| Going to college is a grand experience. It's | | | | straining the water out before adding the |
| the first time many young adults get the | | | | seasoning, creating a haphazard pasta meal. A |
| chance to begin taking care of themselves, no | | | | friend of mine used to give away his |
| matter what the consequences. One of the main | | | | seasoning packets to those who liked their |
| things that worries parents when their child | | | | soup extra salty, and then use the noodles |
| heads out into the world of college is, of | | | | mixed with cafeteria vegetables to create his |
| course, their diet. What are they going to | | | | own vegetable soup. There is, in fact, an |
| eat if the cafeteria closes too early? What | | | | entire culture devoted to forming recipes |
| if they don't like the cafeteria food? What | | | | around these instant noodles. And college |
| if they didn't even sign up for cafeteria | | | | students might be the most creative consumers |
| meals? | | | | of all. |
| | | | |
| Parents needn't worry. College students today | | | | But the need for so much creativity is not as |
| have developed their own underworld of | | | | dire as it once was. Nowadays microwaves are |
| cuisine, involving quite the array of foods, | | | | ridiculously cheap to own, and many college |
| time-tested by students in the past, and | | | | students don't think twice about having one |
| catered specifically to college needs by | | | | in their dorm room. This has caused |
| clever manufacturers. | | | | manufacturers to cater to the college |
| | | | students' needs like never before. Macaroni |
| The main staple of dorm life these days is, | | | | and cheese that doesn't involve buying milk, |
| of course, the microwave. College students | | | | and rice dinners in a bag that include all |
| take microwave food to a whole new level. The | | | | the seasonings, are a huge step forward for |
| smell of microwave popcorn is right at home | | | | students living at school, where access to |
| in a dorm, even at 3 am. I had a roommate at | | | | milk and butter (and having somewhere to keep |
| college who ate microwave popcorn for | | | | them if you buy them) is not as easy as it |
| breakfast. Quick, easy, cheap and filling- | | | | looks. |
| what more could you ask for? | | | | |
| | | | Sure, not all of this instant and easy food |
| There is also the infamous instant Japanese | | | | is healthy. Some of it is downright bad for |
| noodles (the Japanese name for this product | | | | you. But parents needn't worry too much. Your |
| does in fact translate to "student cuisine"). | | | | child might spend a few semesters believing |
| One of the biggest things I learned at school | | | | the food groups consist of salt, fake |
| was how many ways there are to eat this | | | | chicken, cheese in a pouch, and potato |
| ubiquitous, 25 cent meal. There's the | | | | chips... but it will make them appreciate you |
| traditional method of boiling it into soup, | | | | all the more when they come home. |
| of course. There's also the option of | | | | |