Many of these same staples are what kept me full during my college years. My parents didn’t know and didn’t have to know how little food there was. I was happy to be living in a dorm with new people. You learn to become resourceful when then money is tight. I experimented with mixing link sausage, raisins, nutmeg and almonds into my basmati rice. My family would never have permitted that back in Michigan without a lot of fake shock and complaining.
Survival foods: A boiled water soaked pack of Ramen noodles and spice packet in a bowl made for many a 25 cent “meal” for me in college and grad school. On weekends my friends and I would splurge on a cheap Mexican meal at La Perla in Glendale, AZ. Some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had (90 percent of the clientele were Chicano).
College made me frugal and experimental as well.
Back before chicken wings were trendy, they were cheap. In the early 1980’s I was able to buy them for $.25 to $.50 a pound and they became my main source of protein. I would oven bake them with garlic powder and paprika and, just before I took them out of the oven, I would put thin slices of Velveeta cheese on them.
When I was REALLY poor, I made “pizza” out of English Muffins, ketchup, and Velveeta. Tasted better than it sounds.