Last fall, I decided to drop my meal plan. I found myself unable to eat red meat, dairy, and I needed to watch my cholesterol. I went abroad in the spring of 2014, and my program required that we buy and cook our own meals. I loved the freedom to buy groceries, try recipes, and sometimes get takeaway when my meals didn’t quite work out. I haven’t regretted my decision to drop my meal plan because it gives me creative license to eat healthy and delicious homemade meals!
Today, I’m making a chipotle black bean veggie burger. The ingredients include the veggie burger (Giant brand chipotle black bean burgers), fresh iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, sautéed onions (pictured here raw), sharp cheddar cheese (I can now eat dairy in moderation), barbecue sauce, and a slightly over-ripe banana as a side dish.
The stereotype is that college students live off of ramen or mac and cheese, and I definitely have had my fair share of both. But I’ve been able to make time to go shopping and cook meals, and this is the result. It’s inexpensive (I spent less than $15 on this meal, and all of the ingredients pictured are only a fraction of the food I bought for that amount). If you have the time and the drive, I highly recommend cooking for yourself in college.