10 Budget Friendly Meals For A Student Who Has No Time
Being a student and also having no money is a tricky situation! Luckily there are so many versatile ingredients out there to help you create perfect budget friendly meals that will keep you going.
1. Tomato and Cheese On Toast
One of the quickest budget friendly meals you can finds. Buy a value pack of shredded cheese and some fresh tomatoes (or canned tomatoes if you’re truly tight on your budget). Toast some bread, sprinkle some cheese on top and put in the microwave then slice the tomatoes and crack some salt over them, you’ve got a meal in a few minutes!
Luckily these ingredients are very cheap so try to spend a bit extra on the bread, it makes a huge difference to the quality of your meal.
2. Gourmet Instant Ramen
Instant noodles are an absolute staple among students. Most supermarkets sell value packs for under a dollar. The flavour is so so but there are quick ways to jazz up your average noodles.
Boil some water on the stove and add your flavoring. Add some extra spices or condiments to enhance the flavour of the broth.
Then add some veggies that you like such as carrot, broccoli or spinach which cooks almost instantly. Frozen veggies are a great money-saving hack here, they last longer and are conveniently cut up for you!
Add your noodles and a boiled egg or thinly sliced meat which cooks in seconds and you’ll have a steaming bowl of ramen in front of you in no time.
3. Baked Beans On Toast
Another one of those classic budget friendly meals among those on a tight budget. Don’t underestimate the deliciousness this dish can provide.
Jazz it up with melted cheese on the top, some chopped chives and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.
4. Vegetarian Tacos
Fry some canned black beans and red kidney beans in the frying pan with dry spices like cumin and coriander with some minced garlic and you’ve got a taco or burrito filling in a couple of minutes.
Canned beans are very inexpensive at the supermarket and are filling and super nutritious, a huge bonus for those with a tight budget who still want to be healthy.
You can also make large quantities of this filling which is perfect for when you have friends over!
5. Spaghetti Napoli
One of the ultimate budget friendly meals – pasta! Make a simple tomato sauce with tinned tomatoes, chopped onion and garlic and some Italian herbs in a saucepan and off you go! This sauce is extremely versatile and freezes well so worth making it in big batches to quickly grab when you’re pressed for time.
6. Homemade pizza
Buy some pizza bases, pizza sauce, shredded cheese and simple toppings like mushroom, ham and tomato and you’ve got perfect budget friendly meals ready to go.
7. Potato Salad
Potato is the most versatile vegetable and luckily, very affordable. For the perfect potato salad on a budget boil some potatoes and eggs and mix mayonnaise, salt, pepper and some chopped spring onion in a bowl and you’ve got a perfect side dish or meal on it’s own. Add some crispy bacon too to really spice it up.
8. Cheesy Omelette
Eggs are another crazy versatile ingredient to have when you’re on the go. They cook in minutes and there’s no shame in breakfast for dinner whatsoever. For a tasty omelette crack some eggs into a bowl and whisk together with some cheese, salt and pepper. Add some veggies or strips of ham to make it more interesting.
9. Tuna Pasta Bake
This recipe is the perfect combination of carbs and protein, sure to be a tasty winner among those struggling to budget! Tinned tuna and pasta are very cheap ingredients and last long in the pantry so make sure you have some handy at all times. Add some frozen veggies to add nutritional value also.
10. Fried Rice
Another incredibly easy budget friendly meals to make. Buy microwave rice pouches and fry up with bacon and loads of chopped veggies with garlic and a little bit of soy sauce!
