Hassle-free dishes you can cook in your microwave

While campus dining provides a wide range of food selections, it’s no home-cooked meal, and ordering Chipotle every other day is a burden for a college student’s bank account. Now, with midterm season around the corner, it’s becoming harder to plan time for a proper meal that’s both delicious and doesn’t take an hour to prepare.

One appliance everyone has, whether they live in a dorm or apartment, is the solution for this problem — a microwave. And you can cook more in it than you might think — everything from extravagant holiday creations to simple baked potatoes to the iconic mug cake. So, for students who want an efficient yet scrumptious meal, here are some easy recipes to try when your meal plan just isn’t cutting it.

Apple Crisp in a Mug — Amanda at Old House to New Home

Happy Fall, Panthers! Imagine coming home from class and whipping up a classic warm apple crisp. This recipe has a few more ingredients than a more simplistic meal, so it’s geared toward people with a kitchen. However, the assemblage is super quick and all in one mug.

The main ingredients are apples, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, flour and old-fashioned oats. All you need to do is mix the ingredients, layer them and top with the crisp topping. Microwave for three minutes and serve when cooled.

For a personalized touch, I’d recommend topping it with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Single Serving Chocolate Chip Cookie — Jaclyn at Cooking Classy

Craving a delicious chocolate chip cookie at 2 a.m.? This one’s for you. This recipe only takes about one minute to bake in the microwave and doesn’t require eggs. There’s also no hassle to scoop out cookie dough onto sheets, making the clean up super easy.

You will need butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, milk and flour. The ingredients should be mixed in a bowl to create the dough, then placed on a microwaveable plate or mug for 30 seconds. Continue cooking for 10-second increments as needed.

To spice things up try adding in M&M’s or other candy bits, or top it off with some ice cream if you’re feeling really ambitious.

Fluffy Mug Pancake — Colleen Christensen

No more waiting an hour for Pamela’s, this pancake mug recipe is all you need to satisfy that post-hangover craving for carbs. You can make it from scratch or use a box mix.

This recipe allows for creativity because of the variability of toppings and is super easy to make. The only ingredients are flour, sugar, baking powder, milk and vanilla extract. First mix in your dry ingredients, then your wet ingredients and finally, bake in the microwave for one minute.

Add in chocolate chips or for a healthier take, top with some mixed fruit and berries. Don’t forget to smother it in maple syrup.

Mug Banana Bread — Kita Roberts

Do you miss your mom’s homemade desserts? Got some overripe bananas sitting on your counter? It’s time to make some delicious mug banana bread.

This recipe requires a good batch of ingredients — flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, 1 egg, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, milk and one ripe banana. Mix together your dry ingredients in the mug, then add your egg and combine until just incorporated with the dry ingredients. Then add the vanilla, oil, milk and mashed banana. Add in some chocolate chips or a scoop of peanut butter and make a gooey center.

Mug Fettuccine Alfredo — Gemma Stafford

Cheesy fettuccine alfredo in the perfect serving size. This is great for when you want that Italian fix, but the line at the dining hall is too long. What’s good about this recipe is you can substitute the suggested pasta for another one you might prefer.

The ingredients are fettuccine, water, parmesan and heavy cream.

Of course, you can always incorporate your choice of spices for taste. Cook the pasta first in the mug with water for four minutes, and then cook again for two minutes after adding the sauce before combining and mixing together.

There are a few extra things you can add in if preferred. I’d recommend adding in some tomatoes, peas or broccoli to get your dose of vegetables for the day. You can also mix up the cheese type for some variety.