40 Healthy College Meals Any Student (No Matter Their Cooking Experience!) Can Master

DIY Salad in a Jar

Our farm-fresh salad is layered with gorgeous garden veggies. And we built in a homemade dressing flavored with fresh herbs. Just shake it up to eat the rainbow. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Get Recipe

Mini Zucchini Pizzas

This simple snack is the perfect, low-carb way to satisfy your pizza cravings. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Chicken & Vegetable Curry Couscous

For my busy family, a semi-homemade one-pot meal is the best way to get dinner done in a hurry. Use your favorite blend of frozen veggies and serve this dish with toasted pita bread for smiles all around. —Elizabeth Hokanson, Arborg, Manitoba

Open-Faced Egg Sandwiches

I always experiment with different herbs on my eggs, since I eat them every morning. This one became one of my favorites! —Valerie Belley, St. Louis, Missouri

Baked Salmon

I often make this very moist and flavorful baked salmon for company because I can have it ready in less than half an hour. This salmon with lemon is well complemented by rice or a green vegetable and a tossed salad. —Emily Chaney, Penobscot, Maine

Slow-Cooked Swiss Steak

This is one of my favorite recipes to make because I can flour and season the steaks and refrigerate them overnight. The next morning, I just put all the ingredients in the slow cooker, and I have a delicious dinner waiting when I arrive home from work. —Sarah Burks, Wathena, Kansas

Homemade Peanut Butter

We eat a lot of peanut butter, so I decided to make my own. My homemade version is easier on my wallet, and I know what ingredients are in it. It's also a lot tastier! —Marge Austin, North Pole, Alaska

Turkey & Apricot Wraps

For these wraps, I combined the traditional Southern appetizer of jam and cream cheese with the turkey, apple and Brie sandwiches we ate at my bridal luncheon. I like to sneak fresh spinach into recipes because it has such a mild flavor. —Kim Beavers, North August, South Carolina

Curry Scramble

I have eggs every morning, and this is a delightful change from the classic scrambled egg meal. I like to add sliced peppers on top if I have them on hand. —Valerie Belley, St. Louis, Missouri

Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce

Here's a main course that tastes rich yet isn't high in saturated fat. It's easy for weeknights, but the creamy sauce makes it special enough for weekends. —Bonnie Brown-Watson, Houston, Texas

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

The classic flavors of peanut butter and bananas come together in this kid- and adult-friendly oatmeal. I tweaked one of my diet recipes to fit my husband’s taste buds. We have eaten it many mornings. —Debbie Perdue, Westland, Michigan

Confetti Quinoa

If you have never tried quinoa, start with my easy side, brimming with colorful veggies. I serve it with orange-glazed chicken. —Kim Ciepluch, Kenosha, Wisconsin

Roasted Carrots with Thyme

These roasted carrots are so simple but always a hit. Cutting the carrots lengthwise makes this dish look extra pretty.—Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

Caribbean Chicken Stir-Fry

Fruit cocktail in stir-fry? You might be surprised by how good this dish is. It's a promising go-to option when time's tight. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota

Roasted Rosemary Cauliflower

Roasting the cauliflower really brings out its flavor in this side dish. Even folks who aren't cauliflower lovers like it this way. —Joann Fritzler, Belen, New Mexico

Rise and Shine Parfait

Start your day with a smile. This fruit, yogurt and granola parfait is so easy to make. If you like, use whatever favorite fresh fruits are in season and are looking best at the supermarket. —Diana Laskaris, Chicago, Illinois

Lemon Oregano Potatoes

My husband, Tom, made these tender potatoes when we were first married. They’ve remained a family favorite to this day. —Kate Hilts, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Parmesan Baked Cod

You’ll need just five ingredients for this goof-proof way to keep oven-baked fish moist. My mom is one of the best cooks in the world, and she shared this recipe with me. It’s a favorite. —Mary Hoppe, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Cauliflower Mash

This quick and easy mashed cauliflower is a wonderful alternative to same-old mashed spuds, and it's healthier, too! —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado

Tomato & Avocado Sandwiches

I'm a vegetarian, and this is a tasty, quick and healthy lunch I could eat for every meal. At my house, we call these sandwiches HATS: hummus, avocado, tomato and shallots. These are ingredients I almost always have on hand. —Sarah Jaraha, Moorestown, New Jersey

