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Affordable & Healthy Meals Ideas for College Students

Aug 17, 2024 | Marianna Truelove

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.

healthy chicken salad
via Grab The Mangos

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.

homemade hot pockets
via Made in a Pinch

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.

homemade avocado bagel sandwiches
via The Fruity Jem

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.

cuban style tuna meal prep bowls
via Strength and Sunshine

5. Grilled Chicken Wrap

We’re taking chicken breasts strips with a few other healthy ingredients to make an easy wrap here!

grilled chicken wrap
via Know Your Produce

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!

airfryer chicken
via From Valeries Kitchen

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.

homemade uncrustables
via Simply Well Balanced

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.

a chicken caesar wrap
via Lauren Fit Foodie

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!

an easy omelette
via Spoons of Flavor

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!

chopped italian sub sandwiches
via Heavenly Spiced

11. Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

Let’s talk about healthy eating. Sweet potatoes, quinoa, and chickpeas are all top notch ingredients.

sweet potato and quinoa salad
via The Food Blog

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!

easy oats banana smoothie
via Spoons of Flavor

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.

ramen noodles with scrambed eggs
via Spoons of Flavor

14. Simple Tortellini Pasta Salad

Tortellini is perfect for cheap meals! You can make some delicious recipes with these cheesy noodles.

tortellini pasta salad
via An Edible Mosaic

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!

black bean sweet potato salad
via Vegan on Board

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.

baked feta pasta with tomatoes, olives, and basil
via The Default Cook

17. Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas

Bell peppers are pretty cheap, so fajitas are always a good budget friendly dinner idea.

air fryer chicken fajitas
via Deliciously Home Cooked

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.

buffalo chicken casserole
via 100 Days of Real Food

19. Gluten Free Taco Pasta Salad

How good does this pasta dish look? So yummy!

gluten free taco pasta salad
via Organically Addison

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.

pulled pork sliders
via Organically Addison

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.

honey teriyaki chicken and rice
via Ericas Recipes

22. Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

This bowl is filled with fresh produce and nutrient-dense foods!

mediterranean bowl meal prep
via Olivias Kitchen

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.

pinto beans on the stove
via Isabel Eats

24. Buffalo Tuna Melt Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers work great as meal prep recipes! Don’t they look delish smothered in cheddar cheese?

buffalo tuna melt stuffed peppers
via Ambitious Kitchen

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.

chicken breast
via A Couple Cooks

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.

3 ingredient creamy tomato shells
via Pinch of Yum

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.

margherita pizza
via Cookie and Kate

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.

easy bisquick chicken casserole
via Margin Making Mom

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!

ground beef teriyaki
via Lemons and Zest

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.

ground turkey casserole
via Kalyns Kitchen

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.

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I’m Marianna – I’m so glad you’re here at The Budget Handbook. Here you’ll find everything budgeting related – from how to save money at the grocery store to making your paycheck stretch a little further.

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