You’ve made it to your first year of college or university, excited to make new friends and carve out some independence. But while you’re prepared for long lectures and late-night studying, you may not have given as much thought to the learning curve happening in your kitchen. Not to worry—we’ve got your back. Here are seven entry-level dishes to help you hone your cooking skills (and impress your new roommates). We promise you’ll never go hungry!
- Scrambled Eggs
These are a budget saver, and quick and easy to boot. Our classic Scrambled Eggs recipe is super simple, and all you need is a skillet on the stovetop. Remember, eggs don’t have to be reserved for breakfast! Just pair with a simple dressed salad or steamed vegetables for a quick and easy dinner. Once you’ve mastered this simple dish, take the next step with gourmet omelettes and frittatas.
Tip: Keep eggs in the coldest part of the fridge, not in the door shelf. They’ll stay fresher, longer.1
- Breakfast Bars
Made in minutes on the stovetop or a hot plate, these sweet and nutty bars come in handy for early-morning classes or late-night study sessions. (To make them completely gluten-free, choose gluten-free crisp rice cereal.) Once you’ve learned to measure and mix ingredients, and pour batter into a pan, you’ll be ready to graduate to the next level of baking: brownies.
Tip: Store natural nut butters upside down to prevent the oils from separating. Just make sure the lid is tightly sealed to avoid messy leaks. (Storing the jar on top of a folded paper towel will catch any errant oil and save you cleanup time.)
- Muffins
An energizing pick-me-up for the library or a quick post-gym snack, Blueberry Muffins with Granola Topping are so easy to make with pre-made muffin mix. Experiment with different berries and nutty toppings to create a muffin you love, then level up this recipe to a loaf. Homemade banana bread is on the horizon.
Tip: The leavening ingredients start to work as soon as wet and dry mixtures are combined, so mix batter gently, just until there are no dry bits visible, and get your muffins in the oven as soon as possible.
- Chili
Big-batch cooking is a huge time saver. Our Turkey & Kale Chili takes just 10 minutes to prep and will provide you with lunches and dinners for days. Or, if you have a slow cooker, leave our Vegetarian 6 Bean Chili simmering on the counter for a delicious dinner to look forward to after a long day of classes. The next step is a hearty beef stew made with economical cuts of beef.2
Tip: Freeze any leftover chili (without toppings such as sour cream, cheese or green onions) in single-serving re-sealable containers for an easy dinner during exam week. Simply thaw chili overnight in the fridge, transfer to the microwave or stovetop, and warm it up in minutes. (Forgot to get it out the night before? Just rinse or soak the frozen container in hot water until the edges thaw and then slide the chili out and reheat.)
- Pasta
An impressive and delicious meal that will pay dividends for the week ahead, this Easy Spinach & Meatball Pasta Bake takes only 15 minutes to toss together, thanks to ready-to-cook meatballs. While your pasta is in the oven, make a simple salad with prewashed greens, sliced cucumber and tomato drizzled with your favourite dressing or just olive oil and balsamic vinegar. After mastering this dish, you’re ready to tackle lasagna—a fun cooking project to do with roommates.
Tip: Dirty dishes can be hard to clean if left on the counter overnight. Soak your dish in the sink with hot, soapy water, and baked-on cheese will come off more easily.
- Homemade Pizza
Your friends who seem to have an endless budget for pizza delivery don’t know how easy and fun it is to make their own. This yummy Smoky Hawaiian Pizza uses store-bought dough, so all you have to worry about is chopping up the rest of the ingredients, sprinkling them on top of the dough and then popping the whole thing in the oven. From here, experiment with using pizza dough to make bread sticks, buttery rolls, calzones and stromboli—or maybe homemade pizza pockets?
Tip: Homemade pizza is a great way to use up odds and ends from the fridge. Top store-bought dough with leftover pasta sauce, sliced veggies and cooked meat—no combo is out of bounds! Finish it with any kind of shredded or crumbled cheese.
- Stir-Fry
Budget-friendly beans are a versatile post-secondary must-have. This Chickpea & Vegetable Stir-Fry uses a package of mixed veggies that are chopped fresh in-store to make prep quick and easy. The best part? It’s a one-pot meal, so cleanup is a snap. An unassuming tutor, stir-frying teaches timing and choosing harmonious textures and layers of flavour. These skills are transferable to making rice noodles with peanut sauce, too.
Tip: Chop and measure all your ingredients before you start your stir-fry—en français, this chef-approved trick is called mise en place. Bonus points for creating uniformly sliced pieces that will cook evenly in the pan. When it’s time to add your ingredients, there’s no scrambling to chop something only to burn what’s already cooking.
- 1. Find out more about egg safety by visiting the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
- 2. When cooking meat, always keep safe internal cooking temperatures in mind to avoid food poisoning. Here’s a complete list of temperatures from the Government of Canada.