Apricot-Ginger Acorn Squash

Sweet and savory flavors come together in this dish that will make a squash lover out of anyone. It’s a treat—but has hardly any butter, and low sodium. For less sugar, we like to use all-fruit apricot preserves. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

Lemon-Parsley Tilapia

I like to include seafood in our weekly dinner rotation but don't want to bother with anything complicated (and it had better taste good or the family will riot). This herbed fish does the trick. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

Carrots and Snow Peas

This is without question my favorite side dish, both for flavor and ease of preparation. Sherry adds an amazing spark to the vegetables. —Cheryl Donnely, Arvada, Colorado

Pork Chops with Honey-Garlic Sauce

The sauce on these honey garlic pork chops is so good, I sometimes double it so there's extra for dipping whatever veggie we have on the side. —Michelle Smith, Eldersburg, Maryland

Simple Guacamole

Because avocados can brown quickly, it’s best to make this guacamole just before serving. If you have to make it a little in advance, place the avocado pits in the guacamole until ready to serve. —Heidi Main, Anchorage, AK

Cheese Smashed Potatoes

Who doesn't like mashed potatoes? Try this slimmed-down dish with any entree. —Janet Homes, Surprise, Arizona

Caprese Salad Kabobs

Trade in the usual veggie platter for these fun kabobs. In addition to preparing these for get-togethers, I often make these as snacks for my family. And because assembly is so easy, the kids often ask to help. —Christine Mitchell, Glendora, California

Warm Tasty Greens with Garlic

My farm box had too many greens, so I had to use them up. This tasty idea uses kale, tomatoes and garlic in a dish that quickly disappears. —Martha Neth, Aurora, Colorado

Mediterranean Chicken

As special as it is simple to prepare, this flavorful skillet creation is dressed in tomatoes, olives and capers. It’s a knockout main dish at my house. —Mary Relyea, Canastota, New York

Spicy Pumpkin & Corn Soup

A seriously quick dish, it can satisfy a hungry household in 15 minutes. My family loves sharing this soup with cornbread, or you can add a zesty kick with some Rotel. — Heather Rorex, Winnemucca, Nevada

Overnight Cherry-Almond Oatmeal

Would you like breakfast ready for you when the sun comes up? If so, try my hot cereal. It's so simple—just place the ingredients in the slow cooker and turn it on before you go to bed. In the morning, enjoy a healthy, warm and satisfying dish. —Geraldine Saucier, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Pesto Halibut

The mildness of halibut contrasts perfectly with the robust flavor of pesto in this recipe. It takes only minutes to get the fish ready for the oven, leaving you plenty of time to get started on your side dishes. Nearly anything goes well with this entree. —April Showalter, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Zucchini Mushroom Bake

Just a 10-minute prep dresses up my garden-fresh zucchini, adding mushrooms, onion, cheddar and a sprinkle of basil. —Jacquelyn Smith, Carmel, Maine

Mediterranean Cauliflower

I adapted a recipe I received from a friend to make this delicious—and deliciously different—cauliflower dish. It's prepared quickly in a skillet and uses only a handful of ingredients. What a great way to take ordinary cauliflower to a whole new level! —Valerie Smith, Aston, Pennsylvania

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

These pancakes have less sodium per serving than other pancakes made from mixes. Decrease sodium even further by stretching the mix with banana, oats and walnuts. In our house we just sprinkle these with a little confectioners' sugar, because the fruit is so sweet you don't need syrup. — Patricia Swart, Galloway , New Jersey

Shrimp Tortellini Pasta Toss

No matter how you toss 'em up, shrimp and thyme play nicely with any spring-fresh vegetable. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Confetti Corn

This easy corn dish is sure to dress up almost any entree. I added the crunch of water chestnuts, red pepper and chopped carrot—along with extra nutrition. —Glenda Watts, Charleston, Illinois

Nectarine and Beet Salad

Beets, nectarines and feta cheese make for scrumptious additions to mixed greens. While the combination of ingredients may seem unlikely, I guarantee it will become a favorite salad on your home menu. —Nicole Werner, Ann Arbor, Michigan