Easy Meal-Prep Ideas and Shopping Strategies for College Students

As a full-time college student and person currently lacking a source of income, I am normally on a time crunch and a budget when it comes to planning my grocery purchases. I have been working diligently towards getting into the routine of meal-prep because a girl’s gotta eat. Oftentimes, portions of pretzels or granola bars will not suffice my hunger over the course of a long day on campus. If I do not prepare, I will find myself contemplating starvation, or splurging on buying-out by scraping funds together. This position never leaves me in a comfortable mindset with my spending or eating habits. 

I have made it a priority to research and educate myself on “smart shopping,” to assure I have enough food to satisfy my week while staying on budget. I am no expert; this change in routine has been difficult. However, in writing and searching for inspiration online, the process is both mutual as an author, and for you as the reader. 

Before Shopping 

Create lists; I suggest making three categories. A list of three items you love and cannot go without, a list of necessary items for cooking and prep purposes, and a list of the foods you intend on buying for meals that week. 

Personally, I cannot go without some form of chocolate, peanut butter, or eggs. Peanut butter is a condiment I can use in a variety of snacks, in smoothies, or just simply on toast. Eggs are my go-to breakfast of choice, as they cook fast when I am in a rush during the mornings. I struggle with self-control, so whatever chocolate I select as my treat, it must be portioned out to some extent. For example, this week I bought two bags for five dollars, of dark chocolate Reese’s cups. Each is individually wrapped so I can limit myself easier and control how long the dessert lasts. 

Some necessary items I consider for cooking and prep include avocado or olive oil for pan-cooking, bread or a form of carbohydrates to make a meal sustaining, greens for nutrients, along with almond milk and bananas to use in smoothies. 

Lastly, the foods you intend on buying are based on what you want to cook for the week ahead. When making your standard grocery list, plan all breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals for each day, with the exact ingredients you need. After buying the groceries, tape a list copy of what you bought on the fridge to remember what you have, and to help to stick to your plan.

Here are a few recipes that I enjoy making during the week, and highly recommend you try out!

Breakfast

VEGAN Peanut Butter Overnight Oats 

(Courtesy of FitFoodieFinds)

Ingredients: 

• Rolled oats (old fashioned oats!)

• Peanut butter (any nut or seed butter would work)

• Chia seeds (help suck up moisture and balance liquid ratio)

• Maple syrup (honey works too!)

• Almond milk (could be any type of milk, i.e cow, oat, or soy)

Add-ins!

• Mashed banana

• Protein powder

• Greek or non-dairy yogurt

• Mini chocolate chips

Directions: Simply mix together, in a large container of sorts, all of the ingredients (i.e. mason jar, a container of sorts, anything glass with a cover!). Refrigerate for at least two hours, and recipe lasts in a fridge up to five days!

This recipe is made up of ingredients I love and it is manageable to prepare before a busy school week ahead. I have plenty of reusable glass jars I have kept and cleaned from past food, to save for crafts and purposes such as this. Realistically, you could make breakfast overnight oat jars on Sunday night, for a five-day week ahead! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this recipe is rich with high fat, carbohydrates, and protein that makes for a good morning start. 

Lunch 

Tuna Egg Salad

(Courtesy of FitFoodieFinds)

Ingredients: 

• White albacore tuna (5 oz. cans)

• Eggs (to hard-boil)

• Red onion

• Chives

• Sauce: Greek yogurt, mayo, dijon mustard, and sriracha

• Smoked paprika, salt & pepper to taste

Directions: Cook hard-boil eggs. Drain and rinse tuna from a can. Mince two tablespoons of red onion and two tablespoons of chives. Create sauce by combining Greek yogurt, mayo, dijon, and sriracha in a bowl. Mix in tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and dry ingredients. Prepare over toast or veggies to serve.

Personally, tuna has always been a go-to lunch item since middle school. In the past, I have been hesitant to try many egg salad combinations. However, you cannot go wrong with preparing a protein-packed lunch to get through a long day of work. This meal can be prepared in any type of container, and last up to five days in the fridge. This will definitely be an idea I incorporate into my diet in the coming weeks.

Dinner

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

(Courtesy of FitFoodieFinds)

Ingredients: 

• Shredded chicken

• Greek yogurt

• Hot sauce

• Whole-wheat wraps

Add-Ins!

• Grape tomatoes

• Red onion

• Romaine lettuce

• Blue cheese crumbles

Directions:

Cook chicken and shred to your preference: grilled, baked, fried (look up the temperature and cooking time depending on method). Mix-in Greek yogurt proportion deemed suitable in a large bowl with chicken. Add-in hot sauce to create buffalo flavor. Create wraps and add vegetables such as onion, tomato, and lettuce. Add blue cheese crumbles to cool down spicy taste. Fold mixer and add-ins into a whole wheat wrap or on cabbage pieces to make an even lower-carb dinner!

As someone who is constantly tempted by buffalo-flavored wings, pizza, and more, this recipe is a great option to satisfy cravings. This takes little to no prep time, and can be made easily late at night, or to prepare for the following night dinner plan. 

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