How to Eat Keto While Living in a College Dorm

Written by Keto Lifehacker Team in Tips & Guides

keto college dorm

College can be a pretty stressful time on its own these days. With rising student loan costs, challenging courses, and competition for jobs and internships, it’s easy to let the health and wellness aspects of your life become less of a priority.

But for those who are looking to make a change, or simply reverse the dreaded ‘freshman 15’ that they’ve gained while away at school, the keto can be a pretty powerful tool to help you make the most of your time in college.

Not only is it a great way to lose weight, but the keto diet also has a slew of proven cognitive benefits that could actually help you keep your mind sharper during finals season.

In this article, I’ll be focusing on how to eat keto on the cheap, in ways that don’t require a whole lot of cooking effort, so that you can breeze through this diet just like that pass/fail meditation class that you should probably be attending right now.

How to Eat Keto While in College

Breakfast:

Breakfast in a dorm can be difficult on its own, let alone if you’re trying to make your way through the keto diet.

A lot of dorm rooms don’t have access to stovetops and ovens, so it can seem daunting when doing all of this keto research only to find that you don’t have the time, space, or energy go cook eggs and bacon every day (and forget about all the dishes that comes with it)

Fortunately, there’s still a lot of ways to enjoy breakfast on keto in a dorm or on a college campus. If you have a mug and a microwave, you have endless possibilities.

Here are five of my favorite breakfast keto mug cake recipes:

  • Keto Scrambled Eggs in a Mug

Ingredients:

    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
    • salt and pepper

Instructions:

    • Grease up one large microwave-safe cup or mug with soft butter
    • Whisk together the two eggs and heavy whipping cream
    • Fill the cup to a maximum of two-thirds, for the eggs will rise after cooking
    • Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne if you want an extra kick
    • Using a microwave oven, heat at maximum power for 1-2 minutes
    • Stir and place back in the microwave for another minute
    • Remove and add some butter. Let cool for a minute
    • Enjoy right out of the mug!

  • Keto Cinnamon Mug Cake

Ingredients:

Instructions:

    • Grease a microwave safe ramekin, cup, or mug with coconut oil, and set aside
    • In a small bowl, beat together the egg, oil and sugar-free sweetener. Make sure that your is not too hot or it will start to cook the egg too early in the process
    • Stir in the almond flour, baking soda and cinnamon
    • Transfer the mixed batter into the ramekin and microwave for 80-90 seconds
    • Cool down for a little over one minute before adding a side like whipped cream and berries

  • Bacon, Cheddar, and Chive Mug Cake

Ingredients:

    • 1 large egg
    • 2 slices pre-cooked bacon, chopped
    • 1 tablespoon shredded white cheddar
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • ¼ teaspoon Mrs. Dash Table Blend
    • 2 tablespoons almond flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
    • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

    • Mix all of the ingredients together inside microwave-safe mug or cup except for the bacon and chives
    • Once mixed, add in the bacon and chives
    • Mix everything together and microwave for 65 seconds on high
    • Add extra chives or cheese as desired, serve and enjoy!

  • Low Carb Mug Pancake

Ingredients:

Instructions:

    • Spray a 12 oz. mug or microwave safe ramekin with cooking spray and set aside
    • In a small bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, which include: coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder and salt
    • Then, add in all of the the wet ingredients, which include: egg, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract
    • Stir the whole mixture together until its consistency is is smooth and free of any lumps
    • Pour the mixture into your prepared ramekin or mug.
    • Microwave the mixture for about 45-60 seconds on high.
    • Allow one to two minutes to cool before serving

  • Chocolate Keto Mug Cake

Ingredients:

Instructions:

    • In a coffee mug or microwave safe cup, melt the butter in the microwave for 10 seconds.
    • Add in the coconut flour, swerve, cocoa powder, baking powder, and beaten egg, mix well until combined.
    • Microwave the mixture on high for 60 seconds
    • Top with heavy whipping cream and baker’s chocolate chips

If you’re not into mug cakes, you can replicate overnight oats with chia seeds (check out some of my keto-freindly chia seed tips right here) or hemp hearts fairly easily. Just add almond milk and enjoy!

