8 ADHD-Friendly No-Cook Dorm Meals that Are Perfect for the Mini Fridge
I get it. You want to be able to feed yourself without relying on the campus food options at all hours of the day. Maybe they’re too expensive. Maybe you just don’t have the energy to make it to the dining hall for every single meal. Maybe you feel your blood sugar dropping in the middle of the day before you realise that you never felt hungry and actually skipped several meals in the midst of doing your work.
How you wish you had an easy way to prep something in your dorm room without having to put much thought into it… and giving a vinegar bath to your veggies or cooking on the stove in the hectic common room kitchen is a no-go.
I hope you enjoy these easy meals that are perfect for the hard days. Remember that food doesn’t have to look aesthetic or require fancy cooking techniques to be able to fuel your body and nourish your soul.
Chia Seed Pudding
Few things are as easy to meal prep as good old chia seed pudding. The seeds are little nutritional powerhouses, with tons of fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as lovely antioxidants. So it’s extra exciting that you can prepare a batch of this breakfast pudding to last you a while, since it stays good for around 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The only thing to keep in mind is that you need to prepare this one several hours ahead of time to get the right texture.
All you really need are some chia seeds and your preferred milk — whole milk works well, of course, and I would suggest almond milk as another healthy option!
Stir together the seeds and milk (you can choose how much you add of each, but remember that the seeds expand to many times their size in the milk. Let the mixture sit for 5–10 minutes, and then stir once more to break up any clumps. Now, it’s time to put some cling film over the top and place it in the fridge overnight to have some delicious breakfast in the morning.
Before eating, you can add a lot of different stuff that is easy to store in a dorm room. How about some granola, yoghurt, and honey? Experiment to see what you like!
Side tip:
I know it’s hard to think of buying ingredients in between all the classes and extracurriculars and campus jobs, so if you want to be ready for those days where you can’t even compute a simple grocery list (no judging here — been there, done that!), you can have stuff at the ready in your dorm room. You can buy several shelf-stable cartons of milk ahead of time if you plan on using milk a lot. Until you open them, these cartons can go for many months.
Overnight Oats
Another winner in the overnight category is overnight oats. Just combine your rolled oats (not steel-cut) and preferred milk in an airtight container. Wait overnight and voilà! These work for a whole week of classes, as they last up to 5 days in the fridge when airtight.
You can add the same kinds of toppings as you would on the chia seed pudding. When you first prepare it, you can even sprinkle some chia into the mixture to get a combo meal.
Salad (No Washing or Cooking!)
Having a good salad during the day always refreshes me and cheers me up with its variety of colors and the knowledge that I’m fueling my body with nutrients. But as a student, it can be overwhelming to think of washing the different vegetables. Soaking in baking soda in the dorm’s collective kitchen? No thanks. On top of that, there’s the slicing and dicing that is usually involved… To streamline the experience and still get a bunch of nourishing ingredients in your mouth, there are several adjustments you can make.
First, get a pre-washed salad prep kit from your local supermarket. You’ll be able to dump all of this in a bowl and have the base of your salad ready with no fuss. Cheese goes great in salad and is a wonderful source of protein. I recommend crumbling up some feta cheese. Add some nuts (cashew would go well) and seeds (my favorites are sunflower, pumpkin, or dry chia seeds). Don’t forget that you can make the salad even more interesting with very convenient, dry pantry items that would be useful to keep in a dorm room drawer. Some options are salt, oregano, raisins, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and dill. Canned food is easy to stock up on too, and can go in the drawer. Canned corn, chickpeas, and black beans are perfect additions to a salad. Topping it all off with a store-bought salad dressing will really make the bowl come together. Mixing and matching different flavor combinations will help you eat salads without getting bored. What else can you add?
Side tip:
I know, I know, Store-bought dressing is not the most nutritious thing, and it would be healthier to prepare your own homemade dressing from scratch. However, that would require more steps and thinking, which goes against the purpose of this article. I like to follow the advice of my favourite dietician/YouTuber, NutritionByKylie: Store-bought dressing does not take away from the nutrients of a salad, and if it’s helping you eat more salads, then it’s all good. She has ADHD, so she gives great ADHD-friendly advice, especially in her series of Realistic Nutrition Tips. Follow her for some inspo!
Cereal/Granola
There’s not much to say about this. It’s just the classic combo that has stood the test of time. All you need is some cereal or granola (I like to mix both) and your preferred milk. You can go crazy experimenting with the toppings once again.
Tuna Sandwich
All you need here is some sliced bread (make it whole grain for a healthier meal), canned tuna, part of a pre-washed salad prep kit, mayo, relish, salt, and pepper. These are all easy to keep in the dorm, and the tuna is high in protein and many vitamins and minerals, which will help keep you going throughout the day.
Hummus Dip
Another filling option is to keep some store-bought hummus in the mini-fridge, along with a pack of crackers — or a bag of flatbread, for a more culturally authentic experience. You can sprinkle dried herbs and spices on the hummus, and even drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil (kept outside the fridge and away from direct light).
PB&J with a Twist
For a more nutritious and equally delicious version of the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, use nut butter (highly recommend almond butter) and a reduced sugar jam. Slice a banana to put in between, and sprinkle with cinnamon for some added fun.
Greek Yoghurt Bowl/Dip
Greek yoghurt is such a good meal option because it contains loads more protein than regular yoghurt. You can put some in a bowl and add granola, honey, and walnuts for a sweet combo.
To enjoy it as a dip, similar to hummus, sprinkle a bunch of zaatar (a spice blend that you can find at the supermarket), extra virgin olive oil, and coarse salt.
Let me know in the comments what your go-to easy meal is!
