I’m not healthy. I’m sick all the time and I need to get stronger.

lol. i can't believe this

Agree, I think you cant go wrong with meat (chicken, pork, beef, lamb) or fish and vegetables or salad (+ potato) for simplicity, taste and healthiness.

I love cooking. It is my preferred way to relax after a day of writing. When I moved out at the age of 20, I could not cook to save my life. Haven't even boiled spaghetti by myself before. After half a year of eating out or eating some frozen food, I was sick of it and decided to learn how to cook. Found out, I had a knack for it. About two years ago, I took it to the next level and started to experiment a lot more with recipes, invest far more money in really good ingredients, never going for the cheapest option, making as much as I can myself. For instance, when I make bolognese or chili, I no longer use canned tomatoes, always fresh ones.

Started exploring different international cuisines. Got pretty good at Italian, Indian, Irish, Mexican, Brazilian and Hungarian dishes. Also started exploring more exotic meats in unusual combinations. Ostrich steaks flambéd in cognac are a dream. So is rabbit in white wine/cream sauce or rabbit in coconut milk and garlic. Not every experiment is equally successful, but it is trial and error. Recently cooked pigeon in beer sauce. It was a bit meh, though not sure if the problem was the pigeon or my sauce. For New Year's I made a stew of wild boar and deer in red wine.

Remember, I started out with absolutely no knowledge of cooking whatsoever. Though when it comes to experimenting what goes well with what (recently starting using tequila, lime. honey and espresso in my chilis, which was terrific) it might require some kind of talent, ANYONE can learn basic good cooking. Anyone. And most food you cook yourself will taste better than whatever you buy.

And, yes, skip all sodas. Totally unnecessary. Water is just fine. Just find the kind of water you like, they are not all the same.

Here

viewtopic.php?p=2079186#p2079186

Though my cooking (and in particular my attention to high quality ingredients) have leapt lightyears since then.

Also, I did try my hand at desserts and baking since then. I even bake bread every once in a while.

I love cooking. It is my preferred way to relax after a day of writing. When I moved out at the age of 20, I could not cook to save my life. Haven't even boiled spaghetti by myself before. After half a year of eating out or eating some frozen food, I was sick of it and decided to learn how to cook. Found out, I had a knack for it. About two years ago, I took it to the next level and started to experiment a lot more with recipes, invest far more money in really good ingredients, never going for the cheapest option, making as much as I can myself. For instance, when I make bolognese or chili, I no longer use canned tomatoes, always fresh ones.

Started exploring different international cuisines. Got pretty good at Italian, Indian, Irish, Mexican, Brazilian and Hungarian dishes. Also started exploring more exotic meats in unusual combinations. Ostrich steaks flambéd in cognac are a dream. So is rabbit in white wine/cream sauce or rabbit in coconut milk and garlic. Not every experiment is equally successful, but it is trial and error. Recently cooked pigeon in beer sauce. It was a bit meh, though not sure if the problem was the pigeon or my sauce. For New Year's I made a stew of wild boar and deer in red wine.

Remember, I started out with absolutely no knowledge of cooking whatsoever. Though when it comes to experimenting what goes well with what (recently starting using tequila, lime. honey and espresso in my chilis, which was terrific) it might require some kind of talent, ANYONE can learn basic good cooking. Anyone. And most food you cook yourself will taste better than whatever you buy.

And, yes, skip all sodas. Totally unnecessary. Water is just fine. Just find the kind of water you like, they are not all the same.

I’m still eating at a dining hall at this point. It’s really easy to just pick the healthy stuff. Though the meat is usually very dry. I make my salads with spinach for the extra nutrition that lettuce doesn’t have, but it is a lot dryer also. So I go through a lot of beverage, which I’ve kept to skim milk at lunch and dinner and coffee with breakfast and a smoothie before my work out. Though I may have to start grocery shopping because I will run out of meal swipes/money if I want to have breakfast and something for before my workout

I'm buying your story and turning it into a romantic comedy.

At a dining hall you are limited to the options they have there. If you cook yourself, you have unlimited options.

I'll be cooking for myself next year when I live with my friends. I got a meal plan this semester because even though I'm not in a dorm and thus not required to buy a meal plan, I live with strangers in an apartment because of how full housing was before the year started. And if I cooked for myself, I'd either always be eating alone or with them. At the dining hall, I can eat with friends.

I see three perfectly viable options:

You could eat alone sometimes. Why the hell not? Do you need help being fed?

You could befriend the strangers and eat with them. Meeting new people is always interesting.

You could invite your friends over to your shared apartment and eat with them.