Quick and Easy Student Meals

 

As a student on a tight budget and frequently short for time, cooking can sometimes feel like an extra hassle and expense. Sure, we all wish we could cook from scratch every day, but in reality, a bowl of Doritos or half-bag of Mini Eggs often has to suffice. Today I wanted to share with you a handful of fool proof, quick and easy meals that I rely on more than Cliff Notes.

Soup and cook in the oven bread:

This first one is the biggest no-brainer of a meal, yet always feels healthy and warming on those cold Winter afternoons. Canned soup is really cheap from any supermarket and paired with a pre-cooked bread roll (you can buy a six pack of these for 50p in Pound Land!) that you can pop in the oven for five minutes, you have the perfect in between online classes meal.

Microwave jacket potato:

As much as I love the crispiness of a jacket that has been lovingly cooked in the oven, do I have the time or forward planning to do this? No, I do not. Paired with cheese, chilli kidney beans, or salad, this is another of my favourite quick and easy meals.

Pizza bagels:

This meal is probably the most fun as it really feels like you’re doing more than grilling a bagel in the oven, which is all you really are doing. I like to add salami (super cheap in Aldi), tomato puree, grated cheese, and parsley if I’m feeling inspired. Put it under the grill for five minutes, and there you have it: a pizza in less than ten minutes. Italians will be so proud.

Mixed bean curry:

I like to cook curries in bulk and spread them out over two days to save time on busier days. The recipe I follow is from BBC Good Food and is so easy that even I managed to pick it up within my first few weeks at uni. I like to add lots of different kinds of beans like cannellini, black-eyed peas, and chickpeas (which are again very cheap in Aldi!). What I love about curries is that they’re so versatile and can be served with lots of different things if you get tired of Uncle Ben!

Pasta bake:

I couldn’t make this list without an honourable mention of pasta- student staple for a reason. I challenge you to find a student cupboard without a bag of Penne or Fusilli. Cheap and filling, you really cannot go wrong. If you have the time, making your own pasta sauces is a great way to save money and practise cooking, but jarred sauces are also nice and can be cheaper if you buy Supermarket own brands. My favourite pasta meal is pasta bake as it is so easy and feels like you’re eating a slightly different meal to plain pasta and cheese. I have also found that a brownie tin doubles as a pasta bake tin, so it’s win-win really.

What is your staple meal that is quick and easy?

Marti