Dorm Delicacies

Let’s face it, all dorm students experience at least once in their college career the need to eat food that does not come from Andrews University Dining Services. Whether it’s because the cafeteria schedule suddenly changes without a student knowing, a lab runs late, or the menu is not appetizing when in a certain mood, at some point in time, each student will find themself in need of nourishment when both the Gazebo and the cafeteria are closed. While a dorm student's first response to situations like these may be to find a way off-campus to purchase food at a restaurant, I invite all dorm residents to consider another alternative: cooking their own food in the dorm.
Trying to cook meals in the dorm can be intimidating — most college students are on a strict budget (both time and money-wise), the dorm kitchenettes are small, and most students may not have all the equipment found in an average kitchen. However, there are ways to remedy most challenges that may be encountered.

First of all, future dorm chefs can take many shortcuts that will lead to more money in their wallets and less time in the kitchen. One good option is to shop in the frozen section of the grocery store. Frozen fruits and vegetables can save a lot of time in the kitchen, and they are often cheaper, especially if the item is out of season. Not only that, but they are frozen after being harvested at peak ripeness, so they may actually contain more nutrients than fresh produce, which often needs to be picked early and transported over long distances. Canned items serve a similar purpose — beans, for example, are an ingredient that is cheap, convenient, and healthy when purchased canned. Another great way to save money is to take advantage of student discounts. Not everyone has access to transportation to stores with cheaper prices, but both Apple Valley and Hardings are within walking distance and offer student discounts to patrons with valid student IDs. Both stores offer this discount on Thursdays, and Apple Valley also offers it on Wednesdays. In addition to this, buying in bulk is often cheaper. If you are using groceries bought in bulk, see if a friend is willing to also use the same ingredients, so you can both pay less and not get stuck with a ton of ingredients you won’t use. The same goes for cooking equipment and seasonings — sharing cooking equipment with a roommate or among a group of friends is an excellent way to save space in the small dorm rooms, as well as save some extra money. This is especially true if you only cook occasionally!

Okay, so ingredients have been purchased, and equipment has been acquired, so now what do you do? Where should you even start? First of all, following a recipe is a good game plan for those who don’t have much cooking experience. Try to find simple recipes that use the same ingredients: some good examples include tacos, burritos, avocado toast, different pastas, soups, overnight oats, scrambled eggs or tofu, and in a pinch you can even find 1-minute microwave meals online that only need a microwave or single pot for the stove. In sharing her favorite food to make in the dorm, Maddi Vath (sophomore, English) suggests “Pasta dishes. They’re easy and they’re quick. If you have the right seasonings you can do so much.” Some other great suggestions can be found here and here, as well as on Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. Make sure to read the recipe before you start the cooking process, as some recipes on these lists take more time than others.

Finally, to address a problem that is unique to dorm kitchens everywhere, how does one go about sharing a kitchen with hundreds of other people? Since the dorms have communal kitchens that are utilized by many people, there are some simple etiquette rules that will make the shared living experience more enjoyable. Primarily, clean up after you are done in the kitchen. This may seem obvious, but following it truly does go a long way in keeping the kitchen space an appealing area to work in. Just throwing away your trash, washing your dishes, and wiping down the countertop transforms the kitchen from a breeding ground for pests to a clean, cozy, little cooking space. In addition to cleaning up, be sure to keep an eye on anything in the oven or on the stove. When food burns, it can cause the whole hallway to smell bad, so monitoring all cooking projects is courteous toward even those who never use the kitchens. If a dish still does burn, opening a kitchen window will help air the space out. Although these simple etiquette rules may seem obvious, they are especially important; most of the dorm kitchens have little space, which means when people breach etiquette and fail to clean up after themselves the messes are more evident than in large spaces. For this reason, it is considerate of others to clean up after yourself. We are sharing the kitchens with others and sometimes it is good to be reminded of considerate practices.

Need more convincing about why you should experiment in the dorm kitchens? Don’t take my word for it. There are plenty of other individuals who believe the kitchenettes are worth using as they are regularly in use. In describing her experience cooking in the dorm, Maddi Vath’s experience provides evidence of how popular they can be. “[If] you go at the right time you get the kitchenette to yourself, but there have been times where I’ve had to leave my stuff on the table and go ‘I’ll leave this here. I’ll come back later.’” There have been times when so many individuals are using the kitchen on her floor that she is left with the choice to wait or relocate to another kitchenette. Take this as a sign from your peers, the kitchens are well worth using.

Although using a communal kitchen may not seem like the most ideal way to source dinner, there are many ways dorm dwellers can make the kitchen a valid option to obtain nourishment. The kitchens may be small, and time may be scarce, but hopefully these simple tips and tricks will make the cooking experience an enjoyable one that most students can fit into their schedules. The next time hunger strikes you in a moment when the cafeteria and the Gazebo are unable to deliver, why not try out something new and make a quick recipe? You just might find a new favorite meal.