Books, tuition, endless fees for this and that, it seems when I went to school there was always something eating up the budget. Speaking of eating, it's a fact of life. We just have to do it.

Try as they might, students cannot live on coffee (or booze) alone! So this is where the community comes in! Everyone jokes about Ramen and Mac and Cheese, so let's go beyond that and suggest some healthy meals and a variety of tasty treats whose ingredients not only take up very little space, but are quick to prepare and affordable.



Share your best college meals for one below, along with any tips you have!

Think beyond the box/bag. Fresh food is easier than you think.

1. Get a part-time job in a restaurant and you're guaranteed at least one decent meal a day.

2. Eggs are reasonably cheap. So is generic bread. If eggs and toast aren't your thing, you can up the protein content of a cheap meal like Raman or Rice-a-Roni just by adding an egg.

3. Most produce is remarkably cheap. You can still get a couple of pounds of bananas for a buck. If you manage to find a few extra packets of salad dressing, one head of lettuce = four wedge salads for next to nothing and almost no prep. Potatoes are also cheap and quick if you have a microwave. The price of a bag of chips will buy you pounds of potatoes.

4. Although not a food per se, you can conserve your food dollars by making iced tea instead of buying soda. Use the savings to buy real food.

5. For guests, a can of pasta sauce and box of spaghetti will serve four for a buck and a half. If you really want to splurge, get a half-pound of ground beef for another buck and make meat sauce.

Oh, it's also a good idea to learn to cook before you go off to school. Not only will this make feeding yourself easier and more diverse, it will also provide skills you can exploit if you go for that part-time restaurant job.

Ramen can be super healthy, it just needs some add-ins. Hack your noodles!

Also, check the area for a farmer's market. Most of the produce is MUCH cheaper than what you get at the store.

Mavyn wrote:Ramen can be super healthy, it just needs some add-ins. Hack your noodles!

Also, check the area for a farmer's market. Most of the produce is MUCH cheaper than what you get at the store.

Most ramen is fried, so it's relatively high in fat. And the seasoning packet contains enough salt for two days. Healthier varieties are much more costly, taking them out of the realm of cheap college food.

Couldn't agree more with you about the farmers market. In my city, its only a couple of block from the University, so no excuses for not going.