Healthy And Budget Friendly Meals For University Students

I’m a college student, and I’m always looking for healthy and budget-friendly meals for university students. Let’s face it we’re in college and sometimes we opt for questionable food choice to save a buck. Instant Ramen, Hot Pockets, and pre-made dinners are the usual go to. However, college students don’t need to give up healthy options to stick within their budgets. There are a lot of great recipe options out there that are well within a college students budget and will promote a healthy lifestyle. Today, I am going to share with you healthy and budget-friendly meals I have tried myself!

Breakfast

Breakfast, it’s the most important meal of the day. I know in the past I haven’t been great about fitting breakfast into my busy schedule. When I did it usually was a Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwich or something like that. Instead of grabbing one of those from now on I’m going to choose one of these amazing recipes.

Blueberry Pecan Overnight Oatmeal

It only takes ten minutes to prep this oatmeal. After those ten minutes, the oats and other ingredients have to sit overnight. Then in the morning you heat it and take it on the go. All you need for this are oats, blueberries, water, and maple syrup.

Peanut Butter-Banana English Muffin

This is probably one of the easiest breakfasts of all time. It only takes about 5 minutes to make. Pop the English muffin in the toaster when packing up for school and then quickly spread on the PB and banana! Voila, you have a healthy and budget-friendly meal!

English Muffin + Slice of Cheddar (1/2 ounce) + Avocado + Tomato

This is for those of you who need a little more substance in the morning. I try to prep a little the night before if I can. Pre-cut the cheddar, tomato and I buy pre smashed avocado. It’s also delicious if you add an egg to it!

Lunch

Lunch as a college student can be a little hectic. Schedules sometimes keep us from eating lunch at a regular time. I remember one year I couldn’t even eat lunch until 3 in the afternoon. Also if you live off campus, you usually prefer to bring your lunch. I found/tried some of the easiest and yummiest meals to meal prep for lunch. Seriously the best!

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

It may be my opinion, but for lunch sometimes I prefer to eat something more of substance. These teriyaki chicken stir fry bowls are a lifesaver! It includes rice, roasted vegetables, and teriyaki chicken. It hits multiple food groups and will fill you up until you have time to make dinner.

Chicken & Avocado Pitta

This is a meal you want to make the night before, but it is so worth it! This wrap only takes nine ingredients and only has five steps to make! It includes so many healthy and fresh ingredients and is so simple to make. Just looking at this picture makes my mouth water.

Easy Burrito Bowl

The great thing about this meal is you can tailor it to yourself. Choose your beans, meat or even make it vegetarian. It’s an easy and budget-friendly meal to make the night before a big day of classes. This will keep you filled for the rest of the day.

Dinner

After a long day at school, it seems grueling to make yourself dinner. However, you know you feel better after a substantial meal rather than snacking on chips. The following dinner recipes are so easy to make you won’t even mind the effort!

5 Ingredient Lemon Chicken With Asparagus

It only takes five ingredients to make? Count me in! It only takes 20 minutes to make, including prep time! Plus it’s a one pan type of meal which is extremely easy. Also, the leftovers can easily be used for your lunch the next day.

Easy Pasta with Spinach, Tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese

There’s nothing like a big bowl of pasta to calm you down after a long day at school. This meal only takes 20 minutes to make and is done in 2 steps. Plus unlike heavy pasta dishes, this one is light and also carries a lot of nutritional value!

Smothered Greek Broccoli With Roasted Lemon

This is for those of you who are looking for lighter meal options. I’ve always been a sucker for roasted veggies, but this recipe is my new favorite. It’s light, healthy, and is so yummy! If I’m feeling extra hungry when I make this I either pair it with brown rice or quinoa.