Posts: 532
2/12/13 10:38 A

I agree with the slow cooker suggestion. So many more options. I also liked the college cookbooks mentioned. And go easy on yourself! Like a previous poster said, pizza without the cheese is easy to come by and delicious.

current weight: 151.0

160 152.5 145 137.5

130

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2/12/13 9:31 A

a crock pot are cheap and you can make alot of food in the pot

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2/12/13 9:19 A

Welcome!

I love the Students Go Vegan cookbook. It was one of my first and helped me to see that making vegan meals didn't have to be as complicated as Veganomicon. LOL

Living with only a microwave does bring about certain challenges. You could get a microwave steamer and make veggies. Trader Joes sells microwave rice. I'm not sure how you would "bake" anything. Hmmmmmm....all of the things that are popping up in my head take a bit more than a microwave. Do you have access to a toaster oven? Maybe one of the other folks in your dorm? Then you could bake potatoes, roast veggies, bake tofu and/or tempeh.....

Posts: 612
2/12/13 2:43 A

Hi HAPPYWAGON (love your SP name!). It is for sure a big challenge to have a vegan diet in the dorms, but one that can be done! You are doing yourself a huge favor by trying!

My first big suggestion is to invest in a mini-fridge if you have the space and money. I had one in college - cost about 300 dollars I think, and it was a huge help! You don't absolutely need one if you keep your room cool enough that veggies, etc won't go bad before you eat them, and you can eat hummus, tofu (etc...) fast enough (in a couple days) that they don't go bad. but it would be SO helpful to keep leftovers cool and keep soymilk good, etc.

Second advice: buy one of these (I use a different brand, but same idea):
housewares.about.com/b/2012/06/22/orka-mic
rowave-rice-grain-cooker-review.htm

I DON'T live in a dorm, and I still microwave my whole grains. Super easy. You can also steam veggies in that thing. I also use it to pop popcorn in the microwave (off-label use, but it is so handy to pop popcorn without oil and without all the chemicals and dairy products in the boxed microwave popcorn).

Food ideas:
-oatmeal with soy milk and cinnamon and raisins for breakfast (microwave ready).
-Wraps with fresh veggies and beans (I LOVE wraps with canned black beans, canned corn, and salsa - started eating those in college),
-sandwiches with nut butter,
-sandwiches with hummus and veggies,
-you can buy pre-cooked tofu (smoked or baked tofu) that is good to slice and put on sandwiches
-bagels,
-fruit, etc....

and every college student's favorite: EATING OUT!
- pizza without cheese (ask if there is dairy in the crust, but i find 95% of the time there is not)
- fresh salads in any restaurant
- chinese/indian/japanese/italian restaurants typically have vegan options
- ask waitresses lots of questions and don't be afraid to (politely) ask for substitutions!
- find vegan restaurants in your area: www.happycow.net/

Student activism:
Do you have a vegan/vegetarian club on campus? If not, can you start one??? Talk to your Dining Services manager to see if they can start having a vegan option in the cafeteria (maybe offer to help them research, and/or plan some menus), ask them to list the ingredients for their sauces and dishes so you can identify vegan-friendly options. Ask the servers if they can adapt some things for you. Make your voice heard, or ideally make many voices heard (get a group together!).

Edited by: KELLY122581 at: 2/12/2013 (02:50)

SparkPoints: (162,909)
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2/12/13 2:37 A

I checked this book from the library

PETA's Vegan College Cookbook : 275 Easy, Cheap, and Delicious Recipes to Keep You Vegan at School

College Vegetarian Cooking

Student's Go Vegan Cookbook

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2/12/13 12:47 A

Okay. Let me think about this. If I come up with good ideas for you, I'll let you know. Meanwhile, I bet some other people will chime in.

It's nice to have you here. Welcome!

Posts: 63
2/11/13 11:59 P

Just a microwave.

Posts: 1,645
2/11/13 11:55 P

Hi HappyWagon, What a great decision. My health has gotten better and better since I became vegan (and I thought I was pretty healthy before.)

Since you're in dorms, can you cook or do food prep at all? Do you have a fridge, electric kettle, microwave or any of that?

Posts: 63
2/11/13 11:43 P

After a bout with being a vegetarian for 6 months I'm deciding to give being vegan a go. I'm back on Sparkpeople from a weight-loss goal from a year ago that I finally reached only after I stopped eating meat. I'm here now to monitor my nutrients while I cut out eggs and dairy. And nutritional advice would be awesome! I'm a college student and I live in the dorms, so any advice in that respect is welcome too!