The financially strapped college student living on ramen and pizza may be a way of life for some, but that doesn’t mean college students can’t eat healthy meals on a budget.
Short of taking out yet another loan, how can students eat well at a reasonable price? Monique Mills, a culinary arts student at CNM, gives advice on ways to pump up an average college meal.
A tip to all college students is to plan meals ahead of time.
“That way you can look for the deals,” Mills said. “There’s always deals on meat. If you’re looking for red meat, make sure you find ones that have really good marbling in it … Those lines are actually fat and will add to the juiciness of the steak.”
She said chicken is much cheaper in bulk now that it’s being mass-produced, and can be frozen and used when needed.
Mills said she tries to keep her meals balanced. Vegetables, a protein, and a starch make a sufficient meal. To dress up a college stand-by like ramen noodles, Mills recommends adding protein or vegetables. This turns an unhealthy snack into a full meal in a bowl.
To prepare one of her favorite chicken dishes, Mills said she steams frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.
Mills said many college students have misconceptions about the nutrient content of food. For example, she said people have the misguided notion that the toppings on a pizza make it healthy.
“Everything is processed,” she said. “Like the frozen dinners, all of that is compacted with salt to preserve the flavor, preserve the color.”
Easy Recipe:
•Steam a bag of frozen cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots.
•Marinate chicken thighs in Worcestershire sauce or any other sauce on hand.
•Sprinkle the thighs with sesame seeds.
•Sauté or fry the thighs in a pan.
•Warm up a frozen bag of brown rice or potatoes.
•Serve chicken and vegetables over or alongside rice or potatoes.
Tips:
•Stay away from a steady diet of pizza.
•Buy in bulk.
•Buy store brands — they’re cheaper.
•Never go to the store hungry!
•Good Seasonings:
•Worcestershire sauce
•Spike seasoning
•Old Bay seasoning
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