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If you’re coming straight out of the dorms, one of the most challenging parts of living in UA off-campus housing is feeding yourself. It was great to have Lakeside or Fresh Foods just minutes from your room with breakfast, lunch, and dinner always at the ready. Now meal prep is on you. Cheffing it up on your own time can seem intimidating, but with a little guidance you’ll be ready to put your new kitchen to use!
Finding your style
First things first, it’s important to figure out the general kinds of dishes you’ll be making. This can depend on a lot of things, like how involved you like to be in the kitchen or how busy your schedule is. If you find yourself with lots of availability and a culinary passion, nothing is stopping you from serving up three fresh meals per day. On the other hand, students with a busy schedule or no desire to cook can make use of meal prep, crock pot dishes, and lots of fridge space to stay stocked throughout the week. How you approach this aspect of meal planning can change from semester-to-semester, or even weekly depending on what you are involved in. While one option may be best for you now it can’t hurt to plan a little for both.
Striking a balance
Even if you hate cooking, it’s a bad idea to rely on ramen and PB&J as your only sources of sustenance. Nobody is there to scold you for eating ice cream for dinner, but that doesn’t mean you should. To stay at the top of your game for whatever you might be involved in it’s important to work enough protein, fruits and vegetables, and minerals into your diet. Pick a few nutritious items and weave them into the types of dishes you plan on preparing based on your lifestyle. Opting for low-involvement meals you can eat for days? Try a chuck roast in the crock pot with some potatoes and carrots. Love spending time in the kitchen at your luxury apartment near Tuscaloosa and loading up on veggies? Colorful salads with chickpeas on top makes for a great, balanced dish. It’s a steep learning curve and not every meal is going to be perfect, but that’s what makes practice all the more important.
The right ingredients
Now that you know what to make and what you’re using it’s all about finding what you need to get started. Most of the standard grocery stores in the area, Publix, Walmart, Target, and Aldi, have all your standard meats, fruits, veggies, and so on. Choosing farm-fresh ingredients at the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market every Saturday morning is an option as well, though choices may be limited depending on the season. For those with food sensitivities, check out Manna Grocery & Deli near Midtown for more specialized choices. Once you find what you need, you’re good to start cooking!
Staying fresh
Aside from death and taxes, there’s one more inevitability in life: leftovers. Whether you have extra ingredients, or you’ll get to enjoy chili three nights in a row, you’re going to need somewhere to put it all. While you’re out at the store it’s a good idea to grab some containers to pack into the fridge. Glass is better than plastic if you hope to keep your food tasting just right. One last word of advice: be aware of what’s in your refrigerator! Make sure you’re working through your leftovers as best as possible and that they aren’t getting shoved to the back and forgotten. Being conscientious will help you avoid spoiled food and funky smells in the kitchen.
Now that you have a game plan for the grocery store, it’s all about routine. Once you’ve adjusted to your schedule and have made time, whenever it may be, for making meals in your Tuscaloosa apartment, the hard part is over. If your kitchen confidence gets a boost over time, consider new recipes! Just because you have to eat doesn’t mean cooking has to be a drag.
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