Have you ever gone to the grocery store with the best intentions, then three days later, you’re back to ramen and frozen chicken nuggets? The problem isn’t your cooking ability; it’s the flavor. Most students don’t hate cooking; they hate bland food. This usually happens when you’re missing one simple thing: a tiny spice collection. You don’t need a Pinterest board-worthy spice cabinet to achieve this; you only need eight. They are cost-effective ($1-$3 each) and can last months to years.
Meet the Core 8
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Onion
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Italian seasoning
- Cinnamon
What do they all do?
- Salt makes food taste like itself and can pull natural flavor out in almost everything. Pro tip: make sure to salt food while cooking, not just after.
- Pepper adds a mild kick and depth to foods. It is the easiest way to make food feel more real and less like cafeteria food. Pepper works on almost anything savory and pairs well with salt.
- Garlic powder is savory, comforting, and makes food taste like someone knows how to cook. Can be used on anything savory.
- Onion powder adds depth and background flavor that restaurants have, and that homemade meals often don’t. It makes simple meals taste as if they took longer than 15 minutes.
- Paprika is very underrated. It’s mild, slightly sweet, and makes food look instantly brighter. It does not make food spicy!
- Cumin is what makes tacos taste like tacos. It’s warm and earthy and can turn plain protein into something you would pay extra money for.
- Italian seasoning is a blend of oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary. It’s basically a one-shake solution for pasta, pizza, or really anything that has a tomato base.
- Cinnamon is not just for the holidays. It’s one of the cheapest ways to improve breakfast and late-night snacks without adding a ton of sugar.
Different Flavor Profiles
- Mexican-style flavors: garlic, onion and cumin
- Italian-style flavors: garlic, lemon and Italian seasoning
- Asian-style flavors: garlic, ginger and soy sauce
- Cajun-style flavors: garlic, onion and paprika
How to Use Them in Real College Meals
BudgetBytes is a great website and resource to find affordable and tasty meals on a budget! It has all the ingredients listed for every meal, and the price breakdown per item and serving.
One-Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Uses paprika, Italian blend, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper if you would like extra spice!
Homemade Meatballs
Uses garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Cowboy Caviar
Uses salt, cumin, and chili powder if you would like extra spice.
Air Fryer Broccoli
Uses garlic powder and onion powder.
French Toast
Uses cinnamon and salt.
Why it Actually Matters
This is a great time to learn more about what you like and what you don’t like!
Using spices can also:
- Make meal prep less boring
- Help you enjoy basic ingredients
- Save money long term
- Build cooking confidence