YouAlberta
Do you, like me, have a tendency to default to ordering Domino's when you have no idea what to eat? Do you, like me, struggle to come up with something to eat that doesn’t take a lot of effort? Well, I am here to help! I have tried to keep my suggestions cheap and as shelf-stable or freeze-able as possible, since I know that student budgets can be tight and there isn’t always time for grocery shopping. Here are 10 suggestions for inexpensive, quick meals that will keep you full and energized while you study!
Frozen pizza
This is a lot cheaper and faster than a Doms pizza, even with the uni code. I like to grab whatever is on sale when I go shopping. Usually there is something for less than $5. I personally like to get pizzas with a bit of meat on them (particularly pepperoni) because I find they keep me fuller longer and I prefer thick crusts to thin crusts.
Tuna sandwich
One can of tuna, a bit of mayo, other fixings you might like and a handful of lettuce on bread is all you need. It takes about seven minutes and will keep you full for a while! You can even get tuna with different flavours, like dill and lemon or sriracha, to help add variety to your meals!
Potstickers and frozen veggies
Potstickers take about three minutes to cook and while they’re cooking you can microwave a bowl of frozen veggies. I like peas and carrots and you can get huge bags that last a while and aren’t super expensive.
Soup hack
Add some frozen veggies, a bit of roast chicken (which you can buy pre-cooked from grocery stores to save time) and a can of soup to a pot and heat everything up! This is a great meal for when it’s cold outside.
Bagel sandwich
Top a bagel or English muffin with cheese, meat of choice (I really like tuna because it’s not super expensive, is shelf-stable and tastes good), and a lettuce leaf. Add a bit of Dijon mustard or oil and balsamic dressing (you can also add Dijon mustard and oil and balsamic to make an amazing dressing combination) and you’re good to go.
Toast and eggs
I personally detest eggs, so I wouldn’t know if this is good or not, but I have heard it is, especially with some spices and maybe a veggie thrown in there. It takes my boyfriend about five minutes to make.
Ramen hack
Ramen noodles are great, but if you add veggies you'll keep full even longer. Also, the vitamins are cool too.
Tortellini
I forgot about tortellini for something like 10 years, but I recently remembered how much I like it! You can find it in the refrigerated or frozen sections of the grocery store. It doesn’t take too long to cook, and with a bit of pasta sauce it’s filling and lasts for a few meals. You can also throw in some carrots and onions to the pasta sauce to get some veggies in there. It’s delicious, I promise.
Roast chicken salad
Shred a pre-cooked chicken from the grocery store on top of lettuce, dressing and a few nuts and cranberries.You can totally add other veggies to this, but if you’re crunched for time like I often am, just go for the protein, lettuce and a bit of dressing. (And maybe a cookie afterwards—you can get pre-made cookie dough in the eggs/butter aisle and they take about 10 minutes to make).
Fancy waffles
Top a frozen toaster waffle with peanut butter, some frozen berries and a bit of maple syrup. I’m always a fan of waffles and this meal can be for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Domino’s... Because sometimes you need it.
About Laura
Laura is in the third (and hopefully final!) year of her Master's degree studying Classical Languages. She can always be found with her nose in a book. Whether it's academic reading or for pleasure, she will read pretty much anything and she's passionate about languages like Middle Welsh and Ancient Greek. Laura adores animals and fosters the cutest bunny in the world and in her spare time loves to knit socks for her loved ones!