Heading off to college can be an exciting yet intimidating transition for many students. It's often the first step into independent living, which means having to fend for oneself, including in the kitchen. Thankfully, the market is brimming with cooking books for young adults. College cookbooks, in particular, offer quick, easy-to-follow recipes, serving as a healthier alternative to on-campus food and constant eating out. We know you have limited time and energy outside of studying for exams, writing research papers, and enriching your social life. So, we’ve made a list of the best college cookbooks in 2024, including our favorite, Christine Nelson's College Cookbook, which features scrumptious yet simple recipes for on the go students like you.
What Factors Should You Consider Before Buying a College Cookbook?
Easy to follow
A college cookbook that’s hard to follow is the bane of every college student’s life. You don’t have a lot of time on your hands to try out elaborate recipes so you want to make sure that the book you’re getting has instructions that are simple and easy, and use everyday cooking items and ingredients that are accessible for a student. Bonus points if the book uses some sort of visual aids or pictures to make the cooking process even more clear.
Correct nutritional information
Getting a college cookbook that includes the nutritional benefits of the recipes, ingredients and meal plans in the clearest way possible is extremely important. Look for books that are written by renowned experts or people who back up their claims by presenting scientific evidence and research for their recipes.
Suits your goals
One of the most important factors that you should look at when picking a college cookbook is if the book is tailored toward your nutritional goals. For example, if you want to lose weight seek out books that focus more on how to eat healthy while losing some pounds. You don’t want to waste your money on a cookbook that falls short of the goals that you have set for yourself.
How We Picked the Perfect College Cookbooks?
The reputation of the author
When curating our list we made sure to select books authored by well-renowned, reputable authors, chefs and experts who’ve made a big impact in the cooking world.
Information quality
The quality of the information was a big consideration while creating this list. We’ve ensured that all the books we’ve provided offer information that is communicated in an engaging and creative way. The books we’ve included provide credible information and don’t mislead the reader by making outrageous health benefits for their recipes.
Customer reviews
Customer ratings and reviews were an important factor when curating this list. We picked college cookbooks that not only got great ratings but also got a lot of positive feedback from reviewers.
What Are the Benefits of Getting a College Cookbook?
Live healthier
Let’s face it, most people don’t really have a great diet when they’re in college, especially when there are so many accessible options out there with fast food and microwaveable meals. But the problem is that those options aren’t really healthy and so getting a simple college cookbook and cooking for yourself in your dorms or at home is a much better and safer option. You have more control over what ingredients you’re using in your meals, you can change up different recipes to better suit your taste buds. The possibilities are just endless when you’re cooking for yourself.
Saves money
With a college cookbook to follow along for everyday recipes and meals, you can save a ton of money when buying groceries. Instead of spending money every day eating out, you can plan ahead and get the ingredients you need from the supermarket which are a much cheaper and healthier option in the long run.
Learning an essential life skill
College is a place to learn and grow, not just in your academics but also in life as a person. You’re learning to grow as an adult in the real world and cooking is an essential life skill to have for that. By learning how to cook properly with a cookbook you’ll be teaching yourself a valuable skill that will always come in handy no matter what.
Learning responsibility
By reading cookbooks and learning how to cook for yourself you’re actually learning to be more responsible and taking better care of yourself. At first, you might be intimidated and have no idea what you’re doing. Slowly but surely though you will learn what kind of meals work for you, what ingredients mesh well together, what you like and don’t like and be able to whip up nutritious meals with just the simplest of ingredients.
Cooking Tips To Help You Out in the Kitchen as a College Student
Seasoning
A great way to spice up your cooking is by using more seasoning in your dishes. Using different types of seasoning really helps to add that extra kick to make even the most basic and bland dishes into something that’s more palatable. Try out all different kinds of seasoning in your everyday meals and see what works for you.
Learn how to meal plan
Meal planning is an essential thing to pay attention to especially if you’re a college student. Knowing or having at least some idea of what kind of meals you want to have throughout the week can help you plan better and buy only the things you need to make your meals. In the long run, this helps save both your time and money, both of which college students don’t have a lot of.
Freeze your food
Learn to utilize the freezer more often. You probably don’t always have time to cook a meal for yourself every day, this is where your frozen food should serve you well. You can store most food items from soups to sauces, and a bunch of other meals for months in the freezer without them going bad. But if you’re running out of space or if you don’t have a freezer, freezer bags are always an option.
Microwave more
Microwaves are an indispensable appliance to have, especially in college dorms. Now we don’t want you to waste your money on unhealthy microwaveable meals like cup ramen and stuff. Instead, you should learn how to prepare healthier alternatives using your microwave. You’ll find tons of recipes in cookbooks that you can use a microwave with, from poppadoms, caramel sauces and even salmon.
Learn some simple recipes
This probably comes as no shock to you but learning some very basic recipes to start things off as a novice cook is really important. You can browse through your cookbook for some delicious one-pot recipes. They don’t really require a lot of effort to make and you can store them up to have them throughout the week.
You can also start off by learning a simple but delicious tomato sauce recipe. They work great as a base for a lot of dishes like pasta, enchiladas and even different kinds of stew. Once you get the hang of the recipe, you can change it up a bit, and add in some extra flavoring and spices to make it more suitable for you and your taste.
