Between a jam-packed schedule and cheap, tempting takeaways, eating well often takes a backseat when you’re a student. Endless hours of slicing, mincing and dicing at the end of a long and hard week sounds exhausting, but it saves a whole lot of time later on—it’s all about the grind. Here are a few hacks for easy meal-prepping.
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Choose Long-Lasting Ingredients
Pick a few recipes that use similar ingredients, which will help limit the number of things you have to buy. Go for ingredients that last longer — it’ll help cut down on costs greatly. Greens like kale, quinoa, spinach and beans not only last a while but are super healthy. Pick ingredients and recipes that multi-task; make a batch of Bolognese, separate into portions. Turn it into a pie, eat with noodles, veggies or potatoes — that’s four in one!
Buy in Bulk
Bulk buying will save you a lot of time. At the beginning of the year, buy all the basic ingredients that you’ll need in bulk. Oil, pasta, rice, beans, herbs and spices should all be bought early on, so you won’t have to run to the grocery store every time you realize you’re missing an ingredient. It saves money and gives you a better idea of what you can cook or what you enjoy eating. For example, if you love Chinese food, keep soy sauce handy — but if you hate spicy food, don’t buy the chili powder.
Mix and Match
Try to add variety to your meals. Eating the same thing every day can quickly become super mundane and boring. Mix and match meals by seasoning them differently, and try out different recipes. Keep a recipe notebook so you’ll have something to choose from when you’re low on inspiration.
Keep it Simple
Opt for one-pot dishes like chili, curry, chicken or pasta. They’re easier to cook since you can leave them in the pot while you catch up on some studying or Netflix. Remember, meal prep doesn’t have to be a huge chore — going for simple recipes will help speed up the process. Go for roasted or baked food since it’s not only healthier, but it’s also easier to cook.
At Eats By The Beach, we have healthy and recipes that anyone can follow. Our Grilled Piri Piri chicken recipe and Moist boneless skinless chicken breast recipe are amongst the most popular meal prep recipes for students. They’re easy to make, fun to eat, and promote a healthy lifestyle. Check out more of our tasty and recipes here.
