Cooking on a budget in college can be difficult, especially when most students find their wallets more empty than full. Finding a meal for oneself might seem hard, but some students have to prepare meals for their significant others, spouses or children.
Of course students cannot always rely on fast-food for healthy and cheap meals and most students can only eat Easy-Mac or Ramen noodles for so long, before they experience additional cravings.
"Sometimes eating out can be just as costly as cooking a great meal," Laura Haywood, junior, education, said. "I would cook more if I had more time and could save money."
So how far can $10 go when planning a meal? Here are some cheap and easy dinner recipes:
Chicken offers numerous recipes for people on a budget. Chicken parmesan, lemon grilled chicken, easy-bake chicken, barbecue grilled chicken and chicken cordon bleu, are just a few examples of typical chicken entrees. For students looking for a chicken meal that is sure to please, try Easy Bake Chicken and Rice.
First, begin with these ingredients: 1 can of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of water, 3/4 cup uncooked rice, 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional), 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boneless chicken breasts.
In an average sized baking pan, mix all of the ingredients except for the chicken. After everything is combined together in the pan, place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture and bake for 45 minutes. The total cost for this meal is about $9.
Another inexpensive meal to try is tuna casserole. Begin by bringing 3/4 cups of water to a boil. Add in 1 1/2 cups of elbow macaroni. In a casserole dish, combine 1 can of flaked tuna, 1 can of condensed mushroom soup, 1/4 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of butter.
Place the soft cooked noodles on top of the ingredients and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. When the cheese is completely melted, the meal is ready to be served. The cost for this meal is about $8.
For seafood lovers, shrimp and green bean stir fry can satisfy two tastes in one. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Combine 12 ounces of fresh green beans with 1 pound of frozen peeled shrimp in a skillet or medium-sized wok.
Cook on low temperature until it is fully heated. Then add in the sauce, cooking for about two more minutes. Give time to let the dish cool, then another fast and cheap meal is finished. This meal costs approximately $9.
In the mood for Mexican? How about burritos? Brown 1/4 pound of ground beef and add a 16 ounce can of drained pinto beans. Then stir in taco seasoning, until the combined ingredients thicken. The final step is to sprinkle shredded cheese on top, with the ingredients on flour tortillas. The total ingredients for this meal cost about $8.
Instead of having a pizza delivered, students can create their own homemade supreme pizzas. Ingredients include: Pillsbury Pizza Crust, that can be found by the canned biscuits and croissants at a local grocer, tomato sauce, 1 package of pepperoni, 1 package of mozzarella cheese, 1 red and green bell pepper and 1 jar of black olives.
Flatten the pizza crust on a stone or pizza pan, spread the sauce on crust and add toppings. Bake on 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until crust is golden. Slice and enjoy this $8 meal.
Those looking for a large meal that will supply plenty of leftovers can try tomato, garlic and mushroom pasta. First, buy 1 box of spaghetti noodles, whatever kind of spaghetti sauce, 1 tomato, 1 package of chopped garlic and a package of mushrooms from the produce department. Boil noodles in pot of water until they are soft and drain. Stir in sauce, garlic and mushrooms and the meal is complete. This meal typically serves about four people and costs under $2 per serving.
Looking for a meal to warm up a cold day? The website www.betterbudgeting.com offers the recipe for cheap chili cheese cornbread. The ingredients include: 2 cans of chili with beans, shredded cheese, 1 box of Jiffy cornbread mix, 1 egg and 1/3 cup of milk. The directions say to spread the chili in a greased dish, sprinkle the cheese across the chili, stir the milk and egg into the cornbread mix and spread on top. Bake until cornbread is completely cooked. Cost for meal is $6.
A fresh recipe for vegetarian lovers is apple, walnut, raspberry salad. Toss in a head of lettuce, sliced apples, crushed walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette dressing into a salad bowl. This meal is refreshing on hot days. Meal cost is $6.
For a cheap delicious desert, fruit pizza is an option. The ingredients needed are 1 package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough, 1 package of cream cheese, 1 container of frozen whipped topping, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and sliced fruit of choice.
Bake cookie dough for 10 to 12 minutes. Spread cream cheese and whipped cream on dough. Add lemon juice over cream mixture and arrange the fruit. Let the desert chill for one to two hours in refrigerator and then serve. Cost is $7.
Not in the mood for a huge meal and looking for a snack? Pigs in a blanket are cheap and easy. Lay croissants on baking pan and use a knife to insert a hole in the middle. Place little smokies between croissants and bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. This finger-food snack costs about $5.
When shopping and planning a dinner, many stu dents look for the most reasonable and practical ways to save money. Jennifer Oberholz, graduate student, education, does many things to save money on groceries.
"I try to look for things on sale, buy generic store-brand products and usually go to Sam's Wholesale," she said.
With these tips in mind, students can be on their way to cooking more affordable meals.
Easy Bake Chicken & Rice 1 can of cream of chicken soup 1 cup of water 3/4 cup uncooked rice 1/2 teaspoon paprika(optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper boneless chicken breasts
Fruit Pizza Dessert 1 package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1 package of cream cheese 1 container of frozen whipped topping 2 tablespoons of lemon juice Sliced fruit of choice.
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