is a microwave and you’re ready to go!

If you have any questions, comments or ideas of your own - let me know! Feel free to contact me at this link.

- Kelsey Ganes, University of Washington student

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