100 Delicious, Dirt-Cheap Recipes For The Starving Student

100 Delicious, Dirt-Cheap Recipes for the Starving Student

Most students don’t have a lot of cash to spend on food, but that doesn’t mean you have to go hungry. With the right recipes and some kitchen savvy, you can eat great even on a student’s budget. Here we’ll share 100 tasty recipes that you can make on the cheap. Along with saving money on meals, budget-savvy students can also save big on a college education by attending inexpensive online colleges.

Breakfast

Get a good start to your day with these cheap-o breakfasts.

Hash browns: Hash browns are cheap and easy to make, and cheaper than a trip to IHOP.

Puff pastry chicken and bacon: You can make bacon and chicken in puff pastry using this recipe.

Microwave scrambled eggs: Make scrambled eggs in the microwave with this recipe.

Breakfast burritos: You can make these burritos ahead for a quick microwave breakfast.

Onion quiche: This quiche makes a delicious, incredibly cheap breakfast.

Omelet in a bag: Boil eggs and some handy ingredients for this simple, cheap omelet.

Frittata: Add eggs to cheese, vegetables, and herbs you have handy in your fridge to make a frittata.

Ramen

A college staple gets dressed up in these recipes.

Antipasto ramen salad: With ramen, pepperoni, black olives, onion, and Italian dressing, you’ll find yourself with a great ramen salad.

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Ramen: This dish makes a delicious stir fry from ramen.

Chinese style ramen with veggies: Make your ramen a little bit healthier with some vegetables added in.

Ramen noodle alfredo: Turn your ramen noodles Italian with this recipe.

Beef & Broccoli Ramen: Add some meat and veggies to your ramen to make this dish.

Spring ramen salad: Take a fresh approach to ramen with recipe.

Hamburger ramen: Ground beef with ramen makes for a great meal.

Chicken hollandaise ramen: Add chicken and hollandaise to your ramen for this meal.

Egg drop noodle soup: You’ll combine ramen, eggs, and flour to make this tasty soup.

Lo mein ramen: Follow this recipe for ramen lo mein style.

Creamy veggies and ramen: Add celery soup and vegetables to ramen, and you’ll have a great meal.

Pasta ramen salad: Use ramen as the base to make this delicious pasta salad.

Sandwiches

Use these recipes to step up your sandwiches.

Hot Dog Egg Sandwich: Get a good portion of protein and flavor from this sandwich.

Egg Salad Sandwich: Cook up some hard boiled eggs for a cheap, tasty sandwich that’s really versatile.

Monte Cristo Sandwich: This sandwich is a delicious hybrid of grilled ham, cheese, and french toast.

Grilled chicken and apple sandwich: This hot sandwich is healthy, affordable, and delicious.

Canned salmon sandwich: Add celery, horseradish, and swiss cheese for a delicious, healthy meal from a can.

Turkey, chutney and avocado grilled sandwich: This sandwich is an exotic, cheap treat.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich: The classic college staple, grilled cheese sandwiches pack a lot of flavor for very little cost.

One Pot

These simple recipes can be pulled off in one pot.

Creamy cauliflower soup: This vegetable soup is cheap, easy, and surprisingly tasty.

Cheap chili: Use chopped beef, tomatoes, and more for this cheap chili.

Butternut Squash Soup: Take advantage of cheap winter vegetables with this soup.

Slow cooker BBQ chicken: Combine cut up chicken with your favorite barbeque sauce for this recipe.

Crockpot lemon chicken: Get inexpensive cuts of chicken and make this lemony meal for lots of flavor without lots of money.

Minestrone soup: Eat this classic soup for a healthy, cheap meal.

Cheeseburger soup: This soup is hearty enough to be a meal.

Slightly Italian crockpot chicken recipe: With chicken, artichoke, onions, and spices, you’ll get an Italian chicken meal in a slow cooker.

Cranberry pot roast: Beef roast and cranberries offer a lot of flavor in this crockpot meal.

Crockpot potato soup: Make this soup from chicken broth and potatoes.

Corn, Bacon, and Potato Chowder: This hearty chowder is great for winter eating.

Chilled avocado soup: Check out this recipe for a healthy, refreshing treat.

Slow cooker pulled pork: Make pork shoulder in the crock pot using this recipe.

Middle East Chicken Soup: This ethnic chicken soup is a cheap, tasty, treat.

Bean soup: In this bean soup recipe, you’ll find lots of protein for just a little money.

Salads

Use these healthy recipes to make cheap, delicious salads.

Caesar salad: Combine romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons, and dressing for a classic salad.

Simple spinach salad: In this tasty salad you’ll find sweet pears and spinach.

Bowtie Pasta Salad: Throw together some pasta, tomatoes, and other vegetables for this salad.

Cucumber salad: This salad is fresh, delicious, and cheap.

Caprese salad: This caprese salad is simple and delicious.

Chicken Caesar salad: Eat this recipe as a salad, or put it into a wrap for a healthy, cheap treat.

Simple green salad: Here you’ll find a simple, inexpensive salad with great flavor.

Pecan mandarin orange salad: Get a bright and sweet salad from this recipe.

Cucumber salad with sour cream: This salad is cheap and refreshing.

Salmon orzo salad: With salmon filets, or even canned salmon, you can put together this salad treat.

Casserole

You’ll find delicious casseroles in these recipes.

