by Debra Menager

Created on: September 08, 2009   Last Updated: September 09, 2009

Everyone who goes away to college needs to consider what they will eat and what it will cost.

Dorm meals seem fine at first: food already fixed, ready to eat. Quick or convenient, there's no lasting satisfaction. Monotonous choices become old fast. So do familiar nearby fast food stops.

It's time to move on. You can fix healthier, better tasting food costing much less. In your dorm room a microwave, mini-fridge, and a few items double as snacks and do-it-yourself quick meals. Moving away from the dorms, you can gain more independence - and a kitchen of some sort. Start with breakfast, at home or to go. Add meals that can be made easily, and go go with you.

Fruit and nuts, as snacks or add to other foods:

Fruit nutritional benefits include fiber and vitamins. Nuts, in small amounts, are great for you, keeping hunger away longer. They also offer vitamins, minerals, and heart healthy fats.

Dried fruits store well and last a long time (concentrated, you only need a little). Frozen fruits are easy, buy in bags so you can pour a little, keeping more in the bag frozen for later. Store nuts in the refrigerator; they taste fresher longer.

Oatmeal:

Buy the big box or paper canister. The one with the Quaker on it, without anything but oats. It's usually cheap, and easy to fix. Add different fruits and nuts for flavor variations. Microwave, add milk, and eat.

Yogurt parfaits:

Buy low fat vanilla yogurt in a large carton that offers several meals for less money. Add those fruits and nuts to your yogurt. Top with granola or bits of dry cereal (anything crunchy tastes great). Eat at home, or put in a container to go. If you swirl your fruit and nuts ahead, scoop into cones like ice cream. Then freeze for a fast treat to grab and go.

Cream of wheat, flavored energy boosts (berries taste like pie a la mode):

Add fruit, varying flavor and nutrition, and milk for creaminess and calcium. Microwave and eat. It also tastes good cold; sprinkled with nuts. Or add a little more milk, and microwave to reheat.

During college I discovered that, like many women my age, I was borderline anemic. Low iron levels lower energy. Farina, or cream of wheat hot cereal, offers an easy iron fix. Milk obviously adds other nutrients most students need in larger amounts. Milk is fortified, offering D plus calcium. Researchers say that Vitamin D deficiencies while college age may lead to heart disease.

Cold cereal choices:

We all have our favorites, and know how to eat them. They are fast and taste

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