Healthy College Meals (Budget-Friendly and Meal-Prep!)

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Eating healthy on a budget is hard for anyone, but specifically college students. I fell in love with cooking in college and it’s a big reason why I even started this website. Originally it was called College Foodie Finds! Like most college students, I had very little money to spend on food, but I made by with $40/week! In this post, we’re sharing our best healthy college meals and tips for budgeting and meal planning.

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College is an interesting time. There are so many changes and opportunities to learn about yourself. Most college kids are very intimidated when it comes to cooking. You go from mom and dad making your meals, to 100% dorm food, to holy shit I have to feed myself AND feed myself on a budget.

Linley, Emily, and I were quite the anomalies because we’ve always had a major interest in cooking, even in high school (heck, middle school!).

I Spent $40/Week on Food in College

The three of us knew the basics of how to cook grains on the stove, meat in the oven, veggies in a pan, etc. and I remember allotting myself $40 a week for groceries and meal prepping every weekend before meal prep was a thing all over the internet.

Speaking of the internet, blogs weren’t even a thing yet and neither was Pinterest– two major resources for recipes and meal inspiration today. If you’re a college kid today, consider yourself lucky with the amazing technology and resources we have! Don’t know how to make chili? Google it! Out of brown rice? Buy it off Amazon and get it in 12 hours. NUTS.

I remember when my little brother went to college, he called me and asked me if I could teach him how to make a handful of meals that wouldn’t take him all day to make, were healthier options, and inexpensive. I loved spending time with him, teaching him, and sharing tips and tricks.

Good news, my brother cooks healthy meals all by himself now. I figured, why not share all the tips and tricks I taught him and used myself. If you’re just starting your healthy food budgeting journey, welcome! I hope this helps 🙂

Here’s a Quick Weekly College Meal Prep Plan

If you’re here strictly for college meal prep inspo, here is exactly what I would recommend you start with. These recipes are healthy, affordable, and delicious.

sample meal plan for college students

Healthy College Meals for Students

And now, here are all of our best healthy and easy college meals that are affordable and simple to make! Remember, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.

Healthy Breakfast Recipes

From Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos to Oatmeal, we love breakfast. PS: check out our favorite Freezer Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes you can make before you go to college.

Photo collage of healthy breakfast recipes

Meal-Prep Lunches

One of the best things you can do as a student is to pack a lunch to-go. This will save you so much money in the long-run and make sure you’re making healthy choices all day long.

We have a great post with all of our favorite healthy lunch ideas HERE along with 21 bento box lunch ideas HERE.Check out some of our fav meal-prep lunches below!

best lunches for college students

Best On-The Go Healthy Snacks for College Students

You can never have enough healthy snacks packed in your bag as a college student. Check out some of our best on-the-go snack recipes you can make in bulk!

snacks for college kids

Healthy Dinner Recipes for College Students

Here are a bunch of dinner recipes for college students in apartments. I specify “apartment” because most of these need an oven or stove to create!

healthy dinner recipes for college students

Healthy Desserts for Kids in College

And finally, healthy dessert recipes for all of that late-night studying you’re about to do! These sweet treats are made with whole ingredients yet will satisfy your sweet tooth instantly.

How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

Set a budget + Make a Plan 

I am so thankful that I learned how to budget at a young age (thanks Dad). I know it doesn’t always come naturally to some people, but the more you practice the easier it is!

Figure out how much you can afford to spend on groceries, make a budget, and try and stick to your budget. I would budget $40 a week for groceries knowing that I would meal prep meals for the whole week.

budgeting tip!

Choose recipes that can share ingredients such as overnight oatmeal + oatmeal cookies OR chicken pad Thai + baked chicken so that I could buy things in bulk to save cash.

I would also budget out some cash-money for going out. I tried to save by not eating out a ton during college and I if I were to do it all over again, I would have gone out a bit more. I would have set more extra cash aside for more happy hours and dinners out with friends!

Where you shop matters

At FFF, we shop a couple of different places for a few different reasons. Some places have better prices like Trader Joes and Fresh Thyme. Where some places have better produce Lunds and Byerlys and Whole Foods.

We also try and make one trip a month to Costco to save money on our bulk items like oatmeal, flour, chocolate chips, paper towels, olive oil, etc. You have to figure out what stores are closest to you and what makes sense!

