Now that winter break is over, you might be bracing yourself for the return of dining hall dinners. But coming back to school doesn’t mean you have to stop eating home-cooked meals — with a few key tools, ingredients and the help of a communal dorm kitchen, you can cook homemade meals on-par with everything you ate during winter break. Here are five dorm-friendly winter meals to get you started. 

1. Complete Caprese pasta

With just four ingredients and a whole bunch of flavor, this recipe is all about maximizing the bang for your buck. For a bonus meal, buy extra of everything and a half loaf of bread for caprese lunch sandwiches. 

What you need: One medium-sized pot, a pasta strainer and a stove.

Ingredients: Pasta, spinach, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, pesto and balsamic glaze.

If you can make pasta, you can make this dish. Just cook and drain your pasta, pour it back into the pot and add veggies, mozzarella and pesto sauce to your heart’s content. The heat from the pasta may wilt the spinach, so don’t be afraid to add a little extra. Drizzle with balsamic glaze for some pizzazz and enjoy.

2. Upgraded dorm room ramen

This recipe remixes the staple college student struggle meal with none of the nutritional deficiency. Most of the ingredients in this recipe are non-perishable, making it a great rainy day or post party meal. You don’t even need a stove — use a kettle or microwave to make your boiling water from the comfort of your dorm rocking chair.

What you need: Boiling water

Ingredients: Ramen, whatever assortment of canned or fresh vegetables you desire, American cheese, one egg

Add dry ramen noodles, the accompanying flavor packet and boiling water straight to a serving bowl. For some extra protein, crack an egg directly into the bowl and cover with the noodles — the boiling water will lightly poach the egg. If the egg remains runny, microwave everything for an additional minute. Top your noodles with veggies, cheese and any leftover protein if you have it for a complete dorm meal. 

3. Overnight oats

Make this for a healthy on-the-go breakfast, midday pick-me-up or midnight snack. Chia seeds will soak up any liquid you put them in, so this can easily be made vegan. For those who like to meal prep, these will keep in the fridge for up to five days. 

What you need: A sealable container or a cup and saran wrap. 

Ingredients (for two cups): One tablespoon of chia seeds, one-half a cup of old-fashioned oats, one cup of milk, a pinch of sugar, maple syrup or honey for sweetener and nuts or fruit to top with. 

In a bowl, cup or mason jar combine all of your ingredients and stir. Add as much sweetener, fruit and nuts as you like. Seal tightly and store in the fridge overnight.

4. One-pan stir fry

A stir-fry is an easy way to combine lots of ingredients under one, delicious sauce. While this recipe is perhaps the most complicated on this list, it’s worth it. The best thing about this recipe is that it’s almost impossible to get wrong; the veggies, protein, seasonings and sauce can all be swapped to your liking. You can even make it vegan or gluten-free.

What you need: A stove, medium-sized pan, measuring cup, cutting board, knife and mixing bowl.

Ingredients: Broccoli, snap peas, bell peppers, tofu, rice (if desired), soy sauce and teriyaki marinade.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to your pan over medium heat and sear your protein until cooked thoroughly. Add seasonings to your liking. Once finished, set your protein aside, but don’t wash the pan. 

Next, mix one-half soy sauce and one-half teriyaki sauce in a measuring cup with any extra seasonings. Make at least one-thirds cup of sauce — any extra can be drizzled on the finished product. Add all of your veggies to the pan with a little more olive oil and sear for two to three minutes, then pour in your sauce. 

Let the vegetables simmer for another two to three minutes or until the vegetables soak up the sauce, and add your protein. Let it simmer for another two minutes, then take off the heat and scoop out your ingredients directly onto your plate or pour the whole mixture over a bed of grains. 

5. One-pan roasted dinner

Like a one-pot stir fry, this recipe’s ingredients are all completely interchangeable and pack a seriously flavorful punch. To keep the cooking time below half an hour, I use quick-cooking vegetables and proteins, such as broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and chicken or salmon filets, if I’m feeling fancy.

What you need: A baking sheet, a mixing bowl and an oven

Ingredients: One bag of chopped broccoli, one bag of mini potatoes, chicken breast chopped into bite-sized pieces, olive oil and seasonings or marinades if preferred.

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Toss your potatoes and chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and whatever other seasonings you have on hand. Pop these into the oven first and let cook for five minutes. While these are cooking, toss your broccoli with olive oil and the same seasonings. Add to the pan and cook everything for an additional 15 minutes, then voila: you have a complete meal in 20 minutes.