Or maybe you’re a senior, tiredly counting down the hours until graduation — and yes, perhaps even longing for the comfort of home. Dorm life has its perks, but having a little privacy now and then would be nice.
Either way, a college student needs to eat. And trust me, after a couple of months that meal plan starts to wear thin. Even if the person at the omelette station is incredibly friendly.
Your College Diet Doesn’t Have to Be Terrible… or Pricey
College towns are typically dotted with charming cafés and bars where it’s easy to blow through the loan money you used for textbooks and laptop upgrades (which, spoiler: you’ll be repaying sooner than you think).
You’ll probably spend some cash on those outings — you do need a social life, after all — but you can save a significant sum, both during school and later on, if you learn basic cooking.
And no, living in a tiny dorm room is not a valid excuse.
How to Save Money in College — By Cooking in Your Dorm
To help you pick up this way-more-useful-than-most-electives skill, we put together 16 recipes ideal for college students, whatever you’re craving. Let’s be honest — you’re just as likely to need food at 4 a.m. as you are at dinnertime.
For this guide, we’ll assume you only have a microwave and a mini-fridge.
Oh, and a mug. You’ll notice mugs show up a lot in dorm-friendly, single-serve dishes.
Don’t underestimate the microwave’s culinary abilities. You can poach an egg, steam veggies, or even cook grains like quinoa in it.
Every recipe here can be ready in about 10 minutes or less and costs $5 or under. Most are single-serving, which is convenient for dorm life.
And one more important note: none of them are ramen. We all know ramen exists, but it’s not the best long-term plan.
Estimated ingredient prices come from the cheapest easily searchable options we could find.
If you’re thrifty and shop at places like Walmart instead of Whole Foods, the prices should be reasonably accurate for most college towns — with a few obvious high-cost exceptions (looking at you, NYC and San Francisco).
Best part? They look amazing. Honestly, I’d make several of these recipes now even though my own campus days are long gone.
Hungry yet? Here’s what we found.
Breakfast
The beauty of breakfast is you can eat it any time of day — especially now that you’re independent and nobody’s judging your frozen waffle for dinner.
With these recipes, you might never be tempted by your dining hall’s breakfast spread again.
For simplicity, we’ll assume you’re buying regular eggs — college budgets rarely stretch to specialty labels.
… If you’re curious what “cage-free” actually means or why those eggs cost more, read a full guide on egg labels and look forward to affording pasture-raised eggs someday!
1. Two-Minute Scrambled Eggs
Yes — you can have the quick scrambled eggs your parents made on the stove even without a hotplate. It’s as easy as beating a couple eggs and microwaving them. Really. As Sara explains at Home is Where the Cookies Are, it’s basically “crack, whisk, zap, eat.”
Not only is it simple, it’s very inexpensive:
2 eggs: $0.30
2 tablespoons milk: $0.10 (we assumed smaller milk containers since a gallon might not fit in a mini-fridge; milk is optional — beat eggs well if you don’t have any)
2 tablespoons shredded cheese: $0.50
Seasoning to taste: $0.10
Total price: $1
Want to be fancy? Make a bacon bowl in the microwave and serve your eggs inside. Yes, really.
Total with bacon: $2.43 — absolutely worth doubling the cost.
2. Microwave Breakfast Cookie in a Mug
Bigger Bolder Baking’s Gemma offers this delightful recipe.
It’s literally a cookie for breakfast — you’re an adult now, you can choose that.
It’s also fairly healthy and budget-friendly:
1/2 medium banana: $0.10
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter: $0.09
1/2 tablespoon honey or agave: $0.20
1 tablespoon milk: $0.05
4 tablespoons oats: $0.44
1 tablespoon raisins or nuts: $0.20
Total price: $1.08
3. Two-Minute French Toast in a Cup
Most crucial lesson today: you can make French toast in a cup.
Other than a few dairy basics, all you need is bread — and you can use whatever’s on hand, according to Pretty Prudent’s Jaime.
