The Shockingly Good $2 Grocery Staple I’ve Been Buying Since Freshman Year (All You Need Is a Microwave!)

Sometimes you just don’t know what to make for dinner. And even when you’re over the dining hall food or you don’t have any groceries in your fridge, you still have to eat! 

Most nights during the second semester of my freshman year, I found myself hungry for dinner, yet wanting to eat anything but dining hall food. Because I didn’t have a kitchen easily accessible to me, I searched the internet for easy dorm food ideas, which is how I stumbled upon a game-changer: Barilla’s Fully Cooked Instant Pasta. From then on, I had found my dinner staple, and I still buy this $2 grocery as a college senior living in an apartment with a full kitchen. 

Barnilla’s Ready Pasta is fully cooked and only needs 60 seconds to heat up in a microwave. The package contains just a few ingredients: “al dente” Barilla pasta (containing semolina and durum wheat flour), extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and water. 

All you do is heat the pasta pouch in the microwave for a minute, take it out, and add your favorite toppings for a simple and easy meal. The Ready Pasta comes in elbow, gemelli, penne, or rotini shapes. Each 7-ounce pack is 1 serving of pasta, and you can find them at most major supermarkets, like Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and even Amazon. My personal favorite is the rotini shape, which is sold at Target for just $2, but prices may vary based on the store. 

This simple, easy, and affordable meal has been one of my favorites during my college experience. Not to mention, it tastes just as good as regular pasta and is the perfect amount of food! 

I tend to heat mine up in the bag, then once the 60 seconds are up I transfer it to a bowl and serve with my favorite pasta sauce. The best part is that the warm pasta heats up the sauce on its own, so there’s no need for a stovetop. This truly is the perfect option for people living in a dorm or who are just low on time and want a warm, easy meal.