#BudgetFriendlyMeals #CollegeLife #CheapEats #EasyRecipes #StudentMeals
Hey there, broke college guys! πππ We all know how challenging it can be to eat well on a tight budget. Between tuition, books, and rent, sometimes there’s just not much left over for food. But fear not, because I’ve got you covered! In this article, I’ll be sharing some tasty, filling “bang for your buck” meals that won’t break the bank. Whether you’re short on time or just looking to save a few extra dollars, these budget-friendly meals will keep you satisfied and your wallet happy. Let’s dive in!
**Ramen Noodle Stir-Fry**
– One of the classic go-to meals for college students is the humble ramen noodle. Instead of just making a plain old bowl of noodles, why not kick it up a notch with a ramen noodle stir-fry? All you need is a pack of ramen noodles, some mixed frozen vegetables, and a splash of soy sauce. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, then stir in the frozen vegetables and a bit of soy sauce for flavor. Voila! A hearty and delicious meal in minutes.
**Bean and Cheese Quesadillas**
– Quesadillas are a quick and easy meal that can be customized to your liking. For a budget-friendly twist, skip the expensive meat and opt for a simple bean and cheese filling. Grab a can of refried beans, some shredded cheese, and a pack of tortillas. Spread the beans on one half of a tortilla, sprinkle on some cheese, fold it in half, and cook it in a hot skillet until golden brown on both sides. Serve with some salsa or sour cream for a tasty and satisfying meal.
**Pasta with Marinara Sauce**
– Pasta is a staple in many college students’ diets, and for good reason. It’s cheap, versatile, and oh-so-delicious. For a simple yet satisfying meal, cook up a pot of pasta and top it with a jar of marinara sauce. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even add some sautΓ©ed veggies or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top. This meal is a great way to fill up without emptying your bank account.
**Tuna Salad Wraps**
– Canned tuna is a budget-friendly protein option that can be used in a variety of meals. One of my favorite ways to enjoy tuna is in a simple salad wrap. Mix a can of tuna with some mayo or Greek yogurt, chopped veggies like celery and carrots, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spoon the tuna salad onto a tortilla, wrap it up, and you’ve got yourself a quick and nutritious meal on the go.
**Oatmeal with Fruit and Nuts**
– Don’t overlook breakfast when it comes to affordable meals. Oatmeal is a filling and nutritious option that won’t break the bank. Cook up a batch of oats according to the package instructions, then top it with some fresh or frozen fruit and a sprinkling of nuts for added crunch. This simple meal is a great way to start your day off right without spending a lot of money.
In conclusion, eating well on a budget is definitely possible, even for broke college guys. With a little creativity and some savvy shopping, you can enjoy tasty and filling meals without breaking the bank. These budget-friendly meal ideas are just the tip of the iceberg, so don’t be afraid to get creative and mix things up. Here’s to happy bellies and happy wallets! π½πΈ
Chili
Instant noodles + fried egg
Beans and rice. Complete protein and relatively cheap.
Garlic rice
Rice and kimchi.
Rice and vegetables.
Homemade bread.
Mac & cheese and hotdogs, like a 10-year-old
Ramen noodles with vegetables and eggs.
Canned tuna. Lentils. High quality protein and filling.
Dhal. Red lentils, onion, garlic and chili – either fresh chilis or just chili powder. Additional spices according to taste (I like cumin and a generous dollop of tomato puree) but the basic recipe costs very little and is delicious.
I love eating warm rice with brown sugar, cinnamon and milk.
Curry! You can get a package of curry mix powder for like 5 dollars, a giant bag of rice for 10, and some carrots and potatoes for a few dollars more. You can make a ton of food this way for like 20 dollars, meat optional.
Pasta.
A pack of Italian sausage
Two cans of crushed tomatoes
One red pepper
One onion
One clove of garlic
One or two fresh tomatoes
Italian spice (this is the pricey bit initially, but lasts for many a meal afterwards)
Two packs of pasta noodles
Fry the Italian sausage, put to one side.
Slice the onion, chop the garlic and red pepper, fry. Add the sausage and the two cans of crushed tomatoes. Let simmer on low heat for an hour or so. Salt to taste.
Add the fresh tomato towards the end, or right at the end. Enjoy.
Should last you all week, plenty of nutrients and once the spices are bought should cost less than $20 all told.
Ramen noodles and a can of chili
Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper with White Rice and Tortillas.