“I like it a bit soft,” she says, “but if you want crunch use a baguette — it truly doesn’t matter.”
Cost breakdown:
1–2 slices bread: $0.10–$0.25
1/2 tablespoon butter: $0.06
1 egg: $0.15
2 tablespoons milk: $0.05
Cinnamon (optional): $0.02
Vanilla extract (optional): $0.03
Total price: $0.41–$0.87
With prices this low you can afford to be generous with maple syrup. Yum.
4. Spinach and Cheddar Quiche in a Mug
I love quiche.
Let’s be honest — who doesn’t? It’s basically an egg pie and works any time of day.
If you don’t have exactly the ingredients in Bowl of Delicious’s recipe, swap in any veggies or meats you can find — cafeteria finds count.
1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach (thawed & drained) or 1/2 cup packed fresh spinach: $0.50
1 egg: $0.15
1/3 cup milk: $0.15
1/3 cup shredded cheddar: $1.25
Cooked bacon slice, chopped (optional): $0.40
Salt & pepper: $0.01
Total price: $2.46
Quiche is so flexible — here’s Full Thyme Student’s version with crust and tomatoes that still runs about a dollar without fresh herbs.
5. Avocado Toast, You Guys
If you’ve used Instagram in the past decade, you’ve seen avocado toast everywhere.
Why not? Creamy avocado on crisp toast with endless topping options — it’s basically a perfect food.
Price check:
1 slice good bread: $0.20
1/2 hass avocado: $0.75
Toppings: add an egg ($0.15), a tablespoon of shredded cheese (~$0.25), or a spoonful of salsa (~$0.22). The base is under a dollar, so go wild with extras. Fresh veggies! BACON!
Total: $0.95 and up — it would take a lot to make a $5 slice at home.
Technically this bends the microwave-only rule because someone on your floor probably has a toaster. If not, cheap ones are available online — though some people do pay a lot for a high-end model.
Lunch and Dinner
Need something beyond eggs? These dishes will hit cravings you might otherwise satisfy by overspending.
6. Pizza Mug Cake
This is a real thing.
Fitness Treats lists savory mug cakes, including a pizza version — and now I want pizza every day.
3 tablespoons kamut flour: $0.33 (regular all-purpose flour would be cheaper, ~ $0.07)
1 egg: $0.15
1 tablespoon olive oil: $0.13
1 tablespoon tomato paste: $0.10
1 tablespoon black olives: $0.50
1 tablespoon mozzarella: $0.25
1/4 tsp baking powder: $0.01
Dried herbs: ~$0.25 optional
Cost per mug: $1.72
Cheap, tasty pizza anytime? College just got a little sweeter.
7. Mug Mac and Cheese
You might ask: why bother when the boxed variety is ubiquitous? Because you can make a better version that’s still affordable.
Made by Monique offers a simple recipe that upgrades the classic.
1 cup water: $0.00
1/2 cup elbow macaroni: $0.31
1/2 cup shredded cheese: $2.00
Total cost: $2.31
Kraft is cheaper per serving, but this tastes way better.
8. Five-Minute Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
Healthy Liv shows how to skip the line and the price at fast-casual places with this at-home bowl.
Get your portions right and the meal costs only a bit more than a side of guac.
1 cup brown rice (Trader Joe’s frozen pre-cooked): $1.06 — you can also microwave regular brown rice, but it takes longer
1/2 cup black beans: $0.58
2–3 tablespoons salsa: $0.22
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream): $0.09
1 tablespoon shredded cheese: $0.25
Diced avocado (optional): $1.25 for a whole avocado
Total price: $3.45 — much cheaper than the $8–$10 bowl from the chain.
Sides and Snacks
Need something small between meals? Or craving comfort carbs? This section’s for you.
9. Corn Mug Muffins
Facing finals? Or just that endless Monday feeling? Cornbread is a comfort food fix, and you can make a mug version quickly.
