Maintaining a healthy diet is a struggle all college students face. Beloved home-cooked meals and easily accessible grocery stores are suddenly replaced with mountains of fast food and limited healthy dining options.

The cafeteria may be reliable for a quick bite to eat, but it isn’t enough to sustain a healthy diet. The endless buffet and the incredible dessert section serve as both a blessing and a curse. Arthur Avenue or a quick stop in Manhattan provide nutritious meals, but burn a hole in student wallets. There’s also challenges presented by specialized diets.

Many students at Fordham abstain from meat or dairy products and follow either a vegetarian or vegan diet. Allergies are also a serious concern — students with nut, gluten or dairy sensitivities often run into trouble. A lack of proper nutritional skills can lead to sickness, exhaustion and the dreaded “Freshman Fifteen.”

However, there is a simple solution to all of these problems — a kitchen. This commodity is a reason many Fordham students move off campus. The kitchen is a source of endless edible possibilities. Unfortunately, classes and extracurriculars fill up students’ schedules; leaving most without enough time to whip up complicated meals. Luckily, there are many quick and easy options.

Stocking the pantry with essential groceries is the perfect place to start. Most college-friendly recipes share a similar list of ingredients. Finding affordable prices in the city can be a challenge, but there are still grocery stores that provide many options.

The Lincoln Center campus is five minutes away from Whole Foods, where students can score discounts with an Amazon Prime account. Farmer’s markets are also a great source — they pop up everywhere, and have affordable gems underneath their tents. The Botanical Gardens has one every Wednesday morning through the end of October.

Every student needs to have some sort of fruit or vegetable in their apartment. Bananas are a god-send, and are found practically everywhere on campus. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are sold in POD and are essentials for smoothies, oatmeals and fruit salads. Potatoes, dates, oranges, carrots and spinach are also recommended.

Nut butters, including peanut, almond and cashew, are rich with vitamins and minerals. Anyone with a nut allergy can substitute these for sunflower butter. Salt and pepper, along with spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, thyme, nutmeg or chili powder, can heighten the flavor of anything. Whole milk is high in calcium, but vegan alternatives include almond, soy or oat milk. Oats, which are available gluten free, are great for a quick and easy breakfast. Other healthy options include chia seeds, hemp seed hearts, matcha powder, honey and mixed nuts/seeds.

Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day, but many students often skip it due to time constraints. However, there are hundreds of quick and easy possibilities. Overnight oats are a nutritious and easy option — oats, yogurt, your preferred choice of milk and a mason jar are all that’s required. Common toppings include fruit, cinnamon, chia seeds, nut butter and honey. Once everything is mixed together you pop it into the fridge at night and it will solidify by morning.

Chia seed pudding is another effortless recipe. Chia seeds are considered the “food of warriors,” due to their high levels of antioxidants and fiber. When mixed with milk, the seeds form a sweet “pudding” after being left in the fridge for about an hour.

For a protein packed bowl, add blueberries, almond butter, shaved almonds, coconut and honey. Another version has matcha powder mixed with the milk, topped with cherries, coconut and honey — this is loaded with energy and antioxidants.

Most college students have a varying degree of a caffeine addiction, but one of the easiest ways to stay awake is to mix up some energy bites in a blender. Peanut butter bites are a great option, and only require half a cup of rolled oats, a third of a cup of peanut butter, honey and chocolate chips. Dates are also a great source of energy — blend them with dried cherries, hemp seed hearts, cacao powder, almond butter, coffee grounds and shredded coconut for a quick pick-me-up.

Snacking is a way of life in college. There are many healthier alternatives compared to candy bars and never-ending spoonfuls of Nutella. Yogurt dips, which are a combination of Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla extract and lemon zest, are delicious with pretzels or chips and take less than five minutes to make. Grona and trail mix are also endlessly customizable.

At the end of the day, students are often swamped with homework and club meetings, so cooking a full meal proves to be difficult. However, in this situation, a microwave becomes a student’s best friend. The possibilities are endless — you can make macaroni and cheese with some water, macaroni, cheese and salt instead of relying on Kraft. Crack an egg into a mug, add some seasoning, and you’ve got yourself an omelette. Baking potatoes is also very easy — prick one with a fork and pop it into the microwave for 10 to 15 minutes.

There are thousands of other recipes that are available online and beyond. YouTube is a great source, especially the Buzzfeed-Tasty channel. Cookbooks that are directed towards college students, such as “The Five Ingredient College Cookbook” by Pamela Ellgen, are also popular.

No matter what, eating well is crucial for success in not just school, but in life. The nutrients fuel your body and provide you with the energy you need to get through the day. Also, eating well makes you feel good. Whether you’re using your own off campus kitchen, one of the dorms’ cooking areas or even the microwave in the cafeteria, making your own meals is definitely a self confidence boost. to all of these problems — a kitchen. This commodity is a reason many Fordham students move off campus. The kitchen is a source of endless edible possibilities. Unfortunately, classes and extracurriculars fill up students’ schedules; most don’t have enough time to whip up complicated meals. Luckily, there are many quick and easy options.