If you’re in college, chances are you don’t have a lot of time or money to spend on cooking dinner. In this blog post, I’m sharing the best meal ideas for busy college students to learn to make!
Heading to the grocery store when you are on a tight budget is quite the challenge. Especially if you’re hoping to eat healthy meals. The best thing you can do to make sure you’re not overspending is to go in with a plan.
One of the best things is to create a weekly meal plan and list out the simple ingredients you will need to make each meal. Don’t wander the aisles throwing just anything into the cart!
After all, between your school work, a possible part-time job, and managing life in general the last thing you want stressing out about is what to eat. Here are the best meals for preparing on a budget!
1. Healthy Chicken Salad Recipe with Greek Yogurt
Protein dairy products like greek yogurt are great for budget meal prepping. This chicken salad is a great alternative to traditional chicken salads.
2. Turkey And Swiss Homemade Hot Pockets
This is a great way to make a huge batch of “hot pockets” rather than buying them. You’ll save a lot of money by skipping those name brands! Pair these with fresh fruit and raw veggies for an easy on the go lunch.
3. 5-Minute Avocado Bagel Sandwich (Avocado Bagel Toast)
This is a great option for a super delicious sandwich. It’s a fun spin on avocado toast! I love the cream cheese element of this sandwich, too.
4. Cuban-Style Tuna Meal Prep Bowls
This home-cooked meal can be prepped for taking as a quick lunch! It’s one of the best healthy college meals.
5. Grilled Chicken Wrap
We’re taking chicken breasts strips with a few other healthy ingredients to make an easy wrap here!
6. Air Fryer Fried Chicken
If it’s your first time trying to cook for yourself, air fryer recipes are easy to follow. It’s not hard work at all!
7. Easy DIY Homemade Uncrustable Sandwiches
Looking for simple recipes? Is there anything easier than peanut butter and jelly? It’s great for snack time or lunch.
8. Healthy Chicken Caesar Wrap (High Protein)
Nutritious meals don’t have to be boring! You can use rotisserie chicken here for a quicker wrap.
9. Easy Spinach Omelette Recipe with Cheese
One tip I have is to definitely add eggs to the grocery shopping list and find a few go to recipes you can use them in. Eggs are relatively cheap and a great healthy option and awesome protein sources!
You can make this easy omelette in a large skillet.
10. Chopped Italian Sub Sandwiches
Subs are the perfect thing when trying to find cheap college meals!
11. Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
Let’s talk about healthy eating. Sweet potatoes, quinoa, and chickpeas are all top notch ingredients.
12. Easy Oats Banana Smoothie
Instead of making overnight oats, you can try an oats smoothie! It’s a good idea for healthy snacks or a light breakfast. After all, it’s the most important meal of the day!
13. Ramen Scrambled Eggs
Ramen noodles are a dorm room staple that you can buy in larger quantities. It’s the perfect base when you’re on a tight budget. You can make so many easy meals like this with them.
14. Simple Tortellini Pasta Salad
Tortellini is perfect for cheap meals! You can make some delicious recipes with these cheesy noodles.
15. Black Bean Sweet Potato Salad
Trying to prepare meals on a tight budget just requires a little creativity. Try a meatless dish like this! It’s a good place to start on your healthy eating journey. This dish is actually more affordable than going through a fast food joint!
16. Baked Feta Pasta with Tomatoes, Olives, and Basil
The college life is stressful enough. This dish isn’t! It’s so easy and only requires you to add a few things to the grocery list. It’s great to have healthier options like this in comparison to other pasta dishes.
17. Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas
Bell peppers are pretty cheap, so fajitas are always a good budget friendly dinner idea.
18. Buffalo Chicken Casserole
You can make this buffalo chicken casserole for special occasions like a shower or brunch, or prep it for dinner! I appreciate the ease of preparation on this one.
19. Gluten Free Taco Pasta Salad
How good does this pasta dish look? So yummy!
20. Pulled Pork Sliders
I love these little mini single servings pork sliders. Your taste buds will zing! Quickly pull these together with just a few simple steps.
21. Honey Teriyaki Chicken and Rice for Meal Prep
You can prevent food waste by prepping a few of these bowls and eating them for lunch a couple days in a row. You can add some chunks of baked potato in this, too.
22. Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep
This bowl is filled with fresh produce and nutrient-dense foods!
23. How to Cook Pinto Beans on the Stove
Don’t forget to add pinto beans to the shopping list! They don’t cost very much money at all. Pinto beans are a great source of protein and dietary fiber.
24. Buffalo Tuna Melt Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed peppers work great as meal prep recipes! Don’t they look delish smothered in cheddar cheese?
25. Pan Seared Chicken Breast
This specific recipe is seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. It’s super hearty and high protein for a healthy diet.
26. 3 Ingredient Creamy Tomato Shells
3 ingredient recipes are great for those with a busy schedule like college students. You can use whole grain noodles for an extra nutritious punch.
27. Margherita Pizza
If you’re overwhelmed with all of the new foods, let’s go back to a classic. Pizza is always a hit! You can make it homemade without a hefty grocery bill. Make it your own and play around with a ton of different ways to add toppings.
28. Easy Bisquick Chicken Casserole
You only need a little money to make these budget-friendly recipes! This is one of those homemade meals that has a good balance of flavors and nutrition.
29. Ground Beef Teriyaki
The best part about this one? You’ll have leftovers you can easily pack for lunch the next day! It also takes only a limited time to make so comes together quickly. I love anything with soy sauce!
30. Ground Turkey Casserole
Ground turkey is a great budget-friendly option for a low cost protein. You can make this casserole at the beginning of the week and munch on the leftovers for a few days.
It’s really one of the easiest college meals!
Conclusion
Whether you’re just someone looking for super affordable, quick meals to make or are a college student on a major college budget, these easy college meals are for you!
If you don’t have access to a college meal plan and the dining hall for whatever reason, fret not. The good news is you can easily cook for yourself by prepping these affordable meals!
For high protein healthy snack options, be sure and check out this post. Try to skip the sugary drinks with added sugar, too. They add up in the budget and don’t serve any nutritional purpose.
You can also start a small community garden in your apartment complex for fresh veggies without much expense. Also, try to avoid the name brand options and go for generic store brand goods for your pantry staples.