Cooking spray: $0.03
1 package corn muffin mix: $1.97
3–4 pickled jalapeño rings: $0.05
4 microwavable pre-cooked sausages (optional): $1.99
Maple syrup to taste: $0.13
Total price: $4.13, or $2.06 per serving — cheaper without meat
10. Spinach and Feta Mashed Potatoes
Microwaving potatoes is a dorm-room revelation.
You can simply microwave and mash, but Beth at Budget Bytes makes a tasty spinach-and-feta version and prices it out:
2–2.5 lbs russets: $1.85
3 tbsp butter: $0.27
1/4 tsp garlic powder: $0.02
1/2 tsp salt: $0.03
Freshly cracked pepper: $0.05
1/4 cup milk: $0.11
2 cups packed fresh spinach: $1.34
2 oz crumbled feta: $1.12
Total: $4.79, or about $0.80 per serving
11. Loaded Baked Potato
No recipe necessary — microwave a potato, add toppings, and you’re set. Try this combo:
Large russet potato (buying a 5-lb bag is cheapest): $0.38
1/2 tbsp olive oil: $0.07
1 tbsp butter: $0.16
3 tbsp shredded cheese: $0.75
1 tbsp sour cream: $0.07
Sea salt: $0.05
Black pepper: $0.05
Total price: $1.53
Add bacon (~$0.45/slice), canned chili (~$0.14/oz), or salsa (~$0.22/oz) as desired. The sky’s the limit.
12. Microwave Kale Chips
“Cheap” and “healthy” can coexist. Kale chips are a tasty way to get your greens.
Andrea at Five Months Fat shows a simple microwave method.
1 bunch kale: $2.49
1–2 tbsp olive oil: $0.13–$0.26
Sea salt: $0.05
Total: $2.67–$2.80 — enough to share with a friend.
You can spice them with any dried seasonings you have on hand. Alternatively, microwave potato chips cost about the same, but kale is easier and healthier without special equipment.
Desserts
Sometimes you need to indulge, especially during study marathons.
Before you head to the campus ice cream spot, try these homemade treats — they’re often healthier and definitely cheaper per serving.
13. Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
This takes planning, but it’s nutritious and delicious.
Dana at Minimalist Baker created this chocolate chia pudding; it makes four servings so you can share.
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk: $0.71
1/3 cup chia seeds: $0.83
1/4 cup cacao or unsweetened cocoa: $0.75
2–5 tbsp maple syrup: $0.26–$0.65
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional): $0.05
1/4 tsp sea salt: $0.03
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional): $0.07
Total: $2.70–$3.09, or $0.68–$0.77 per serving
14. Cheesecake in a Mug
I’ll admit: cheesecake is my favorite non-ice-cream dessert, and a microwave version feels risky.
But Jutta’s Hungry Little Girl recipe is tempting and affordable.
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar: $0.08
2 tbsp sour cream: $0.14
3 tbsp cream cheese: $0.60
1/8 tsp lemon juice: $0.10
1/4 tsp vanilla: $0.03
1/2 egg: $0.08
Mix-in (optional): variable, likely under $1
1 vanilla wafer: $0.03
Total price: $1.06, plus mix-ins
15. Healthier Chocolate Mug Cake
The chocolate mug cake is a longtime single-serving favorite. This lighter version from Sophie uses yogurt and whole-wheat flour.
2 tbsp whole wheat flour: $0.07
2 tbsp granulated sugar: $0.03
1.5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa: $0.28
Pinch baking powder: $0.01
1/4 tsp vanilla: $0.03
3 tbsp plain yogurt: $0.18
Total price: $0.60
More Ways to Save on College Eats
These recipes will keep you busy and well-fed, but you can’t make everything in a mug.
If you have access to a full kitchen, even better — the possibilities for inexpensive meals multiply. And when you do go out, you can still spend smartly. Check out tips on how to save money on food by making at home for more ideas.
Cheers — and enjoy your meal!
Your Turn: Which of these will you try first? Disclosure: A nod to savings — this post contains affiliate links. Alex Martin is a staff writer at Savinly. His work has appeared on various sites. Find him on Twitter to say hi.
