Having a stock of versatile ingredients is the key to making cooking in college easier. Stocking up on things like canned beans, pasta, different kinds of condiments or sauces, and frozen fruit will save you time and money. You can buy less at the grocery store each time. It’s comforting to know you always have back up for when you are short on time or for when you are hungry after the dining hall closes. Over time you can add to your collection and try new things, figuring out what you like and don’t like, what is easiest for you, and what you find yourself using the most. It also makes cooking easier because when you want to make a recipe you don’t need to buy all of the individual ingredients at one time.
Here are multipurpose ingredients that I like to keep around:
- Nut butter. I probably consume more almond butter than the average person. Of course you can have the classic peanut butter and apple, but having any kind of nut butter is useful. You can add it to smoothies, salad dressings, and oatmeal for added protein and healthy fat.
- Miso paste. You may have only heard of miso in the context of miso soup. Miso paste is just fermented soy beans and is a great ingredient for cooking. There are many different varieties of miso paste, but I like white miso paste. You can find it in a refrigerated section of the grocery store in small containers. A little goes a long way, so just one purchase of miso paste will last a long time. It has a kind of salty and savory flavor. Just adding miso paste adds complex flavor to things like salad dressing, stir fry, soup, and tofu. Using unfamiliar ingredients can be intimidating, but learning how to use miso paste is really easy.
- Soy sauce. Another useful ingredient for Asian dishes, soy sauce is versatile and easy to work with. Mix it in with rice, stir fry, salad dressings, tofu, or vegetables and it adds a lot of flavor.
- Canned tomatoes. Big cans of diced or crushed tomatoes are useful for acting as the base for Indian dishes, chili, and stews. Buying canned tomatoes is inexpensive (you can get large 28 ounce cans for less than a dollar) and because they have a long shelf life, it’s fine to keep them for a while. I use tomatoes in a lot of my recipes, so it’s nice to not have to buy canned tomatoes at every trip to the store.
- Bulk grains. I always have quinoa, lentils, and brown rice around. Buying things like this in bulk will save you a lot of money, rather than buying small bags every time you want to make it. Cooking a big pot of rice for the week or adding quinoa or lentils to chili makes it easy to sneak in fiber and protein.
- Oats. Oatmeal does not have to be bland and boring. Oatmeal and overnight oats are my go-to breakfasts. Oatmeal is another great thing to buy in bulk because you can get a big container of rolled oats with 30 servings in it for around two dollars. The little single-serving instant packets are convenient, but the flavored packs have so much extra sugar and cost so much more than buying plain oats in bulk. You can also use plain rolled oats to add to smoothies and for making granola.
- Canned beans. As a vegetarian, canned beans are a lifesaver. I used to hate beans but I think that I just wasn’t eating them the right way. Added into salads, chili, soups, and pasta sauces, beans are really satisfying. Beans are high in protein and fiber and are easy to add to a variety of foods whether you are a vegetarian or not. Not to mention they are much less expensive than meat and easier to use. You can get canned beans for less than a dollar (buying dried beans in bulk is even more cheap) and you can keep them stored for a long time.
- Frozen fruit and vegetables. Buying produce in college can be tough because it can be expensive and you don’t want it to go bad before you use it. I have a mini fridge with a small freezer on top which allows me to keep a little frozen food. Frozen fruit and vegetables are great because you don’t have to worry about it going bad, sometimes it’s less expensive, and it can even be more nutritious than fresh produce because it is frozen at peak ripeness. Frozen fruit is great for smoothies and adding to oatmeal. Also, if you ever find yourself with more fresh fruit than you can use, cut it up and put it in the freezer to use later. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to be healthy by buying a big container of spinach, only to watch it wilt in the fridge. Buying frozen vegetables like spinach and cauliflower is great because you can get your vegetables in without having to worry about it going bad. I like adding spinach and cauliflower into smoothies because you can’t taste it at all, and it’s an easy way to get an extra serving of veggies. Bags of frozen mixed vegetables are also convenient for throwing into stir fries and chilis. Not needing to chop up a bunch of different vegetables is a huge time saver.
- Pasta and noodles. I don’t cook with pasta a lot, but when I do I am so thankful I had it around. You can make an easy and healthy pasta dish in less than twenty minutes by boiling some whole wheat pasta, adding some frozen spinach or mixed vegetables, throwing in a can of tomatoes, and adding a few spices. Pad thai noodles or brown rice noodles are also great for Asian dishes like stir fry when you get sick of brown rice. Noodles like this cook in even less time and are really easy to use. Pasta and noodles are also cheap.
- Coconut oil. You can use olive, canola, or any other kind of oil you like, but I think coconut oil is the most versatile. Unlike olive oil, it can get to a high heat which makes it ideal for quickly cooking stir fries, vegetables, or tofu. It’s a great source of healthy fat, so it’s perfect to for adding to things like smoothies and oatmeal which make you feel fuller and more energized for longer. A big container lasts a long time.