Inexpensive Recipes For College Students That Are Easy And Delicious
These inexpensive recipes will have you eating 3 meals a day even if you’re a totally broke college student. To cut your costs even further, visit your local bulk food store and take some containers with you. You’d be surprised at what you can get and how cheap you can get it!
Since meat is very expensive, we recommend that you don’t buy meat for every meal if you’re truly on a very tight budget! Proteins like chickpeas, eggs, beans, and lentils are not only really good for you, they’re also super cheap! To pick up some of these proteins at the lowest price possible, try getting them dried and in bulk. You can always soak to rehydrate them and then cook them. For lentils, orange lentils can be cooked without having to rehydrate, so they’re perfect if you’re in a time crunch too!
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1. Sticky Rice with Vegetables
This recipe is flavorful, delicious, and most of all, cheap! You can grab a big bag of rice or pick up some from your local bulk food store and it’ll last you for a long time! Grab frozen vegetables of a variety that you love best. Try picking up a package that has a mix of vegetables. If you have a bit of extra money, try getting some fresh veggies as well!
Ingredients:
-2 cups sticky rice
-canned or frozen vegetables
-soy sauce
Cook the rice in 4 cups of water until the water is gone. Cook the vegetables according to package instructions. Add soy sauce to taste.
This is a great dinner option! Add chickpeas or lentils (they’re super cheap if you get them dried) for a cheap protein option if you desire.
2. Egg and Bean Breakfast Burritos
A delicious and protein-packed breakfast option, these breakfast burritos will have you energized for your day! Make these in advance and freeze them for the week for a quick breakfast you can reheat easily. Add some hot sauce or some spices to taste or enjoy it plain!
Ingredients:
-12 eggs
-1 can black beans, or 15 oz dried black beans, soaked
-8 pack of tortillas
Scramble the eggs in a large pan and cook the beans over the stove according to package directions. Evenly distribute the eggs and beans over the 8 tortillas, wrap them all up, and freeze them for the week!
3. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
This lunch option is not only tasty, it’s nutritious as well! Grilled cheese and tomato soup are super quick and easy to make and you can also make a couple sandwiches all at once to put in the fridge for later. This is perfect for those who are tight for time!
Ingredients:
-1 can tomato soup
-cheese
-bread
-butter
Place cheese between two slices of bread. Butter the outside of the sandwich and grill on a skillet over the stove until brown. Heat the tomato soup over the stove. Portion for the week and enjoy!
4. Pasta and Chickpeas
Pasta is a classic dish! Have a delicious, cheap, pasta dish with chickpeas instead of meat!
Ingredients:
-1 can of chickpeas
-1 small onion, diced
-1 jar of pasta sauce
-12-oz. box of pasta
Cook the pasta until it’s al dente. Drain the water off, then add the pasta sauce, onion, and chickpeas and heat until the onion is cooked and the dish is hot!
5. Lentil Stew
Lentils are high in protein and are also a legume. This means that they count as both a protein and a vegetable! They’re delicious and totally cheap!
Ingredients:
-2 cups lentils
-1 large can diced tomatoes
-1 medium onion
-garlic and dill
-butter
Toss all the ingredients in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, then cover with a lid and lower the heat. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes to make sure the lentils are cooked through.
