5 Healthy Meals for College Students on a Budget

Many students struggle with trying to find a healthy diet that fits their budget. With all the different college expenses and expectations, this can be very stressful. I personally struggled with this very often freshman year. My weeks were filled with trying to find a diet that fit my lifestyle, while also paying for my meal plan and the quick meals I could make in my dorm. Transitioning into a new year of online classes has been very different. Students have been spending more time in their dorms and apartments than ever before. This gives students more time to grocery shop, discover new recipes, and meal prep. 

A great tip for meal prepping is to buy all the seasoning you will need at the beginning of the year. This way, you can avoid other expenses during the school year and an extra trip to the grocery store.  These are five healthy options that can help students get into the habit of eating healthy on a budget:

Cooked vegetables with chicken

a. Cooked vegetables with chicken is easy, cheap, and will last a long time. My favorite vegetables to season and put in the oven are broccoli, brussel sprouts, or asparagus. So, all you need is your choice of vegetable, chicken breasts, olive oil, salt, pepper, a stove top, and oven. 

b. First, preheat your oven. Cut your vegetables and put them on a pan that can be put into an oven. Depending on your preferences, pour some olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper over the cut vegetables. You can also add garlic powder for extra flavor. Mix them around to make sure they are fully seasoned and will cook properly in the oven. Once this is finished and the oven is preheated, cook to vegetables for approximately 20-25 minutes. 

c. While the vegetables are cooking, take your pre cut chicken breasts and put them on a cutting board. Do the same thing as the vegetables: season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and anything else you prefer. Spray your pan and cook each side of the chicken for about 1-2 minutes, or until there is no pink left. 

d. Once both of these are done, package them up and enjoy them for lunch or dinner! This is the perfect meal to make in college. It is cheap, quick, and filled with nutrients. You can also add the vegetables or chicken as a side of any other dish you decide to make. 

Rice and Beans 

a. Although this meal sounds super easy and traditional, it is one of the best tasting, and easiest meals to make. It is basically based entirely on your preference. All you need is your rice and beans of choice, and some seasoning.

b. Cook your rice, mix in your beans, and enjoy! This can also be packaged and kept in the refrigerator for future meals. 

c. Make sure to experiment with different kinds of rice and beans to find new flavors that compliment other meals! 

Sweet Potatoes

This is also a super quick and easy meal. All that’s needed is a sweet potato any size, a microwave, butter, seasoning, and a fork. 

a. Before putting the sweet potato into the microwave, make sure to poke a few holes into it with a fork to allow it to cook properly. Then place the potato in the microwave for about five minutes. Flip it halfway through so both sides will cook evenly. Once the potato is done cooking, cut it horizontally in the middle. Put a few slices of butter on it, along with salt and pepper to give it more flavor. It is ready to be eaten once the butter is melted! 

b. Sweet potatoes are super cheap and stay good for a very long time. This is a great meal if you’re on a time crunch and need to make something that is super quick and tasty. It can also be paired with some chicken or other vegetables for added nutrients! 

Yogurt, granola, and some added fruit

This meal can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

a. You’re yogurt, granola, and fruit of choice is all that’s needed. I usually use vanilla yogurt, peanut butter granola, and bananas. The vanilla yogurt and peanut butter granola go perfectly with the banana. You can even add a little honey for some extra flavor. 

b. This meal can be made many different ways and with many different flavors, so most of it depends on your preferences. It is a super good choice if you want to make something simple, instead of meal prepping and planning. 

Quinoa Bowl 

A quinoa bowl is super easy to make, and you can basically include anything you want. For an easy recipe, you can include red peppers, chickpeas, and chicken for protein. 

a. First, start by boiling your quinoa. Make sure to follow the directions on the back of the bag. 

b. Then, cut your peppers and pour them into a pan to start roasting them. Make sure to also pour some olive oil so the peppers do not burn. Cook for about five minutes, or until they’re soft. To cook the chicken, use the directions in Meal #1. 

c. When everything is done, mix the peppers, chicken, chickpeas, and quinoa together to enjoy a flavorful and healthy quinoa bowl! Add some salt and pepper for extra flavor. 

Eating healthy as a college student is always difficult. It takes lots of time and effort to find specific meals that are both healthy and not too expensive. However, these five meals are easy to cook in less than an hour. Although these meals may seem basic, they have lots of nutrients and a variety of flavors that will help you discover other meals to experiment with.