Three Quick and Easy Meals for the Busy College Student
College life is hard, but finding meals that take little to no time to make? Well, that’s nearly impossible. Between school, work, extracurricular activities, and managing a social life, making healthy meals may seem last on your priority list.
With a bit of creativity and minimal ingredients, you can have a delicious and nutritious meal that takes very little time and effort. To save even more time, you can have all of these ingredients shipped to you via Instacart right to your door to save you a trip to the supermarket.
Without further ado, here are three quick and easy meals for college students.
Spicy Kale and White Bean Soup with Orzo:
This recipe is super quick and very versatile. You can add different ingredients like Italian sausage or pepperoni for more protein and a fun twist. The simplicity of this recipe makes this a go-to meal for any day of the week.
You will need:
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 medium white onion, peeled and diced.
Garlic (measure with your heart).
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
8 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock).
2 (15-ounce) cans of white beans, rinsed and drained.
1 cup uncooked orzo.
1 small bunch of fresh kale, roughly chopped (with tough stalks discarded).
Juice of 1 lemon.
fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
Source: Gimme Some Oven
Instructions:
Sautè onions, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a pot with olive oil until fragrant.
Add your stock of choice, beans, and orzo. Simmer on medium-low for about 10 minutes (or until the orzo is fully cooked). After about 10 minutes, add in the kale.
Season with fresh lemon juice (I also like to add the zest), and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve and enjoy.
Greek-Style Pasta Salad:
This next dish is both refreshing and filling. The best part about this salad is that it can be made in a large batch that’ll last up to five days in the fridge. Personally, we like to add a can of tuna for some added protein and flavor. This pasta salad is perfect for all of your meal preppers; make it at the beginning of the week and don’t stress about cooking the rest of the week.
You will need:
16 ounces short pasta (example: rotini, bow ties, penne).
¾ long English cucumber diced.
1-pint grape tomatoes diced.
1 bell pepper diced.
½ cup sliced pitted kalamata olives.
½ cup feta cheese (can be substituted with vegan feta).
⅓ cup red onion diced.
1 cup of Greek dressing (store-bought is the easiest).
Source: Cooking Classy
Instructions:
Cook the pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with dressing and toss.
Let chill in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.
Spicy Sriracha Noodles with Shrimp:
This meal is packed full of flavor and is a great alternative to take out. This Szechuan-inspired dish takes only 20 minutes to make and will leave you full for hours. Plus, this is the perfect meal to satisfy all of your takeout cravings at a fraction of the price. To make this dish vegan or vegetarian, you can substitute the shrimp for tofu, I find that air-fried tofu really adds to this dish. For the egg substitute, I highly recommend the JUST Egg egg substitute.
You will need:
4 oz. Lo Mein noodles.
2 oz. frozen pre-cooked shrimp.
2 Tbsp butter.
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper.
2 large eggs.
1 Tbsp brown sugar.
1 Tbsp soy sauce.
2 Tbsp sriracha.
1 handful of fresh cilantro (optional).
1 green onion, sliced.
Source: Baker By Nature
Instructions:
Cook your shrimp for about 5-7 minutes until warmed through then remove from heat.
Prepare the sauce for the noodles. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha. Set the sauce aside.
Bring a pot of water to a boil then add in your noodles.
While waiting for the water to boil, crack two eggs into a bowl then whisk lightly.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the eggs and crushed pepper and lightly scramble the eggs.
Add the drained noodles to the skillet with the eggs, then drizzle the sauce over top. Toss the noodles and eggs to coat in the sauce.
Top the noodles with fresh cilantro and sliced green onion, then serve and enjoy.
I don’t know about you, but after looking at all these delicious meals, we are starving. It is important to always remember to prioritize meals even during your busy schedule—food is fuel. Don’t mind us, while we become the next Gordon Ramsay’s.
What is your favorite meal from this list? Leave a comment below.