Being a junior and having to adjust to living off-campus without a meal plan can seem overwhelming, but it can be easy if you meal prep! We’re all super busy with clubs, classes, and having fun with friends, but we need to make time to not only eat dinner but cook it too! With these helpful hints and tricks, dinner can be done faster than the Linda’s check-out line!
First thing’s first, food shopping. It’s not as hard as it sounds. To save money, I highly suggest going for store brand items, it’s the same food, just no label. Trust me, it’s still good food! Stop & Shop is right down the road, but don’t forget your reusable bags because Connecticut charges for bags now!
When I cook, I like to have one protein, usually chicken, veggies, and a side, like pasta. I usually buy a pack of chicken cutlets and that gives you more than enough for the week. I marinate different flavors for the chicken like buffalo, barbeque, and balsamic. I try to meal prep a bunch of meals at once to save time later in the week. For example, I’ll grill multiple pieces of chicken that way I have some for dinner Monday night, one for my salad Tuesday, and one for my dinner Tuesday night. Once the chicken is cooked, you can spend your time cooking sides either the day of or right then and there!
For those on the go, I highly recommend putting your premade meals in containers, so you can take it with you wherever you have to go, or so that you can easily throw it all on a plate and microwave it. The hardest part is just thinking of ideas, but if you go on Pinterest, call your mom, or just get creative, your taste buds will be satisfied every day of the week!