Adulting is hard. We know that. Making lunch and dinner for yourself is also hard. We know that too. Stepping into the kitchen for many of us who don’t have a meal plan and don’t know the first thing about real cooking can be a daunting thing. Even hitting the infamous Trader Joe’s at Union Square is terrifying—how are you supposed to stand in that line when you don’t even know what to buy?! But have no fear! Here is a list of some awesome, healthy, but most importantly, easy recipes for you to try out this week.
1. Chicken Pita Pockets
These chicken pita pockets are portable for lunch, and just as tasty too! Packed with fresh vegetables and healthy protein, they are guilt-free. Greek yogurt lovers will absolutely fall in love with this recipe. You can also use whole-wheat pita bread if you are on an extra healthy kick!
2. Avocado Chicken Quesadillas
Use the leftover chicken that you grilled for the pita pockets to make these awesome chicken avocado quesadillas (one point for being a resourceful adult!). There is nothing to hate about this combination—chicken, mashed avocados, and melted cheese will make your tastebuds sing.
3. Easy Burrito Bowls
We all know that every time we hit Chipotle, we’re breaking our banks little by little. It’s not exactly the cheapest option, but we just can’t help getting those burrito bowls!!! Luckily, we have a cheaper, and much healthier option for you. And even though it definitely doesn’t taste exactly the same as the burrito bowl you get with extra guac and sour cream, it’s a close second.
4. Chickpea and Greek Salad Sandwich
Everyone who packs their lunches is probably so sick of sandwiches that they don’t ever want to see or eat them again. And yet, one has made this very list! Trust us, this spin on the traditional greek salad is to die for! With fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and olives, this sandwich is a definite alternative for your standard turkey and cheese. And it’s pretty guilt-free too!
5. Pasta with Vodka Sauce—without the Vodka
This awesome recipe from the blog, Scattered Thoughts of A Crafty Mom, is for those of you who love penne vodka, but kind of hate the sauce that comes in the jar. The great thing about penne is how easy it is to make and meal prep for the next couple of days. Designate portions of it after making a big batch, and you’ll be surprised how long it will last.
6. Pesto Pasta for the Vegans
Pasta is great, pasta is easy, and pasta is low maintenance. But when you eat the same kind of pasta everyday or you are conscious of the amount of carbs you’re consuming, you might need to watch out. This pesto pasta, while a good choice for vegans, is also a healthy option for those who are watching what they eat. It’s filled with the bitterness of arugula that we all love, the tanginess of sun-dried tomatoes, and the rich and warm flavor of pine nuts. It is so worth your Sunday night to make for the week.
7. One Pan Salmon and Veggies
Buzzfeed’s Tasty videos are a godsend and a curse at the same time. We’ve all probably bookmarked a bunch of recipes because they’re either a) looked aesthetically pleasing, or b) were just super hungry at the time. There’s no shame in that. At least we’re showing some interest in actually cooking for ourselves, right? For those interested in taking the dive and making something those Buzzfeed professionals have so flawlessly cooked, here is a link to recipes for several salmon dinners. Don’t worry, these one pan salmon dinners are incredibly easy to make—all you really need is a pan and parchment paper, and we let the oven do the rest!
8. One Pan Chicken and Veggies
If you want to mix it up a bit, here’s a link to 7 chicken dinners! Since we’re college students, we really can’t afford to treat ourselves to steak every night (oh, how we wish), but that also doesn’t mean that we should be surviving off of instant ramen noodles and water. It is so important to have a well-balanced diet, and part of that includes getting our intake of protein. Buying boneless chicken breast at Trader Joe’s is a great, and very cheap option. You can do so much with them, but pan dinners are just really easy and quick to make. If you have leftovers, it can even double as a packable lunch for the next day!