Chicken Rice Bowl

10 Affordable Healthy Meals for College Students in the USA (Budget Under $5)

Eating healthy on a college budget is possible! Discover these delicious, nutritious meals that won't break the bank.

1. Lentil Soup

Cost: $3.50

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red lentils ($1.00)
• 1 medium onion ($0.30)
• 2 carrots ($0.40)
• 4 cups vegetable broth ($1.00)
• Spices (cumin, turmeric) ($0.20)
• Salt and pepper ($0.10)

Instructions:

1. Chop onion and carrots into small pieces.
2. Sauté onion in a pot until softened.
3. Add carrots and lentils, stir for 2 minutes.
4. Add broth and spices, simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Serve hot.

2. Veggie Fried Rice with Egg

Cost: $2.75

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice ($0.50)
• 2 eggs ($0.50)
• Frozen vegetables (carrots, peas, corn) ($1.00)
• 1 small onion ($0.25)
• Soy sauce ($0.50)

Instructions:

1. Cook rice according to package instructions.
2. Sauté onion until softened, then add vegetables.
3. Add cooked rice and stir well.
4. Add eggs and stir until cooked.
5. Season with soy sauce and serve.

3. Hummus and Veggie Sandwich

Cost: $3.25

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas ($1.50)
• 1 loaf of bread ($1.00)
• 1 cucumber ($0.40)
• 1 tomato ($0.35)

Instructions:

1. Mash chickpeas with olive oil and lemon juice.
2. Slice cucumber and tomato.
3. Spread hummus on bread.
4. Arrange vegetable slices on hummus.
5. Serve as open or closed sandwich.

4. Pasta with White Beans and Spinach

Cost: $4.50

Ingredients:

• 1 box pasta ($1.00)
• 1 can white beans ($1.00)
• 1 bag frozen spinach ($1.50)
• Garlic ($0.50)
• Olive oil ($0.50)

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
2. Sauté garlic in olive oil.
3. Add spinach and beans, cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add cooked pasta and toss well.
5. Serve hot.

5. Stuffed Sweet Potato

Cost: $3.75

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato ($1.00)
• 1 can black beans ($1.00)
• Frozen corn ($0.75)
• Cheddar cheese ($1.00)

Instructions:

1. Bake sweet potato in oven for 45 minutes.
2. Cut potato in half and mash slightly.
3. Add beans and corn.
4. Sprinkle cheese and return to oven until melted.
5. Serve hot.

6. Quinoa Salad with Vegetables

Cost: $4.25

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa ($2.00)
• 1 cucumber ($0.40)
• Cherry tomatoes ($1.00)
• 1 bell pepper ($0.85)

Instructions:

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions and let cool.
2. Chop cucumber, tomatoes, and bell pepper into small pieces.
3. Mix quinoa with vegetables.
4. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
5. Serve chilled.

7. Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Cost: $4.75

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast ($2.00)
• Frozen vegetables (carrots, celery, peas) ($1.50)
• Chicken broth ($1.00)
• Small pasta ($0.25)

Instructions:

1. Cook chicken in broth until done.
2. Remove chicken and slice.
3. Add vegetables and pasta to broth.
4. Return sliced chicken to soup.
5. Cook for additional 10 minutes and serve hot.

8. Hard-Boiled Eggs with Avocado Toast

Cost: $3.50

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs ($0.50)
• 2 slices bread ($0.50)
• 1/2 avocado ($1.50)
• Salt and pepper ($0.10)
• Seasonings ($0.90)

Instructions:

1. Boil eggs for 7-8 minutes.
2. Toast bread.
3. Mash avocado with salt and pepper.
4. Spread avocado on toast.
5. Peel and slice eggs, arrange on avocado toast.

9. Bean and Cheese Burrito

Cost: $4.00

Ingredients:

• 1 can beans ($1.00)
• Shredded cheddar cheese ($1.50)
• 4 tortilla wraps ($1.00)
• Salsa ($0.50)

Instructions:

1. Heat beans in a skillet.
2. Warm tortillas slightly.
3. Place beans and cheese in center of each tortilla.
4. Fold tortillas into burritos.
5. Serve with salsa.

10. Oatmeal with Fruits and Nuts

Cost: $2.50

Ingredients:

• Oats ($0.50)
• Milk or water ($0.25)
• 1 banana ($0.30)
• 1 apple ($0.45)
• Nuts ($1.00)

Instructions:

1. Cook oats in milk or water.
2. Slice banana and apple.
3. Add fruits and nuts to oatmeal.
4. Sweeten with honey if desired.
5. Serve hot or cold.

Additional Money-Saving Tips:

Plan Ahead

Plan your weekly meals in advance to avoid impulse buys.

Buy in Bulk

Purchase staple items in bulk when they're on sale.

Seasonal Produce

Use seasonal fruits and vegetables for better prices.

Cook in Batches

Prepare larger quantities and freeze portions for later.

Plant-Based Proteins

Incorporate plant-based proteins like beans and lentils.

Store Brands

Choose store brands over name brands for similar quality at lower prices.

© 2023 College Student Eats. All rights reserved.

This article is for informational purposes only. Prices may vary by region and time.