If you make a regular set of Hamburger Helper and make a few cups of rice.
You can make burritos out of it with decent wraps.
I could honestly eat that almost everyday its so good.
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Beans, Hot Dogs and Bacon is solid as well.
Boil a little pasta in a pan, doesn’t need to be a lot. Drain and put in a bowl. Now use the same pan to heat up a good quality tin of soup.Β
Pour hot soup into bowl of pasta. Voila, a delicious warming one-pan meal.
Chicken and dumplings southern style. I make my stock with bullion cubes and use frozen leg quarters. I could easily feed 5 people for 10$.
Eggs, cereal, pasta, salads, bread and peanut butter.
Any meal that has pasta, rice or potatoes as the foundation. All 3 are affordable and you can make different variations of all 3 to give you some variety. You can add a veggie here and a protein there.
One combination I enjoy is pasta, ground turkey and frozen broccoli. Everything costs about 9 bucks and I get a good solid 3 meals out of that.
Rice, lentils, couscous, etc. cooked with broth rather than plain water.
Burritos with rotisserie chicken, rice and some frozen vegetable mix (also cheese because why not). Easy to make multiple ones at once and freeze them so you have minute-ready burritos.
Canned baked beans with cut up pieces of hotdog. Not very healthy but definitely filling and tasty and easy. Even better with kraft Mac and cheese.
You can never go wrong with making your own beans from scratch and eating with rice. Go with Colombian style red beans. Itβs so easy you just soak them in water over night and then throw them in a big pot with water and add some chicken bouillon, salt and pepper and adobo and sazon seasoning, a couple of bay leaves and thatβs it. Just let them boil for several hours. Super nutritious and filling.
Also get those pouches of Starkist solid white albacore tuna. The flavored ones are really good and a great fast snack (I just eat right out of the pouch). I also get the plain kind and put in a bowl and add diced cucumber, red onion and tomatoes and salt and pepper and balsamic vinegar. Have a hard boiled egg with it too. Very healthy and protein rich and filling. Speaking of tuna, make a tuna melt with some campbellβs tomato soup (or plain grilled cheese with the soup).
Potatoes and eggs
Β Beans and rice
Rice and beans plus hot sauce. Add beef on payday
Bachelor chow. Rice a Roni and ground beef
Beef stew (you can buy canned at the grocery store) over rice.
Chicken fried rice. Add a box of orange chicken (or your favorite Westernized Chinese meat dish) and potstickers too to make it a heftier meal. Everything here can be bought pre-made from the store.
Pot pies.
bean + rice + cheese burrito
Tomago kake gohan. A traditional Japanese breakfast.Β Literally just hot rice in a bowl with a raw egg cracked over top and mixed in. The rice cooks the egg and it results in a delicious, silky, filling meal. Add salt and pepper to taste, or furikake if you’re feeling wild.
Black beans, ham and potato stew. Just put it in a pot and cook it until everything is done. Lasts for days.Β
Japanese curry. Break off some cubes into boiling water, add canned cubed potatoes, canned carrots, peas, green beans, whatever. Serve over rice. Super filling, makes a LOT of food for very little cost.
Chili with beans. Just canned tomatoes, cheap ground beef, some seasoning, and add canned or dried beans to make it stretch (in spite of chili purists).Β
Literally any pasta. It makes a lot of calories for very little cost.
Be mindful to include a daily multivitamin, because eating cheap usually means you don’t get all of your vitamins and minerals just from food.
Almost expired discount loaf of bread from the store, discount cheese, almost expired tomato’s, lettuce, meat, and the sorts….cheap sandwich.
^(I like sandwiches.)
Holy shit, oatmeal! It tastes great and is super inexpensive. Oatmeal got me through college when things were thin.
Large sauce pan. Chicken breast, chicken broth, orzo, frozen veggies and any cheese. Has become a staple in our house for it being economical, filling and easy to clean up. We are not a broke college guy, but think you could do well with this if you made a huge batch on Sunday.
1: Buy a crock pot
2: Google “Crock pot recipes”
3. Make loaded potato soup
4: Thrive
Get a rice cooker, buy a metric ton of rice, and just add stuff to it. Kimchi, beans, tofu, steamed veg, maybe some meat if you can afford it. Never underestimate the power of white rice. There’s a reason it’s such a globally dominant dish, and so prevalent in blue zones.