For many of us, eating at college [1] means supplementing mediocre dining-hall meals with whatever your bite-size fridge/freezer combo can hold. Grocery shopping [2] for yourself for the first time poses a lot of questions: How much do I eat in a week? What foods will I actually eat, and which just sound good at the store? How much can I fit in my mini fridge? That last one is especially true if you live in a dorm room [3] with very limited space.
It's a struggle to learn how to utilize your space [4] in a way that's nutritious and delicious, so I talked to Laureen Sciallis, CDN, to come up with some helpful tips to help you figure out what to buy and how to store it. Keep reading for her advice to make the most out of your mini fridge.
Keep a Food Journal After Your First Grocery Shop
Your first time grocery shopping for yourself is going to be a little overwhelming, but it just gets better after that! Your food journal doesn't have to be anything too detailed, but jotting down things like "finished blueberries in two days" or "ate two cookies after dinner" can be a helpful resource to look at before your next visit. Your eating habits change when you're on your own for the first time, so keeping track of your new patterns will definitely help you figure out what you need.
Bins, Baskets, and Bowls Are Your Best Friends!
Your fridge space is limited, which means it's time to get some storage for the foods that don't need to be kept in the fridge/freezer. Find a basket or a bowl to keep apples, bananas, oranges, and other whole fruits, and buy storage containers for snacks and canned foods.
Invest in a High-Quality Container
Laureen advises that investing in a high-quality container [6] assists in the "longevity of food" and allows you to "minimize waste." It's an essential that can be used for dining-hall leftovers as well as meal prepping.
If You're a Fan of Cold Drinks (Like Orange Juice), Look For Rectangular Bottles.
Fitting larger drinks into a mini fridge could be a challenge, but turning them on their side helps save space. This is easiest to do with rectangular bottles, as circular ones will roll and oddly shaped ones will take up unnecessary space.
Buy Some Premade Hard-Boiled Eggs
Laureen calls hard-boiled eggs [7] "a perfect protein," and grocery stores like Trader Joe's have premade bags of them. They're versatile for breakfast and dinner (on toast! in salads! sprinkled with pepper!) and a much better option than dining-hall powdered eggs.
Put the Produce in the Front
Laureen advises to "put the things that expire first, like fruits and vegetables [8], at the front" of the fridge. This helps you stay on top of when everything expires and reach for these options before other longer-lasting ones.