I’ve always been interested in meal prepping. I have maybe tried it once or twice, until this year. My busy school and work schedule have me out of the house from eight-to-five every day. This leaves me with only 15 minutes between classes – I either could spend seven dollars a day at the cafeteria or food places on campus, or just not eat. Neither one was doing it for me. I decided the best option for my stomach and wallet was to meal prep and bring a meal to work. Over the past few weeks, I have made a variety of meals. I usually freeze them so they are fresh during the week, throw them in my bag and reheat them at work. Knowing where to start for meal prepping is half the battle. So, to help, I have compiled a grocery list for you to screen shot below, as well as a few of my favorite meals. The ingredients are inexpensive and last a while, making it the perfect grocery list for any broke college student. Plus these are meals and ingredients I have actually used and loved myself. There is of course a million other things you can meal prep with, but these are my go-to’s.
GROCERY LIST
- Sweet potatoes
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Frozen chicken thighs or breast
- Frozen veggies (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, peas, corn)
- Ground turkey
- Yogurt
- Wheat tortillas
- Minced garlic
- Onion
- Apples
- Vanilla yogurt
- Frozen fruit
- Oatmeal
- Craisins
- Protein powder- vanilla (Great to add to smoothies or oats)
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive Oil
- Spinach and/or arugula
- Salt and pepper
- Any additional spices (I like lemon pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes)
- Tupperware (super cheap at the dollar store)
MEAL IDEAS:
- Lemon pepper chicken with rice
- Sweet potatoes and broccoli roasted in the oven with olive oil and garlic, with some chicken on the side
- Veggie fried rice with ground turkey
- Basic spinach salad with dressing of your choice, sprinkled with craisins
- Quesadilla
- Smoothie
Meal prep on!