It's that time of year where graduates begin the next chapter in their lives. Don't worry parents, your baby won't starve, and with a few tidbits of food advice to the graduate, your kids might even have a healthy and enjoyable food experience.
For the graduate with kitchen access:
Call your parents for recipes and cooking tips. If you live away from home, your Mom and Dad are probably missing you anyway so don't be hesitant to call them for a tuna casserole recipe or instructions on how to bake a potato.
No need to buy cookbooks, take advantage of free recipes. From the cooking impaired to the food obsessed, you are sure to find a recipe that fits your taste and skill level. Most of the recipes in the Edible Antics recipe section are easy enough to cook on a weeknight after class, or check the links on the right for other recipe resources.
Cook for your roommates. Most cooks, myself included, are more likely to cook for a crowd than just one person, so make dinner for your roommates. They probably miss home-cooked meals!
For the graduate with no kitchen access, a high school grad living in college dorms, for example:
Dining hall grub is actually pretty tasty these days. When my parents went to college, there was only one dining hall on the whole campus. My alma mater, a medium-sized university, had enough dining halls for me to eat at a different one each day of the week. The food was outstanding, one buffet style dining hall had fresh baked pita bread and hummus, another had Thanksgiving food all the time, and we even had a sit down restaurant with waiters and menus! With so much delicious food- please take into account the next tip.
Eat smart in the dining hall. At most universities the swipe of a meal card grants access to unlimited french fries, soda, soft serve ice cream and much more right at your finger tips, every meal of the day (even breakfast!). Make the salad bar your first stop and practice portion control on the other goodies.
Explore the town. Some campuses like little cities and students don't feel the need to venture out, but there are a ton of restaurants to explore. Many of these restaurants will give ID carrying students a decent discount, so take advantage!