Being a student doesn’t mean you should accept poor editing habits and consume only fast food.

Any person can cook great meals even despite homework overload or little experience in the kitchen. In fact, there are plenty of great recipes and techniques any student can master on their first try.

Moreover, plenty of simple recipes can give young people all the nutrients and energy to go about the day. Plus, students may feel more inclined and inspired to cook more often once they learn their way around the kitchen. However, it takes small steps to gain such progress.

So, let’s the top five cooking ideas for students to try. These are simple recipes any home cook can master on the first try. 

Tomato soup

Any student needs to master at least one soup recipe during college. Tomato soup can be the perfect recipe for this. It is super easy, delicious, comforting, and cheap. To start, one needs fresh or canned tomatoes, onions, garlic (celery and carrot – optional), olive oil, and some herbs of your choice. 

Canned tomatoes will be an easier option, as you can just pour them into a pot. Fresh tomatoes should be skinned and chopped first. To take the skin out of the fresh tomato, make a cut at its bottom and boil it for about 1 minute. The skin should come off easily after it cools. 

Meanwhile, start with the aromatics. Add chopped onion and garlic to the preheated pan. Wait till they slightly change color. Add finely chopped carrots and celery. Keep the pan on a small heat. Let them soften a bit before adding everything to the blender. Mix vegetables with tomatoes and strain the result. Pour the soup into the pot, add spices to your liking, and let it boil for a few minutes. Serve the soup with toast or grilled cheese. 

Curry 

Curry is a highly versatile dish that includes dozens of various recipes. It is a perfect food when you crave hearty, warm, spicy, and special dishes. Also, curry is a perfect option for all kinds of diets, including vegan diets. 

So, to make curry, you need three main food groups – aromatics, proteins, and rice. First, you need garlic, onion, ginger, curry leaves, and a mix of spices. You can replace the spices by purchasing a curry paste. You’ll also need canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and coconut milk. 

Next comes your protein choice. It can be anything you are comfortable cooking and eating, from chicken and sausage to canned chickpeas, tofu, vegetarian mince, or else. You can also combine several protein options. Lastly, you can add carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, etc. 

Start with aromatics. Mince everything you have and keep on medium heat for a few minutes. Heating up the spices allows them to release oils and be more aromatic. Next, add the protein. Stir it for a few minutes before adding the curry paste, tomatoes, some tomato paste, and coconut milk. Depending on your protein type, the cooking time will vary from 15 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wash and cook rice. Serve the curry in a bowl with rice and, preferably, flatbread, like chapatis.

Wraps 

A wrap has long become a traditional student food. It can be as versatile, healthy, and delicious as you make it. They can be vegetarian or with meat, depending on your liking. Chickpeas are the most common vegan option here. All you need is a variety of greens and vegetables, a wrap, protein, cheese (optional), sauce, and rice (also optional, unless you’re making a burrito). For example, you can make a vegetarian wrap with finely chopped vegetables of your choice, chickpeas, and smashed avocado. Mix all these ingredients together with spices, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add (vegan) greek yogurt mixed with garlic and herbs. Wrap it up!

Jacket potatoes

Nothing is more simple than Jacket potatoes stuffed with all kinds of goodies. Start by choosing and washing the biggest potatoes. Scrap them well. Poke them with a fork, wrap them in foil, and put them in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile, think of the stuffing.

For example, beans, mayo, cheese, chopped onions, and tomatoes seem simple and nutritious. However, the stuffing is highly individual. Once the potatoes are soft, cut them on top, spoon the insides and replace them with the stuffing. Optional: bake potatoes for 10 more minutes. Dinner is ready.

Ramen

Finally, you can diversify your ramen dinner, making it more nutritious and delicious. Use the same typical ramen package or buy noodles of your choice. Prepare them separately.

Meanwhile, boil a couple of eggs, heat the store-bought stock (veggie or meat) and chopped spring onion, and maybe add more veggies like a carrot or celery. Optional: shred rotisserie chicken or add tofu to the stock before serving. Put your noodles in the bowl, peel and cut eggs and vegetables, finishing with the stock. 

Keep in mind that it is a very simple ramen version anyone can cook at home in a few minutes. Yet, such a recipe leaves plenty of time to see how John Milovich in his pen camp review writes about academic services. After all, cooking ramen from scratch takes much more time. Perhaps, you’ll need help with homework while you are cooking.