Cheap Easy College Meals

As a first year graduate student, I am now accustomed to the "cheap meal" mantra that most poor college students are indoctrinated with. I can track my experiments/experiences from freshman year to now in balancing how not to starve while at the same time not breaking the bank. First it was dining hall and Ramen noodles, then it was PB&J and turkey and cheese sandwiches, then it was buy everything at Subway, and now I'm actually attempting to learn how to cook. It is a slow and tedious process made more annoying by how many fresh ingredients are required for a lot of recipes! I decided it was important that I share with the world my cheap/easy recipes for poor college students.

*With all of these recipes I recommend drinking with fruit juice or V8 Fusion to hit all your basic food groups*

Chicken Meatballs with Pasta alla Vodka
Olive Oil
1 Egg
Ground Chicken (or other meat)
Salt
Pasta (Fettucine, Spaghetti, etc.)
Vodka Sauce (or other flavors of pasta sauce)

Meatballs:

1 Place ground chicken, egg, and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium bowl. 

2 Knead mixture together with hand until evenly combined. 

3 Form mixture into 1-inch balls. (2-inch patties for recipe below)

4 In large non-stick skillet, warm olive oil over high heat. 

5 Place meatballs in pan, up to 8 at a time, and cook until all sides are browned, approximately 8 minutes for each meatball. 

 

Pasta:

1. Cook pasta as directed on box

2. Add sauce and meatballs and enjoy!

(This recipe is a cheaper, easier adaptation of the delicious recipe provided by user Hep Mep at: http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-meatballs-for-spaghetti-and-meatballs-52420)

 

Leftover Meatball Sliders

 Leftover chicken meatballs/patties

Hawaiian rolls (or your favorite bread/roll/biscuit)

Block of favorite cheese

Lettuce or Spinach

Miracle Whip (or your favorite condiment)

 

1. Take leftover meatballs out of the fridge and heat up in the microwave for approximately 15 seconds.

2. Break apart Hawaiian roll.

3. Spread Miracle Whip, cut a few pieces of cheese, and assemble sandwiches.

Grilled Chicken (best on George Foreman Grill)

Chicken Breasts/ Filets/ or Cutlets

Olive Oil

Frozen Broccoli

Shredded Cheese

alternate version: barbecue sauce

1. Soak raw chicken in olive oil.

2. Grill chicken

3. Sprinkle cheese on top and watch it melt or smother in barbecue sauce

4. Pour frozen broccoli cuts in a microwave-safe bowl, pour in a couple of teaspoons of water, and heat in microwave for 4 minutes.

5. Take out of the microwave and sprinkle cheese on broccoli for delicious side.

Everything Salad

 Lettuce or Spinach

Cheese

Fruit or vegetables you bought that week (apples, grapes, strawberries, red bell pepper, etc.)

Leftover Grilled Chicken

Raspberry Vinaigrette (or salad dressing of your choice)

1. Cut up fruits and veggies and assemble all ingredients in bowl and enjoy!

Veggie Scramble

2 Eggs

Bag of Frozen Vegetables (Seasoning Blend and Spinach) and any fresh vegetables you bought

Milk

Shredded Cheese

1. Heat up skillet/pan and spray with non-stick spray.

2. Pour out some spinach and other vegetables and cook

3. Stir eggs and a little bit of milk together in bowl

4. Pour egg mixture into skillet

5. Push corners and flip for scrambled eggs

6. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top and enjoy!

Other Recommendations for snacks/meals:

Mrs. T's Spinach and Feta Pierogies (cook as directed and smother in butter :)

Mac and Cheese (just need milk and butter)

Fiber One Cereal (just need milk)

Yogurt Granola Parfaits (2.99 at Publix)

Hard Boiled Eggs (just need salt)

 

*Note: I like things pretty bland but a dash of Everglades seasoning on a lot of these goes a long way for me. Obviously each recipe can be expanded and improved upon, but I've found these to be cheap, fast, easy and tasty.