Cheap and Easy Dorm Food: The Wonders of Instant Mashed Potatoes

If you're trying to save money and are sick of getting ripped off by your meal plan, food can become a serious issue in college. Sure, cereal and cold sandwiches will cut it most nights, but there are times when I find myself craving a hot meal, and simply don't have the money to eat out. So, what do I do? I turn to Idahoan Instant Mashed Potatoes!

One of the major problems with creating real meals in a dorm room is that there is limited room to store perishables, and it's no fun to have things growing mold in such a confined space. This is why I've become such a fan of instant foods that don't require refrigeration, and that can be cooked up quickly with nothing but hot water.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Instant potatoes? I'd rather go hungry!" But fear not! Idahoan Mashed Potatoes aren't your average instant potato! They're extremely quick to prepare, and they're made from real potatoes, so they taste like real potatoes. Sure, they've still got that over-whipped texture, but they're still better than the potatoes they try to sell us in the dining halls, and they're much cheaper. My favorite flavor is the Roasted Garlic and Herb, which tastes amazing without any additions.

All you need for these potatoes is a large cereal bowl, and some way to boil 2 cups of water. I don't have measuring cups, so I just guesstimate how much water to use and boil it in the microwave in my bowl. Once it's boiling you just dump the whole package of potatoes in, and then stir it up until the potatoes are reconstituted.

It's pretty foolproof, and the results are always tasty and very filling. Each package makes four servings, so leftovers can be refrigerated or shared with a friend. I will admit to making these potatoes for lunch and eating them for dinner as well. But who cares? In college, I consider knocking out two meals in under two dollars a major victory.

Though I have made entire meals out of these potatoes alone, it's a good idea to make an effort to work variety into your diet, so here are three ways to add variety to mashed potato meals:

1. Make Shepherd's Pie
Canned stew is inexpensive, easy to find, and will keep forever, so it's a great thing to have on hand. Just follow the directions on the can to cook your stew, and enjoy it in a bowl with a scoop of potatoes on top!

2. Eat it with gravy and biscuits
When you're at the store buying your potatoes, also pick up some instant brown gravy mix and some (pre-made) rolls or biscuits. If you have the means to cook biscuits and store unused dough then by all means go for the biscuit dough, but my accommodations require that I buy pre-made bread products, so I'd probably make this option with a piece of white bread. That's life.
Anyway, make your brown gravy according to the package instructions, and pour it over your potatoes. Enjoy with whatever bread product you choose.

3. Get cheesy
Buy some cheese, (pre-shredded if you can) and add it to your potatoes. This will make a satisfying, warm side dish to any other food you may have, and would go wonderfully with some heated canned vegetables (I like the small pop-top cans of peas and carrots). If you want to really load up your potatoes, try adding a can of drained chunk white chicken from the grocery store. Besides tuna, this is really the only kind of meat I feel comfortable storing in my room - all my other protein comes from the dining halls.

At the end of a long day of classes, it feels good to come home to your dorm knowing that you don't have to go anywhere or spend a fortune to find something hot and satisfying to eat. I hope you'll give some of these easy dinner suggestions a try, and realize that it is possible to be both smart and thrifty with your food choices in college.