Lunch & Dinner:

Now that we’ve got breakfast covered, we’ll have to figure out lunch and dinner.

The microwave is going to come in pretty handy with these too. Here are some of my favorite quick and cheap keto-friendly microwave meals:

  • Keto Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

Instructions:

    • In a microwave-safe mug, cub, or bowl, melt the butter.
    • Stir in the almond flour, egg, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper with the butter.
    • Beat the mixture with a fork until well combined.
    • Microwave the mixture on high for 90 seconds or until set.
    • Slice in half and toast in a toaster oven for desired crispiness, top with cilantro or garlic salt

  • Keto Reuben Mug Sandwich

Ingredients:

    • 3.5 oz prepared corned beef, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons chopped yellow onion
    • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    • ½ cup shredded cabbage
    • ¼ cup sauerkraut, drained
    • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
    • ¼ shredded Swiss cheese

Instructions:

    • Place the corned beef into the bottom of a large microwave-safe mug.
    • Add in the onions, caraway seeds, and avocado oil.
    • Mix until beef is fully coated.
    • Add in the shredded cabbage and sauerkraut.
    • Microwave the mug on high for one and a half minutes.
    • Remove from microwave and mix well with a fork.
    • Top with Swiss cheese and put it back in the microwave until cheese is melted
    • Top with a dollop of sour cream if desired

  • Cauliflower Pizza in a Mug

Ingredients:

    • 1 ½ tbsp whisked egg
    • 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
    • 10 mini pepperoni
    • 1/2 cup loosely packed finely riced raw cauliflower
    • 1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
    • 1 tbsp low carb marinara sauce
    • 2 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
    • 10 mini pepperoni
    • 1/4 tsp finely chopped parsley

Instructions:

    • Combine parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, riced cauliflower, egg together a microwave-safe mug.
    • Mix thoroughly with a spoon until all ingredients have become moist and coated with the egg.
    • Gently pack down the cauliflower batter and smooth surface with the back of your spoon.
    • Cook in microwave at full power for roughly 1 min 30 seconds
    • Spread marinara sauce with the back of a spoon over the top of the cauliflower bread.
    • Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of the tomato sauce.
    • Top with mini pepperoni
    • Pop back in the microwave for another 30 seconds, sprinkle with parsley
    • Serve hot and enjoy!

  • Cheesy Low Carb Biscuits

Ingredients:

Instructions:

    • Melt the butter in a coffee mug by microwaving it for about 20 seconds.
    • Add in the baking powder, coconut flour, and other seasonings.
    • Mix to combine with a fork.
    • Add in the egg, water, cheese and heavy whipping cream.
    • Mix everything together until combined.
    • Microwave for 3 minutes. Immediately remove from mug after heating and allow to cool for one to two minutes.
    • Slice and enjoy.

  • Keto Mug Lasagna

Ingredients:

Instructions:

    • Slice the zucchini squash into paper thin rounds (use a spiralizer if preferred).
    • Add a table spoon of marinara to the mug. Spread evenly, covering the bottom of the mug.
    • Layer on roughly 3-4 zucchini rounds.
    • Spread 1 tbsp of ricotta evenly across the top of the mug
    • Repeat steps 2-4 in succession until the mug is full, ending with a layer of zucchini squash
    • Top the mug with mozzarella.
    • Microwave on high for about 4-5 minutes
    • Remove from microwave and top with Italian seasoning

Check out a video from our friends over at Forkly to see this one in action!

Drinks and Snacks

If you’re getting tired of microwave meals, there’s still a lot of great snack options and cold meals that you can make to help you get through your college career while on keto.

My top 4 keto snacks include:

And what’s a snack if you have nothing to wash it down with? Here are some of my favorite keto-friendly drinks as well:

Now of course it’s college, so you’re probably wondering where alcoholic drinks fit into the keto diet. And while some people will tell you different things, the fact is that alcohol is definitely doable on keto, as long as you do your research. You can check out my guide on alcohol and keto right here. 

