"Besides the really easy things, the only things I can cook are pasta, chicken and pasta with chicken," said Sondej. "I don't know how to do all that fancy stuff and am too afraid to try."
Some students find using cookbooks or following their moms' recipes an easy way to make a meal.
"I can make lots of things," Adam Meyer (junior-engineering) said. "I just follow the recipes my mom gave me. They're easy and taste pretty good."
Even with the help of cookbooks, Christina Mohler still finds herself unable to conjure up a tasty meal.
"My mom gave me this cookbook that makes all kinds of dishes with only four ingredients. While it seems easy, I always find a way to mess it up," Mohler (sophomore-business) said.
Another thing that prevents Mohler from being creative with cooking is the lack of supplies. Some recipes require ingredients that most students would never think of buying or don't last long in the refrigerator, Mohler said.
"Things like cream of mushroom soup and basil aren't things I think about when I go to the grocery store," she said. "Also, while I like buying fresh vegetables, they're hard to keep because they spoil easily."
Other students prefer microwaveable and canned food because of their convenience.
"I like microwaveable food because it's quick and easy. It's ready in four minutes, and I don't have to wait half an hour for it to defrost," Sandra Prestileo (junior-advertising) said.
However, not everyone finds cooking to be such a chore. Many students can't stand the idea of eating out of a can or eating products that require only water.
"I don't understand how people can eat things such as Spam," Mike Dreveniak (sophomore-operational systems information management) said. "You don't know how long it's been in that can, and it tastes absolutely revolting."
Some students use cooking as a study break. Rocco Mastrangelo (senior-finance) said cooking can sometimes be a burden, but added that
it can be enjoyable as well. Mastrangelo said he sees cooking as a work of art.
"I love to cook. I learned to cook from my father, who's a chef," Mastrangelo said. "He taught me to cook healthy and efficiently."
Chris Fickey, however, prefers not to go near the kitchen unless absolutely necessary, opting to eat out instead.
Fickey (sophomore-operational information system management) relies on local restaurants for his meals.
"I'm just too lazy to cook," Fickey said. "All you have to do is pick up a phone and they bring it right to your door."
But for many students, eating out every night, while convenient, can get very expensive.
"When I eat out, I end up dipping into my grocery fund, so either way I lose," Mike Wynne (junior-finance) said. "I get a good meal and I'm broke or I get lots of food but have to cook myself."
Grocery shopping can also be expensive, but Christie Matheson, editor of a World Wide Web site geared at college students (www.student.com), said grocery shopping can be inexpensive if done right.
Matheson suggested passing on the pricey fresh produce and buying canned fruits and veggies, which last longer and are cheaper. She also encouraged buying generic brands, which are no different from the name-brand products.
She also said students should focus on food that offers a lot of calories for little money. This means skipping power bars and buying things such as potatoes, canned tuna, oatmeal, bread and rice.
"You can afford to eat — and not have to live off Ramen — for as little as $10 a week," Matheson said. "It's amazing what you can buy at the grocery store cheaply if you follow a few simple guidelines."
