Some students find cooking to be a challenge without mom in the kitchen. Others cook as a hobby.

First year pre-nursing major Amanda Hill feels passionately about cooking and started when she got married.

“I love cooking for my kids,” she said. “I would watch my mom cook while I was growing up, then she passed down the recipes to me.”

When Amanda cooks, she said she usually doesn’t like to use recipes, but makes it up as she goes and prepares the meals by taste-testing.

With or without recipes, finding time to cook favorite foods can be a challenge for some students. Freshman early childhood education major Amber Scarlett drives a half hour to school every day, and said it can hurt her eating habits. Her tip for other commuters is to avoid purchasing food on campus.

“It’s a lot cheaper if you buy food off campus and pack your lunch,” she explained.

Second year nursing major Kayla Brown also has about a half hour commute to school. Her favorite foods to cook are pasta dishes, such as spaghetti, because they don’t require a lot of preparation time. Bessi Burgers, basically seasoned hamburgers with barbecue sauce, is a recipe Kayla got from her mother, and another of her favorites.

To find quick, easy and even healthy meals, check out the book “Cooking Outside the Pizza Box: Easy Recipes for Today’s College Student” by Jean Patterson and Danae Campbell. This book contains simple steps for following a recipe, safety tips and even suggestions for how to share kitchen space.

Contact features reporter Hillary Craig at [email protected].