I do hope that it is helpful for your niece and other college students. I, also try to check the "Cooking for One or Two" board here at recipelink and the "vegetarian" board since my "baby" would still prefer vegetarian meals than chicken which she eats sometimes now. She is fortunate in that she is in a suite in her dorm in London which has a full kitchen even if the appliances do "go on the blink" now and then. The school has actually been very responsive about replacing appliances which no longer work properly. However, as an undergraduate, here in the U.S., she did have to deal with only a small microwave and mini-fridge (microfridge, I believe is what they are called). Her senior year, she was able to rent a very small house with two other girls so that was better, kitchenwise, but then they were faced with having to cook, doing dishes and working it into their schedules so, as the saying goes, "nothing is perfect."