Shop the sale

Sale prices are a lifesaver. Go to the grocery store with a semi-open mind. If a recipe calls for red bell peppers, but green peppers are on sale for 99 cents –> DO IT. It’s ok to swap out similar ingredients, especially if you can save a couple of bucks!

Buying Bulk Items is cheaper

Bulk items can save you SO much when you’re on a budget. Try to buy all of your staple items in bulk, that way you will be able to spend your budgeted grocery money on specialty items more often. I made you a list below to give you an idea of my staple bulk items:

Meal Prep

I stretched my money out by making larger meals and bulk snacks at the beginning of the week. It’s no secret that I love to meal prep. If you’re new to meal prepping or just need a refresher, check out my Meal Prep Kitchen Essentials post for products and tips that will make the process easier and check out our Meal Prep page for all meal prep recipes

Don’t forget about BALANCE

Guys, eat whole, fresh, and healthy ingredients as much as you can. However, don’t miss out on fun happy hours, $5 burger nights, and fun events with friends. It is all about balance!

There you have it. Most of the tips and tricks I used when I was roaming around the University of Minnesota. It took some hard work, as I was struggling with an eating disorder for a good chunk of my college career.

I am happy to say it all worked out and today I am so excited for you to start your budgeting journey. Below I am sharing some of my favorite budget-friendly recipes. Remember to choose recipes that sound good to YOU and have fun!

Similar Recipes:

About Lee Funke

Lee is the founder of Fit Foodie Finds and based in Minneapolis, MN. She started this website in 2010 as a way to share her love for real food and wellness. The internet has changed so much since then and so has Fit Foodie Finds. Today we're a female-run recipe website publishing hundreds of tried and true recipes developed and tested by our team.

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Gabe Herbig
Gabe Herbig
May 28, 2020 11:58 am

Hey :3 I just found you, but I really enjoyed this! I have always wanted to eat health, but never knew what to buy or make. I love these recipes! They are so easy and I love that you included a bulk item list. This makes it easier to make a shopping list.

Yvonne Latuff
Yvonne Latuff
December 10, 2019 8:12 am

Hello! I liked reading about your life stories and recipes!! My daughter will be living off-campus next year in Winona, and I’d like to get her acquainted now with your recipes! Do you have an actual book we can buy? Thank you!
Yvonne

Beth
Beth
August 24, 2019 9:05 am

Hi:

Do you have a paper copy of these recipes?

Thanks,
Beth

Cassie Autumn Tran
September 16, 2018 12:32 am

Could not have been published at a more perfect time! Moving into my university is TOMORROW and I already have to start planning out food. It’s exciting but I need to be more creative than salads and such. The curry casserole looks wonderful as do the peanut butter protein bars!

Amy
Amy
August 18, 2018 11:45 am

Hello! I just found this post, and I just want to say thank you for making it! I have never found a post where there is such a variety of recipes that are actually simple and easy. All I ever find are recipes that claim to be “simple” and have an ingredients list a mile long.

So thank you for making my life easier <3

Makenzie Jones
August 8, 2018 9:45 pm

I am getting ready to go to school for my junior year next Thursday, and I LOVE all these recipes! Even though I am an athlete and get the unlimited meal plan to our (amazing) dining hall, I am still saving some of these for later and when I am home!

Linley Hanson
August 10, 2018 6:51 am
Reply to  Makenzie Jones

YAY! I’m so glad you liked the round-up! Don’t forget to let us know what recipe is your favorite 🙂

Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite
August 7, 2018 7:41 pm

Such a helpful resource…love this round up! Thanks for sharing!

Linley Hanson
August 10, 2018 6:51 am

<3

Jessie
Jessie
August 23, 2017 9:20 pm

Thanks so much for the great tips! I start my freshman year in a week and my apartment has a full kitchen- yaaayy! Can’t wait to try some of these recipes!

Nicole @ Laughing My Abs Off
August 18, 2017 9:59 pm

Oof this made me wistful because though I’m gonna be a sophomore this year, I won’t have access to a real kitchen until junior year. And I REALLY hate doing a lot of cooking in the tiny dorm kitchenettes. So I just end up waiting until breaks so I can cook and bake my little heart out.

Cassie Tran
August 18, 2017 1:29 pm

Yay for college kids! Given that I’ll be a second year in a month, I’m going to need LOTS of meal prepping. All of these recipes are perfect! I bet I’ll be eating lots of oatmeal, vegan casseroles, stir-fries, and homemade chocolate desserts too!

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