Tips for Eating Keto on Campus

  • Make an appointment with the director of dining services or nutrition at your dorm

It may seem silly, but every dorm or at least every college has someone in charge of dining services and nutrition for all of the students, and its their job to fully accommodate the dietary needs of every student.

After all, you’re paying to go to school, and you’re likely paying for a meal plan of some sort, so you may as well try to get your money’s worth by making sure that your food options have keto-friendly items at the ready.

One important step with this tip is to be thorough, because not everyone is fully aware of what keto actually is – making it clear that you need to limit carbs sometimes isn’t enough, because a lot of people are unaware of what foods contain carbs.

It’s best to come prepared with a list of foods that you can eat, and one’s that you’d like to see more of in your dining hall or with any of the markets that sell snacks and produce.

  • Don’t be afraid to ask for menu item modifications

It might be a little embarrassing at first, but you definitely shouldn’t worry about being picky when it comes to what’s on the menu.

Just as you would be able to at any other restaurant, feel free to try and order some sandwiches wrapped in lettuce instead, or sub out beans and rice for more vegetables, or simply double up on meats and cheeses whenever possible.

There’s a ton of easy ways that you can hack regular meals and turn them into something keto-friendly (which is why I started this blog in the first place), so feel free to get creative with it!

  • Get the vitamins and minerals you need with the help of supplements

College can be tough because a lot of cheap and easy meals to make just don’t have all of the necessary vitamins and minerals that you’ll need for a normal healthy diet, and will especially need if you want to succeed with keto.

At the same time, there’s a lot of totally unnecessary supplements out there, so you should know which ones are actually important and are going to actually make a difference for your health.

One of the most important things to focus on is counteracting the effects of the keto flu. In college you’re already exposed to tons of germs, and aren’t getting enough sleep – you’re a perfect model for the common cold. That’s why the keto flu is absolutely necessary at this time.

The keto flu can counteract a lot of those cognitive benefits that come along with being in ketosis, and can lead to other negative side effects like insomnia, fever nausea, migraines, dry mouth, fatigue, hives and rash, mood swings, excessive sweating, and a ton of other things you definitely don’t want.

I’d recommend some of the following for helping you sleep, helping to balance your fluids, and for helping you to get enough good fats into your diet:

  • Seek out fellow keto dieters on campus!

Everything’s a lot easier when you have a support system in place, especially in an environment like college.

Fortunately, almost every university has a Reddit community that you can tap in to and meet people with the same goals and diet plans. All you have to do is seek out other keto dieters through a post on your school’s subreddit, and who knows, you might even find a keto club that’s already been established!

If you still have trouble finding those who are also working on keto while at college, the keto subreddit can be a great place for getting advice and learning new tips and tricks.

  • Enroll in a nutrition course as an elective

This is one that I really wish I did myself while I was in college. Even if your intended major has nothing to do with biology, health, or nutrition, there are a ton of intro to Nutritional Science courses at colleges all over the world, and a lot of times they can help count as elective credits.

Learning about nutrition from a university is a privilege a lot of people never get the chance to do, and at such a young age it can really make a lasting impression on how you eat, even if you don’t stick with the low carb lifestyle in the long run.

Final Thoughts

As you’ll come to learn, keto isn’t always easy, but neither is college – but you’re going to survive both as long as you put your mind to it and give yourself the best fighting chance.

There’s a ton of diets out there that can easily hook you in and help you lose weight quickly, but honestly I think the keto diet is probably the best for those who are just starting to really get in control of their health.

Succeeding with the keto diet at a young age will help you be more health conscious for years to come. While it might seem scary, if  you do your research, and reach out to others that are on the same eating restrictions, it’ll be a whole lot easier.

Do you have any keto-friendly college hacks and snacks that you’ve used? Drop them in the comments below!

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