What is the best thing to cook when your on a student budget?!
What is the best thing to cook when your on a student budget?
budget, students that just moved out.
Answers:
I'm assuming you've been introduced to the wonderful world of Ramen Noodles? And the great thing is you can mix veggies or meat into the noodles to stretch a meal. Helk I'm way past being a student starting out on my own but I still buy Ramen! Yummo!!!
Anyway, buy deli meat, a pound of sliced chicken or ham can last one person a long time and on whole wheat bread you have a filling meal.
Boneless/skinless chicken breast are sold in bag in the freezer aisle and cost generally around $5-$7 a bag, you can take one or two out at a time for your meal. Saute them in olive oil and garlic and serve over rice (or Ramens!), you can dice them up and toss them with pasta. You can cut into strips and cook up with some taco seasoning or fajita seasoning and serve with tortillas.
Ramen noodles are good for a really quick meal. So is regular pasta, sandwiches, crackers, etc.
=]
pasta, noodles and rice with frozen peas, ham, bacon, minced beef, cheese, and try to get some salad everyday, better than vegetables and keeps you full and with nutrients.
try fresh fruit like apples, oranges and bananas that travel well and are easy to eat with little preparation
Usually, pastas. They are cheap.
Boxes of mac and cheese, pasta/rice packets that have the seasoning in them already, etc.
You can add fun stuff to them too. Like veggies =]
I know, thats not really cooking, but its deff low in budget.
ramen, tuna, salad's in a bag
Rice - mix it with anything !
Pasta.. is very cheap. You can make a meal of anything in that. Left over cheese. Any meat. Or buy a small bottle of olive oil and have it on its own with a little oil. You can put beans .. tomatoes... eggs.. even tomato sauce. Brown Bread at about 6 pm in the supermarkets.. the days bread is sold cheaper. Half the price.. lots of other things as well.
You can go to the fish monger and ask for any cut offs.. and same with butchers.. but they won't give you it in the supermarkets. Buy some rice.. same applies there. Bring it to boil with lid on .. switch off leave for 10 mins in pan & its cooked. Bless..
I can remember sending my daughter lots of parcels when she was in uni. I fear for students now having to pay for everything.. its maddness!!
Best of luck to you.
Make some big pots of stew or soups as they are full of vitamins and you;ll have left overs which you can freeze for another day,,I make a pot of stew and freeze the rest and every coup;e of days i get 1 out of the freezer and 10 I'm at the table eating my dinner,.,. good luck.,.,.
Hey man ive been in college for about 6 months and found out a lot about food. First of all im broke, have been and will be for a bit, and every single dollar matters. I started of by eating fast food for a while but i started not to feel so well and it might not seem to be expensive a the time but it really really adds up. So know i got to Albertsons and try to buy some healthy hearty food thats on sale. Milk and ceral!!!!!!Sandwitches are a good idea and theres a lot of diffrent kinds you can make, top romen, tuna, frozen corndogs for when you want something quick, soups,fruits and vegis when i have a little bit of extra $(sorta expensive >.<), get some T.V. dinners too(there not very healthy but some are pretty good) and lots and lots of jugs of water. I pretty much only drink water and juice and if you get tired of water get some ice tea powder.
But when you go shopping make sure you get whats on sale, you gotta look for the deals bro. You really dont need the name brand stuff get the store brand if you can.
Help that helps.
Pasta.... & or Rice
It's cheap, its easy, it's filling & their are so many dishes you can make with it.
Spaghetti, Bowtie Pasta, & The Tri-Colered Twisties
FOR PROTEIN U CAN USE:
*Meat Sauce
( For 1Person: U can make 1Lb meat last 2-3servings)
*Bag Grilled Frozen Chicken Strips
(For 1 Person: Using 3-4 Strips about 4-5Servings)
Canned Veggies - Stock up when they go on BUY 1 GET 1
FREE sale.
[[Another good Tip is: When you buy stuff at the grocery store wait till it's on sale or that BUY 1 GET 1 FREE sale...... it helps on everything. (Pasta boxes, Sauces, Canned Vegi's, Cereal, Snacks (cookies, chips) ect....)
