So I thought I would offer some suggestions on meals that are affordable for college students, as well as being tasty and good for you, as well!
As mentioned, the
Pizza-English muffin.
Of course, you could get actual pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, Hormel pepperoni and call it a meal... however there are ways of making it involving less specialized ingredients (read: the ingredients can be used for other things besides pizza muffins!). Instead of using labeled "Pizza sauce" use your favorite canned spaghetti sauce (I personally like Paul Newman and Bertolli brands!). Because plain pizza sauce tastes boring to me, and whenever you eat really good pizza the sauce is usually flavored with different spices- it's not just tomato paste. So therefore you will be creating a tastier meal, and then you can also use the SAME jar of pasta sauce for making spaghetti meals as well! Convenient!
Also, instead of buying shredded mozzarella cheese which you will probably never use except for pizza related items... just use anytime of sliced cheese such as Provolone or Colby Jack that you can also use for sandwiches. It melts and tastes pretty much the same! And for a healthier alternative to regular pepperoni- get turkey pepperoni. It tastes literally EXACTLY the same and has SO many fewer calories than the normal kind. Plus it's just generally better for you! I also like to eat the pepperoni with cheese on wheat thins as a snack. Also, if you are not a fan of English muffins- this tasty treat can also be converted onto a bagel! Which you can also eat for breakfast as well.
Cheesy Chicken Sandwich
A personal favorite... this one is really helpful if you have a George Foreman grill (Something I would recommend to ANYONE to get if you do not have one already.)
But anyways, You start out with a frozen chicken tenderloin or two, depending on how big they are. These usually come in a big bag and are in the frozen section. They are much easier to handle and prepare to me than normal chicken breasts, as they are already cut and all you have to do is run it under hot water for a minute without dealing with the squishy raw chicken factor. Pop them on the grill, adding some Italian or Greek dressing, or any other type of seasoning if you want! In the meantime get 2 pieces of wheat bread, and assemble it with whatever your favorite cheese is. I like to use Provolone for this. Once the chicken is done cooking, incorporate it into the sandwich and put it back on the grill for about a minute or two. It's cheesy, chickeny goodness will make you happy you read this blog.
Voila Meals
I don't know if everyone knows about these wonderful meals...but all you have to do is put the whole bag into a skillet and let it cook for 10 minutes. There are different flavors, and the bags are pretty cheap and feed 2-3 people (depending on how hungry you are!) They are not too bad on calories at all, either!
Campbell's Healthy Request Soups
Yummy, healthy, warm, and soothing.
Kashi/ Amy's Organic Frozen Meals
Okay, so these may not be the cheapest things you can buy. BUT. They are amazing. Microwave meal food that does not taste like microwave meal food. Plus they are really healthy, unlike the $1 Michelina Fettucine Alfredo meals that pack on tons of calories without any substance!
Now, these are some food items that I always have on my shopping list, and the reasons why I love them so.
Pizza-English muffin.
Of course, you could get actual pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, Hormel pepperoni and call it a meal... however there are ways of making it involving less specialized ingredients (read: the ingredients can be used for other things besides pizza muffins!). Instead of using labeled "Pizza sauce" use your favorite canned spaghetti sauce (I personally like Paul Newman and Bertolli brands!). Because plain pizza sauce tastes boring to me, and whenever you eat really good pizza the sauce is usually flavored with different spices- it's not just tomato paste. So therefore you will be creating a tastier meal, and then you can also use the SAME jar of pasta sauce for making spaghetti meals as well! Convenient!
Also, instead of buying shredded mozzarella cheese which you will probably never use except for pizza related items... just use anytime of sliced cheese such as Provolone or Colby Jack that you can also use for sandwiches. It melts and tastes pretty much the same! And for a healthier alternative to regular pepperoni- get turkey pepperoni. It tastes literally EXACTLY the same and has SO many fewer calories than the normal kind. Plus it's just generally better for you! I also like to eat the pepperoni with cheese on wheat thins as a snack. Also, if you are not a fan of English muffins- this tasty treat can also be converted onto a bagel! Which you can also eat for breakfast as well.
Cheesy Chicken Sandwich
A personal favorite... this one is really helpful if you have a George Foreman grill (Something I would recommend to ANYONE to get if you do not have one already.)
But anyways, You start out with a frozen chicken tenderloin or two, depending on how big they are. These usually come in a big bag and are in the frozen section. They are much easier to handle and prepare to me than normal chicken breasts, as they are already cut and all you have to do is run it under hot water for a minute without dealing with the squishy raw chicken factor. Pop them on the grill, adding some Italian or Greek dressing, or any other type of seasoning if you want! In the meantime get 2 pieces of wheat bread, and assemble it with whatever your favorite cheese is. I like to use Provolone for this. Once the chicken is done cooking, incorporate it into the sandwich and put it back on the grill for about a minute or two. It's cheesy, chickeny goodness will make you happy you read this blog.
Voila Meals
I don't know if everyone knows about these wonderful meals...but all you have to do is put the whole bag into a skillet and let it cook for 10 minutes. There are different flavors, and the bags are pretty cheap and feed 2-3 people (depending on how hungry you are!) They are not too bad on calories at all, either!
Campbell's Healthy Request Soups
Yummy, healthy, warm, and soothing.
Kashi/ Amy's Organic Frozen Meals
Okay, so these may not be the cheapest things you can buy. BUT. They are amazing. Microwave meal food that does not taste like microwave meal food. Plus they are really healthy, unlike the $1 Michelina Fettucine Alfredo meals that pack on tons of calories without any substance!
Now, these are some food items that I always have on my shopping list, and the reasons why I love them so.
- Laughing Cow Cheese- these wonderful little soft-cheese wedges can be used as a replacement for cheese AND mayo for sandwiches- (for those who like the creamy texture of mayo on a sandwich...without the fat or taste!) And they are really tasty as well. They come in different flavors too, like Swiss, Garlic & Herb, etc. I also like to munch them with wheat thins/crackers. Such a great product!
- Yoplait Yogurt- these satisfy my sweet cravings without being too indulgent because they come in flavors such as Boston Cream Pie, Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Cheesecake, etc.
- Wheat thins- just great for snacking, always!
- Fruit- I love oranges, and pears.
- Corn Chex- yes, just the plain corn chex cereal. It is great to snack on... and is one of the healthier cereals with the least amount of sugar! I have eaten like literally a half a box of this at a time. Whenever I have it there are always chex pieces smooshed on my dorm room floor, haha!
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