It’s no secret that the life of a university student is riddled with challenges because learning how to adult and manage finance and budgeting is tough. It can be particularly tough when you get to the end of your student budget. However, do not fret if it will be ages before the next glorious student finance payment, as there are plenty of delicious and nutritious meals that you can make with a low budget. So, keep reading to find out some easy student meals that are cheap to make at uni.
10. Cheese and Ham Sandwich
A simple but classic student meal that’s cheap and easy to make at uni. Perfect to take at uni as a snack in between lectures. You can have the sandwich toasted or plain, either way, it will save you an insane amount of money whilst leaving you full. If sandwiches are not enough to quench your hunger, then make sure to pack your favourite crisps to achieve the ultimate meal deal experience.
9. Omelette
Good old omelettes. They’re not just a money saver, they’re also a time saver. The recipe is simple. To make this cheap and easy student meal, you’ll need two to three eggs, grated cheese, and pepper. Start by cracking and then mixing the eggs with pepper. Once they’ve reached a certain consistency pour them into a frying pan. Then make sure to add the cheese once the egg is almost fully cooked. When ready fold the omelette in half and it’s ready to be served. The good news is that you can make an omelette with pretty much anything, so instead of cheese you could add ham, or mix both ham and cheese together.
8. Tomato Soup
Tomato soup is another easy and cheap meal for students that’s perfect for those cold winter nights at uni. In terms of ingredients, you will need tomatoes, carrots and celery. First, slice the carrots and the celery. Then boil water and, once ready, add the tomatoes, stir, and leave the soup to simmer for roughly ten minutes. Finally, add any seasoning you fancy and shortly after the delicious soup will be ready to be served.
7. Baked Potatoes
Suitable for both vegans and vegetarians alike, this is another easy student meal that’s cheap to make at uni. Apart from potatoes, you will need olive oil and a pinch of salt. First, preheat the oven and, in the meantime, prepare the potatoes by sprinkling them with salt. Then, bake the potato in the oven and enjoy when ready. Easy as that.
6. Burritos
Students who live in city centre accommodation constantly have the urge to splash cash eating out. However, that can be an expensive habit, especially when it’s months before your next student finance payment. The good news is that with a handful of ingredients you can make your own burrito. This cheap and easy student meal idea consists of boiling some oil in a saucepan, then adding the meat mince and rice, followed by the seasoning. Once this is done, ensure that the filling is inside the tortilla and, once cooled, wrap the tortilla and enjoy.
5. Goulash
Originally from Hungary, goulash is slowly becoming ever so popular in the UK. Say goodbye to takeaway and ready meals because this dish is a cheap, healthy and easy meal for students to make at university. Start by cooking oil and onions in a saucepan. Then, add the beef mince and, once it’s almost ready, add the seasoning. After this, add tomato sauce and leave to simmer. Finally, add pasta, and once everything is cooked, enjoy the meal.
4. Couscous
Fight the temptation to buy ready-made salads and challenge yourself with cooking your own couscous. The easy student meal is cheap to make at uni and has similar preparatory steps to burritos and goulash. To make a successful couscous, start by heating oil in a saucepan. Then, add garlic and chicken broth before bringing it to a boil and adding the rice. Leave the couscous to dry for four to five minutes and it’s ready to be served. You can add whatever ingredients you have lying around into the dish to make a tasty salad. The best thing about couscous is that you can cook it in bulk and therefore can last for days. Perfect for hectic student life.
3. Veggie Fried Rice
The perfect easy and cheap student meal for the many students out there who are vegetarian and have a limited budget, but also drowning in deadlines. The preparation usually takes around half an hour. First, you need to pour oil into a wok and then add the stir fry and leave to cook for around three minutes. After this add the rice and stir for four minutes. Whilst the rice cooks, start preparing the sauce where you could add anything from ginger to sweet chilli and pour that on the rice – it’s as simple as that.
2. Chicken Korma
Want to make a cheaper and more filling version of your favourite ready meal? Then look no further than cooking your own chicken korma. Furthermore, if you enjoy teamwork this is a fantastic and fun recipe to prepare in the company of a friend or your partner. The good news is that if you want a quicker meal, you just need chicken breast and the korma sauce. Start by cutting the chicken breast into tiny little cube pieces and cook them in a saucepan. Leave the chicken to cook for 15 minutes and finally add the sauce.
1. Carbonara Pasta
Of course, carbonara is the ultimate student meal and it’s perfect for lunch or dinner. Pasta carbonara can be cooked in bulk and is very nutritious. No wonder students have an appreciation for this delicious gift. This is how the magic happens: first start to boil the water, and as the water boils start cutting the bacon. Then beat two to three eggs into a jug and add grated cheese before mixing them together. Once the water is boiled, add the pasta and let it cook. Whilst the pasta cooks, fry the bacon in a separate pan. Once the bacon is ready, add that to the pasta. Then pour the cheese, eggs and pepper mixture in too. Then simply mix everything together and voila, a delicious and nutritious student meal that’s cheap and easy to make at uni.
So, it’s time to get in the kitchen and give one of these easy and cheap student meals ago. Want to know more about how to save money on food? Check our article on the best ways for you to get free food.
