How to eat balanced meals on a college budget?

[juststrollin]

Is this even possible?

I mean, I have a decent budget for food, but the oven in my dorms are removed because theyre afraid someone will burn down the building -.-

I feel like my diet isn't helping me feel good, I feel a little crappy now (Had a huge thing of frenchfries and 3 bubble teas yesturday, 2 chicken wings...). How do you eat balanced meals only on stove top and microwave? Plus what are good foods to eat full of vitamins and minerals thats not so much red meat?

[aamy811]

But some pans because I only really ever use my stove top.
Try meal prepping because then you can make it one day and then warm it up in the microwave everyday after for a quick meal.
Get a diet primarily of veg. Some lean cheap protein like chicken breast and turkey. And buy filler foods like rice and potatoes that are cheap but get some old starchy carbs in you.
Something I make a lot is stir fry. You can be prep axles sturdy veggies or just get bell peppers, green beans, and onions. Cut up some chicken, sautée in pan, add veggies and sautée. make some rice. And you have several days of meals.
Oatmeal is great because oats are cheap. I get the regular rolled oats because they keep you fuller longer. Make them in the microwave. Buy some Berries or apples (apples are cheap). Get some cinnamon and honey. And you got breakfast.
You can marinade some chicken breasts and just dry them up so make chicken sandwiches. Them add lettuce, onion, tomatoe, and mustard for some flair.
Healthy food doesn't have tobe expensive. If you live with others or have friends you can split the cost of a costco card so you can buy in bulk to save money. Especially bulk frozen veggies.

[aamy811]

Also I got more ideas than this just ask if your stuck in a rut.

[Wondahwoman]

I know all about this! I once cooked an entire Thanksgiving dinner with a hot plate, electric frying pan, toaster oven, microwave, and a spit in the fire place.. (My stove was broken) it can be done if you're creative.

Try looking in to one pot or one pan meals such as stir fry. It can be realistically easy to cook, healthy and cheap. There's also an AP if you have a smart phone that could come in handy called "food network in the kitchen" you can click on chefs that specialize in cooking cheap or healthy meals (that taste great!) look up recipes, get ideas. Anything.

Since cooking isn't always an option and you're trying to stay away from unhealthy foods, maybe get some raw vegetables like carrot sticks to carry around with you (sounds crazy I know but I do it all of the time) you can munch on them all day and it really does help avoid gorging on a large fry. I carry apples, granola bars, and sometimes nuts too.

[juststrollin]

stir fry sounds good

[meatballs21]

The stove seems far more likely to burn down the building than the oven, but whatevs...

Buy a frying pan, two pots and a grilling pan like this one:

ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Q6PDRREML.jpg

Using the grilling pan you can cook things like chicken breasts, sausages, steaks, pork chops... without needing to fry them.

With the pots, you can boil or steam vegetables, pasta, and rice.

The frying pan... should be obvious.

Make salads! Breaded chicken + romaine lettuce + croutons + dressing = chicken caesar salad! Ground beef + lettuce + tomato + avocado + tortilla chips = taco salad!

I don't even have a microwave.

[juststrollin]

wow I didn't think of taco salad sounds so good ;0 might have that tonight thank you. How lame to not have a microwave :( Im sorry. Another cheap thing I found was a tuna melt--not so healthy though ;/

[meatballs21]

I don't have a microwave by choice - I wouldn't use it, I cook everything on the stove/in the oven. The last microwave I had was only ever used to heat milk for making coffee.

There's lots of healthy things you can eat on a tight budget that you can cook on the stove. Buy a chicken breast, some brown rice, and some veggies (maybe peas or green beans). Boil or steam the veggies and rice, season the chicken or buy a tasty BBQ style sauce for it, and cook it on the grill pan.

Oh, and eat some fruit! Bananas last a long time if you keep them in the fridge. A bag of apples or oranges will last you a week. Pineapple and grapes will last a week in the fridge too. Invest in some tupperware containers and ziploc bags to save your leftovers or ingredients that you haven't used. If I buy a pack of sausages, I eat two and lock the other four in a bag until I want them. If I make chicken curry, I use half the chicken breast and save the other in a bag for the following night.

[juststrollin]

I'm orry it was early and I thought you were also a student lol. Thank you I had taco salad tonight (tried to make it lol)

[meatballs21]

Thanks for MHO! Here's the more detailed version of my taco salad:
Tear a romaine lettuce heart to shreds into a bowl.
Put some ground beef into the frying pan - I use about 100-150g worth, so the standard 475g packs you get at the super market means I can make three salads - and keep stirring it until it's brown. You shouldn't need oil, the meat's natural juices will suffice. Remove it from the heat and drain it.
Chop up the tomato and avocado and throw into the bowl with the lettuce.
Grate some cheese on top if you like.
Throw in the beef
Smash some Doritos into small pieces into the bowl.
Add dressing! Catalina works best, Ranch is also good.
Toss it, and add some more dressing and Doritos if needed.
Eat!

It does NOT keep well, so make it fresh every night you're having it.

[soberpiper]

if you can have a small refrigerator in your dorm room that would give you some nice options. Fruits, veggies, sliced turkey breast, canned tuna, whole wheat crackers, energy bars, bottled water, etc.. Lots of things you can do. With a limited budget and the desire to stay on the healthy side I'd avoid restaurants and fast foods. They are expensive and seldom offer healthy options. The campus cafeteria is genrally not the best place to eat healthy but I think more of them nowadays have healthier choices.

[springocelot]

Cheap filling foods include:
*rice or wheat pasta
*beans (make sure to soak and rinse very well before eating)
*eggs

I'd build your meals around those. There's lots of things you can do like others said - grill, stir-fry, make soups or salads just with stove-top or microwave.

For example, I'd sometimes make an egg soup made with corn, red bell-pepper, potato, green onion, spices then you add in the eggs and maybe some chicken too.

Also, have plenty of spices to liven up your meals. They're cheap and they last long.

[ccp16]

Ya good luck, even then the food programs at Uni make massive profits, it is insane to be honest.

Really makes you understand why poor people tend to be overweight... even with a decent income the healthy stuff always costs more!

[juststrollin]

I oce read that the higher income some people have the more protein rich diet they have and the poorer the more carbs ;p very true they are expensive

[Cjanes]

Steam vegetables, 1inch of water in mirowaveablr container with lid. Add spices to taste.
Chicken can be done 100 different ways on stove top easy way is to cut in strips spice if and then fry it in a water based sauce.
If you want recipes just google stove top recipes you will figure it out

[tattooedhandfet]

Spinach you can steam it. It'll boost energy levels as well as cleans your digestive tract, from the fiber. You can also eat plent of beans and this is an excellent source of protein. Which means it'll keep you fuller longer... you can always make smoothies to get your dairy as wells as your fruits all some nuts and chocolate (dark) to ward off headaches as well as having a delicious snack😊

[dashyguydotcom]

I don't know where you live, but here in Germany I can live a Bulking-Diet with about 60-80€ per month... basically just buy everything you need in a grocery store and cook stuff on your own

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

You can buy them Healthy Choice meals that you use for the microwave
stay away from drinks high in sugar , i know people say diet stuff is not good
i buy that low sugar ice tea with lemon ,

[IProbablyFallMore]

Make a huge pot of soup with seasonal veg (much more inexpensive than you may think) and you can eat this for dinner for a long time

[Anonymous]

I would recommend going to a cafeteria eating bald and meat.

[bubbletrouble]

All the healthy non processed food is expensive which is why college students pack on the pounds