Budget-friendly recipes for College Students

Whether you are new to frugal living concepts or simply seeking inexpensive ideas for flavorful meals, Brian Haverly is a resource for budget-friendly information. Brian provides a ready reference to help college students at Degree Jungle find inexpensive ways to slash grocery bills while still eating delicious healthy meals.

Frugality is a concept college student knows all too well, but that doesn't mean mealtimes can't be delicious and cheap. Oftentimes, we choose convenience in the way of expensive pre-made items that are a catalyst for budget-busting. College students with limited resources can slash their grocery bill by making homemade items.

Sometimes to save money you only need to make slight adjustments. The single greatest money-saver is cooking creatively, and cooking enough for leftovers. Here are a few recipes that require a modest food budget;

1. Budget Cinnamon Toast

You need 3 slices of white or wheat bread, 1 egg, syrup, and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Pre-heat a skillet on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine. Beat egg and combine with the cinnamon, then pour into bowl; dip sliced bread into egg mixture, then place each slice in skillet and lightly brown on each side. Place on plate and add syrup over top.

2. Creamy Meatball Sandwiches

Buy 8oz pre-packaged frozen meatballs, sour cream, one can of cream of mushroom soup and sub rolls. Open cream of mushroom soup, pour into a deep pot, and place meatballs into soup; allow meatballs to simmer. Place creamy meatballs in between sub rolls.

3. Dirty Rice

Buy 1 small package of ground beef, white or brown rice, and 1 package of onion soup mix. Brown a small package of ground beef, and drain off oil and set aside. Preheat a skillet on stovetop with 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine. Add 1 cup of white or brown rice and stir. Add 1 cup of water and allow to boil for about 3 minutes. Turn heat down to a simmer; add in ground beef and 1 package of onion soup mix.

4. Easy Fried Rice

You need 1 cup of brown rice, 1 egg, one slice of diced bacon and ¼ cup of soy sauce. Cook rice according to package on stovetop. In a skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Pour off most of grease. Crack egg into skillet and scramble egg. When rice is done, rinse under cold water, stirring to separate. Add rice to skillet with bacon and egg, and pour in soy sauce. You can also add in scallions and peas to this recipe.

5. Sloppy Joes

Buy 1 pound of lean ground beef, 1 small onion, 1 small green pepper, 1 package of onion soup mix, 1 small jar of spaghetti sauce and hamburger buns. Dice onion and green pepper into small cubes; Brown ground beef, onion and green pepper in skillet and drain off fat. Add in package of onion soup and stir well. Add in spaghetti sauce and stir.

Don't have freezer space? Find a cooking partner and split the costs with friends. Not only will this save more money, but it will also reduce your responsibility for cooking each night.