Hungry? 4 easy and low cost meals to survive college

Studying in college can be a really exciting experience full of challenges and opportunities, especially when you study abroad. However it can be pretty hard to get used to the routine when you’re living on your own and have to make your own food. Today we bring you 4 easy, low cost and healthy meals.

When you’re always running in between classes it can be so easy to opt for junk food or anything that won’t need more than 10 minutes to prepare  Usually these things tend to be instant soups or microwave food. Which are, of course, pretty bad for your health and even though it might seem cheaper inthe long term you’ll suffer the damage in your body.

So, what are your alternatives if you’re running low on time and money? Believe it or not, there are plenty of healthy low cost solutions to help you have a better lifestyle. Trust me, once you’ve changedyour eating habits you’ll feel renovated and with so much energy. Let’s get started!

1. Oatmeal and fruits

As simple as it sounds! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; and if you want to successfully face a long study day you must not miss it. Oatmeal it is a great option that’ll make you feel full, won’t take you much time and it’s quite cheap.

Especially if you live in the U.S. you’ll find many brands, presentations and flavors, you just have to try them until you find your favorite. Some mixes only need water or milk and others need to be actually cooked, whatever you choose it won’t take you much time and if you have some leftovers you can eat them for dinner.

Extra tip! If you add fruits such as bananas or strawberries you’ll have a combo of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and potassium.

2. Lentil stew

Time to eat some lunch! Do you need to have everything done by the morning or the night before? Do you only have a couple of hours before going back to class? You can prepare a delicious lentil stew that will provide you with your daily dose of zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamins and folic acid.

How to prepare it? Well, you’ll need lentils, chopped tomatoes, onion and garlic: put all the ingredients in a pot until it boils and continue cooking for another 45 minutes with a low fire while you add some seasoning. Best thing about this dish is that you can add anything you like and complement it with rice, potatoes or salad.

You can find all the ingredients in your local supermarket at a great price.

3. Pasta with marinara sauce

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a good dish of pasta? Even though you shouldn’t eat it often, with the right sauce it can be healthy and delicious. Pasta with marinara sauce is a great example it won’t take you much time and it is super simple! Sauté onions and garlic with some tomatoes and add salt and pepper to your taste.

Keep in mind these dishes can be versatile and interpreted as much as you want: you can add some tuna, chicken or ground meat to your sauce. Just remember to always add some fresh vegetables or a salad to complete your meal.

The kitchen is the perfect place to be creative and try new things.

4. Mac and cheese

Yes, this recipe has pasta too but it might be better for dinner. But be careful! If you really want to have a healthier diet, you need to avoid buying boxed mac and cheese. Yes,it can be cheaper but believe me it´s not nutritiousand definitely not good for your body.

How can you make itfrom scratch? It’s simple and won’t take you much time: for the delicious cheese sauce you’ll need milk, cheddar cheese and a bit of sugar. All you have to do is mix it until the cheese melts and then add it to the pasta.

It’s an amazing dish for dinner and you can even add different types of cheese, corn or ham if you want something different.

To keep it short, having a balanced and healthy diet during college is easier and cheaper than you think; you just need to organize yourself weekly to buy and prepare everything you need. So no more excuses now, stay away from the junk food!!