My 3 tips to meal plan as a busy student.
Being a student is a lot of work. You have your classes, homework, extracurricular activities, and social life. The addition of having to cook your own meals either scares you or if you’re like me, it excites you. I enjoy cooking, but having to plan what I’m going to make and grocery shop comes with difficulties. Here are a few tips I’ve come up with from my experience as a college student who cooks their own meals.
Tip #1: Plan out the basic parts of the meal for the week ahead
I tend to do this either Saturday or Sunday and have an excel sheet. I put the days of the week in cell one and what I’m going to eat in cell two. I plan what I’m going to have to depend on my schedule for that week. If I have a busier day, I plan a simpler meal that will cook quickly. If I have plenty of time, I choose a meal that maybe takes longer to cook or will take longer to prepare. This way, I know if I need to get protein out to thaw or if I need to marinate something. It also keeps me from just buying food since I have it planned.
Tip #2: Make a grocery list, even a general one
I know if I go into the grocery store without a list, I will take an hour alone walking through the store finding whatever looks good. I make a grocery list on the notes app of my phone in the iCloud section, this way I can add something to the list on my phone or my computer when I think of it. Having even a general list of things like “vegetable” or “pack of protein on sale” will help guide you in the direction of the store so you don’t wander around taking extra time.
Tip #3: Look at the weekly circular while planning meals
Most stores now have their weekly circular online which is their list of what is on sale for the week. Looking at this while planning dinners will help save money since you can plan meals based on what is on sale. Not everything you buy has to be on sale, but it helps keep what is cheaper in the front of your mind. For me, it is incredibly helpful when trying to figure out what protein to buy and how much. If I find really cheap chicken breasts or something of the sort, I buy multiple to freeze and use throughout the week or later on.