(And try & limit urself to 1-Nice Dinner a week &/or 1-FastFood type Dinner a week)*
If you get too bored of eating at home.
ramen noodles!!!! The come in variety and are CHEAP. That or eat at your moms. :-)
ramen noodles and microwave brownies
Go to the dry beans section of the grocery store and choose a bean of choice. It costs from 69 cents to $1.29
Whether you choose navy beans, white beans, red kidney beans or lentils, soak them overnight. They grow at least 3-fold if not 6-fold.
You can make a very hearty soup. Cook the soaked beans on the stove-top. Put some of those cooked beans into a blender. Add back to the soup. Now it is thicker and rich in nutritional value.
A 3 lb. bag of carrots is a good deal--as are onions. Add that plus thyme for awesome flavor. You have a heck of a good tasting soup. For variety, cut these veggies in different ways. I cut onions in wedges for example.
If you must have a "meat" in the soup, try buying a 99 cent box of turkey or other sausage links. I cut those up real thin. They add flavor and texture to the meal.
If beans are not your forte, try brown rice. It's healthier than white rice.
Anoher suggestion: find a group of five or six others all willing to make a big meal. You all trade a meal and then you have a week's worth--with variety vs. eating the same thing all week.
Eggs are inexpensive too, but not a good thing to go overboard with. You can toss left over veggies into an egg mixture for a great omelet.
Left over cheese? Make grilled cheese sandwiches. Left over bread? Make French toast: bread dipped in egg mixture and heated to golden brown in a frying pan. Top with syrup or fruit.
Oatmeal is a good breakfast filler. Add raisins, apples, whatever appeals to you. It's rib sticking.
You feel the need to go out? Try early bird meal specials. Chinese Restaurants have a lunch special generally 7 days a week. For about $3 you get a fine portion of take-out.
There you have it! Shop Aldi's too if you have one nearby. They have awesome frozen veggie blends for any meal.
Good luck!
Corn (fresh, frozen, canned), beans (dry lima, navy, pinto, etc), and rice (esp. brown rice) is a fairly well-balanced diet. Buy it in bulk. Add some seasonings/sauces and and other items for variety and at least you won't die from malnutrition the way you would if you made ramen noodles or pasta your main choices.
Frozen veggies are often cheaper and better quality than fresh, and are already prepared for cooking/eating.
If you like meat, buy what's on sale in big packs, portion it up, and freeze it or cook it first and then freeze it.
Invest in some spices and sauces. Eat some fresh veggies of different types when you can.
A big pot of veggie soup goes a long way with some bread and butter. Just boil up a mess of diced veggies you like, maybe add a can or two of stewed/diced tomatoes, maybe add some bouillon and/or some meat (chicken, beef, pork, sausage...). If you want, you can add some rice, potatoes, or pasta. Add a little olive oil or butter too, and a few herbs/spices.
Speaking of potatoes, they're pretty nutritious if you eat them with the skins.
Just stay away as much as possible from prepared foods and mixes - too expensive and full of junk and salt.
Depending on where you live, you may find that staples like rice, corn, beans, and spices are cheaper in the "foreign foods" aisle of the store than in the main sections that most shoppers go to. You might find the price difference to be huge in some cases (esp. for spices).
Finally, check out Miserly Moms - http://www.miserlymoms.com/momfrecipes1....
Pastas
Beans
Ramen
Rice
You can get meat, check out the stores that have sales and pick a few up.
Pasta
Burgers
Hotdogs
Homemade pizza
French Fries, mashed potatos, baked potatos
Salad
Sloppy Joes
Chili
Rice dishes
Ramen
Burritos, tacos, chalupas, nachos, homemade taquitos, enchiladas
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
BLT Sandwiches
Omelettes, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos
Oatmeal
French toast
Soups
Corndogs
Biscuits & Gravy
Pot Roast with veggies
Cornbread, sweet rolls, bagels
Enjoy fish? Get your fishing license and a pole and catch your own meals sometimes.
Pasta, instant noodles, sandwiches, chocolate satchets drinks, can cream soup with plain bread are some examples of food which are not expensive but yet are able to fill your stomach. Hope it helps.