Chow Mein in the Dorm Room - An Easy and Healthy Way to Eat!

Cooking as a student in a dorm room can present quite a challenge. You’re often short on kitchen appliances, counter space and time to prepare a meal. Pre-cooked chow mein noodles offer an easy, fast and healthy way to prepare a meal without having to lug a bag of uncooked noodles back to your dorm room.

Here are some tips on creating a delicious chow mein with the appliances you have in the dorm room.

Choosing Your Ingredients

The key is to choose ingredients that don’t require much cooking time. Pineapple, carrots, water chestnuts, snow peas, scallions, baby corn, bean sprouts and shredded chicken are all excellent choices. Keep in mind that some of these ingredients may require a bit of slicing and dicing, so you may want to opt for pre-chopped vegetables that you can find at most grocery stores.

Recipes

Classic Chow Mein

1 package of pre-cooked chow mein noodles
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup of snow peas
½ cup of water chestnuts, sliced
1 cup of cooked chicken, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sesame oil (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F (or medium heat for hot plate). Heat up a tablespoon of the cooking oil in an oven-safe skillet or large wok. Add onion and green pepper to oil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add snow peas, water chestnuts, chicken, garlic and pre-cooked chow mein noodles to the skillet. Cook until vegetables and chicken are softened. Pour soy sauce and sesame oil into the skillet; stir to combine. Place in oven, or continue cooking on hot plate, for an additional 5-10 minutes or until chow mein is hot and vegetables are cooked through. Serve hot and enjoy!

Vegetable Chow Mein

1 package of pre-cooked chow mein noodles
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup of snow peas
½ cup of water chestnuts, sliced
1 cup of bean sprouts
¼ cup of carrots, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F (or medium heat for hot plate). Heat up a tablespoon of the cooking oil in an oven-safe skillet or large wok. Add onion and green pepper to oil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add snow peas, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, carrots, garlic and pre-cooked chow mein noodles to the skillet. Cook until vegetables are softened. Pour soy sauce and rice vinegar into the skillet; stir to combine. Place in oven, or continue cooking on hot plate, for an additional 5-10 minutes or until chow mein is hot and vegetables are cooked through. Serve hot and enjoy!

Healthy Eating Tips

When you’re preparing meals with pre-cooked noodles, you can still make it a healthy experience. Here are a few tips to help you add more nutrition to your meals.

Opt for whole wheat noodles in place of white.
Include plenty of vegetables in your meals.
Opt for lean proteins, such as chicken or fish.
Limit your use processed meats, such as bacon and sausage.
Add superfoods like flaxseed, chia seeds, nuts and seeds for extra nutrition.

Conclusion

Chow mein can be an easy and healthy meal when you’re cooking in small spaces. With the right ingredients and some creative recipes, you can enjoy delicious meals with minimal effort. There are plenty of ways to make chow mein with pre-cooked noodles, and still get the nutrients you need. So the next time you’re cooking in your dorm room, chow mein might be just what you need!