This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Washington chapter.
Let’s be honest — sometimes we’re a bit cramped for time and it’s hard to always keep what we’re eating in check. I can’t cook in the first place, but when the quarter starts picking up, my patience wears off as well, and I revert to my old habits of frozen meals and packaged foods. If you’re looking for some quick, cheap, and tasty meals, here are some of my favorites that I think are much better than some of the other options out there.
1. Bagel Bites
- Bagel bites should probably always be in your refrigerator if you’re not much of a cooker. They can be both a meal and a snack for studying, and are easy to clean up since the package can just be recycled or composted.
2. Michelina’s
- These are about a dollar each at the grocery store, easy to make, and is probably my favorite for pasta.
- I recommend any of the pasta (fettuccini) ones, and the mac & cheese.
3. Banquet
- Banquet is your classic frozen dinner, I think it’s great since it has side dishes (like corn, mashed potatoes, etc.). I recommend the Swedish Meatballs, the Backyard BBQ, and the Salisbury Steak.
4. Bird’s Eye Pasta
- This one is healthier because it’s an actual meal with vegetables, chicken, and pasta. If you’re prone to feeling gross from frozen or package meals, this one won’t make you feel bad. I’ve had the garlic chicken and fettuccini alfredo, and they’re both great!
5. Hot Pockets
- Since there are many types of hot pockets, I recommend trying different ones to not get sick of them. For instance, I’m sure most people have tried pizza hot pockets, but might not have had the bacon egg & cheese, and the chicken & broccoli.
6. Gardein Orange Chicken
- This is a super tasty vegetarian meal that takes about six minutes to make on a skillet, and goes perfectly with rice.
7. Progresso Soup
- The few Progresso soups I’ve tried like chicken noodle or clam chowder have been much better than their Campbell and Healthy Choice counterparts. I wouldn’t eat this regularly, but if I were sick or just needed to get something in my system, Progresso Soup is good enough.
8. Stouffer’s Fettuccini Alfredo
- If you live on North Campus and are sick of the pasta served at the 8, Stouffer’s Fettuccini Alfredo at the Nook is actually not bad — I recommend it over their Mac & Cheese.
9. Nissin Original: Chow Mein
- I love this and highly recommend it! The sauce makes the noodles really good, and I’ve even tried making rice to go with it.
- For cooking, the instructions are a little off because the water tends to spill over if you follow them directly — I’ll add a little less water than the line inside the box and microwave for four minutes instead of five, which works perfectly.
10. Easy Mac
- For mac & cheese, stick with the classic. Easy Mac does it right, but for some reason other brands can’t. For instance, Amy’s Cheddar Mac Bowl is mediocre for the price, and Velveeta’s Cheesy Skillet Singles are terrible.