Going off your college meal plan can feel exciting, but it is also quite intimidating. I was in the same boat last year, about to enter my sophomore year, and realizing I had very little experience in the kitchen. I didn’t want to rely on takeout every night, so I researched, experimented, and learned. Along this journey, I not only gained confidence in the kitchen, but I curated a list of my all-time favorite recipes that I always have on hand as a broke and busy college student.
Featured below are my top 10 favorite meals that are affordable, relatively easy to prepare, and nutritious!
Sweet Potato Beef Taco Bowl
If I had to pick one recipe to share with you, this would be the one. This flavorful Sweet Potato Beef Taco Bowl is full of fresh ingredients and packed with protein, both of which are sure to leave you feeling satisfied and nourished.
As a college student, I love bowl recipes because they are so easy to prep and perfect for meal planning! However, if you’re not meal prepping, I suggest buying precut frozen sweet potatoes instead, as I have found that cubing raw sweet potatoes by hand is the most time-consuming part.
Homemade French Bread Pizza
While it’s not as simple as throwing a frozen pizza in the oven, making homemade French bread pizza is much easier than you think! The linked recipe is a great place to start, but feel free to customize ingredients to your liking. When I make this meal, I like to keep it simple: fresh French bread, olive oil, minced garlic, jar sauce (I like Bertolli’s Tomato & Basil), precut fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and Italian spices. Believe me, you will never go back to frozen French bread pizza after you try this!
Boursin Pasta
This pasta went viral on TikTok in 2021 and has become a staple in the kitchen ever since I started cooking for myself. Besides the ingredients, all it takes is one sheet pan and a pot to cook this recipe, making it ideal for post-dinner clean-up. When I make this dish, I like to add chopped zucchini and yellow squash to my pan because it boosts nutrition, flavor, and texture! I prefer to use Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs, but I recommend experimenting with other flavors as well.
Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Vegetables
If you’re looking for the perfect dish to meal prep your lunches throughout the week, this is the one. I also love this dish because its main base is quinoa, a superfood rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients. If you haven’t had quinoa before, think of it as a lighter, more nutritional version of white rice. However, quinoa isn’t the most budget-friendly, so a good alternative is brown rice.
This meal is so colorful and a great way to get your veggies in during the week. It’s also highly customizable. For example, I often swap out the roasted red onion for pickled red onion, as I feel it adds savory flavor and extra crunch!
Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
Tangy, delicious, and effortlessly nutritious is how I would describe this dish. The Clean Eating Couple is one of my favorite places to look for easy-to-make, quick, and healthy meals. Each recipe on their website is extremely organized and informational. They even provide substitutes for most of the ingredients! For instance, in this specific dish, I prefer to use frozen teriyaki chicken thighs and mixed vegetables because they speed up the process and add that delicious teriyaki flavor.
BBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
Another section, another bowl recipe. These BBQ Chicken Rice Bowls are so easy to make and are packed with sweet and savory flavor. BBQ sauce and ranch dressing may sound like an outrageous combination, but in this dish, they’re a match made in food heaven. When I plate these bowls, I like to mix all the ingredients and use tortilla strips to dish it all out, giving me the perfect bite with a salty crunch. If you have the time, I also recommend adding some fresh avocado or homemade guacamole!
Healthy Sloppy Joe
What better way to end the day than with a hearty and healthy sloppy joe sandwich? This recipe sneaks so many veggies into this American classic, and the best part is you don’t even realize it! With this recipe, you still get that sweet and savory tang from the Worcestershire sauce and spices without any unnecessary added sugars.
When I make this dish, I like to pair my veggie-packed sloppy joe mixture with a multigrain burger bun and some crispy sweet potato fries for extra Vitamin A and antioxidants!
Turkey Burger Bowls
Whenever I’m craving a burger, but don’t feel like adding the extra carbs, this recipe is my go-to. The recipe calls for ground turkey, which I typically use, but can be easily substituted with ground beef. If you’re a pickle lover like me, you will love the homemade burger sauce, which doubles as the perfect dipping sauce for chicken tenders! Like the other bowl recipes I have mentioned, these Turkey Burger Bowls are super easy to whip up and meal plan, making it a great option for busy nights and exam weeks.
Spicy Garlic Vodka Pasta with Burrata
This one is for all the girlies who love authentic vodka pasta…but are not yet 21. This recipe uses Bertolli’s jarred Garlic Vodka sauce, which is a great alternative to traditional vodka sauce. However, in this recipe, I prefer to sprinkle in a generous amount of red pepper flakes instead of Calabrian chiles.
The fresh burrata pairs wonderfully with this dish, adding a creamy component to neutralize the heat whilst maintaining the flavor. As a side, I suggest simple, homemade garlic bread to spread your pasta on top of, or eat alone.
High Protein Breakfast Bagel
If you have back-to-back morning classes and need a filling breakfast to get you through lunch, this High Protein Breakfast Bagel is the solution. This dish takes under 10 minutes to make and will keep you full for hours. When I make this bagel in the morning, I like to top my eggs off with a pinch of dried dill seasoning – don’t knock it till you try it!
That’s a Wrap
Having a list of quick and nutritious recipes on hand can be a lifesaver in college. Especially during high-stress exam weeks, when studying often trumps trips to the grocery store. I also suggest investing in a small rice cooker and air fryer. I have used both for most of the recipes listed above because they make cooking much less complicated and time-consuming.
Just remember that it’s never too late to start cooking! Trust me, your roommates will thank you for it ;)