O’Brien Casserole: Use O’Brien potatoes, beans, lean meat, and some veggies for a great potato casserole.

Baked Tuna Chow Mein Microwave Casserole: Pop this tuna casserole in the microwave for a quick meal.

Easy cheap casserole: This casserole combines easy, affordable ingredients.

Penne Pasta Casserole: Make this tasty pasta casserole for $3 or less.

Meatloaf: ground beef combined with ketchup, onions, and more makes a great meal for less than a dollar per serving.

Four Bean Casserole: This casserole is popular at potlucks and with barbequed meals.

Tuna casserole: With canned tuna, you can make a healthy, delicious tuna casserole on the cheap.

Pizza & Pasta

Get your grains with these recipes.

Microwave Mexican pizza: Use tortillas, cheese, salsa, and sour cream for this pizza.

Bagel pizza: Use this recipe to make pizza on a bagel.

Spaghetti: Pick up multigrain pasta with tomato sauce and mushroom for a big meal without a big budget.

Feast of Pasta: Create this casserole with pasta, onions, and other simple ingredients.

Shrimp with ricotta sauce on pasta: Upgrade your pasta dish with this recipe.

Easy calzones: Use cheese, vegetables, and pepperoni in these easy calzones.

Olio e Aglio Pasta: This side dish combines angel hair with oil and garlic.

Pasta salad: Combine your favorite pasta with salad dressing, and olives, vegetables, or herbs you have handy.

Pasta and Ricotta Cheese: This pasta favorite is a crowd pleaser.

Entrees

These recipes offer affordable main dishes.

Baked potato: Often served as sides, a baked potato can be the main dish-just add lean meat, beans, or chili.

Mexican hot dogs: This twist on hot dogs is extra delicious.

Chili: With beef, tomatoes, and beans, you can make a delicious chili.

Tuna patties: Put tuna, egg, relish, crumbs, salad dressing, and other simple ingredients together to create yummy tuna patties.

Cheap beef stroganoff: This recipe offers a cheap version of beef stroganoff.

Vegetarian chili: Use soy protein, tomatoes, and beans for a protein and fiber packed chili without any meat.

Eggplant parmesan: Eggplant parmesan makes a cheap and delicious vegetarian meal.

Vegetarian sweet and sour tofu: If you’re looking for a great vegetarian meal on the cheap, check out this recipe.

Parmesan chicken: With breadcrumbs, parmesan, and chicken, you can make this very tasty main dish.

BBQ chicken: Slather chicken with barbeque sauce, pop it in the oven, and enjoy.

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken: Make some delicious chicken in a slow cooker with this recipe.

Salmon patties: Use canned salmon, bread crumbs, and other simple ingredients for this healthy, cheap dish.

Meatballs and orzo: Make these easy meatballs instead of using store bought frozen ones.

Sides

Use these recipes to complement your entrees on the cheap.

Buttered baby carrots: Sweet, tender carrots make up this side dish.

Roasted asparagus: Follow this simple recipe for a healthy, cheap vegetable side.

Spicy mac: Make macaroni and cheese with Taco Bell hot sauce.

Garlic toast: Use this recipe for delicious garlic bread that will please any taste.

Microwave macaroni and cheese: Make your own homemade mac and cheese in the microwave.

Pesto stuffed cherry tomatoes: Pesto, ricotta, and tomatoes come together for this delicious side that’s great for potlucks.

Scalloped potatoes: These scalloped potatoes are easy and creamy.

Bean and rice salad: This salad is delicious and cheap.

Green beans amandine: With this recipe, you can omit almonds for even more money savings.

Onion scones: In these simple scones, you’ll find lots of flavor.

Potato croquettes: These croquettes are a great way to use your leftover mashed potatoes.

Twice-baked potatoes (microwave): Make this cheap potato classic in the microwave for easy cooking.

Broccoli and cauliflower salad: This salad is cheap and packed full of nutrients.

Desserts

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these affordable dessert recipes.

Chocolate chip cookies: Create cookies with chocolate chips, M&Ms, nuts, or even pretzels with this recipe.

1 step brownies: Turn a chocolate box cake into simple, cheap brownies using this recipe.

Balsamic strawberries with marscapone cheese: A few delicious ingredients make for a tasty, cheap treat.

Cheap and quick cookies: This recipe will show you how to turn cake into cookies.

Lemonade pie: Simple ingredients go into this delicious, cheap pie.

Easy baked apples: Apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and raisins come together in this microwave recipe.

Super easy microwave peanut butter fudge: Only two simple ingredients to into this peanut butter fudge.

More Posts from Studyhardplayhard000 and Others

studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago

hey guys!!! i love listening to instrumental + classical tunes whilst studying and recently some of you guys have asked me to make a study music masterpost so here it is :]

classical music + instrumental sounds [by me]

my classical favourites

+ another study playlist by me

+ another for a new semester

+ my spotify playlist [updated regularly!]

spatial tunes collection

spotify playlists for studying

intense studying

instrumental study

superior study playlist

peaceful piano

deep focus

soundtrack for study

music for concentration

reading soundtrack

perfect concentration

instrumental rock

electro-chill

spotify classical music playlists

50 handel picks

50 classical era picks

epic classical

gentle classical

classical essentials for beginners

classical romance

the complete chopin

50 bach picks

ballet class!!!

50 baroque picks

indie classical

game soundtracks

v6 youtube playlist

assassin’s creed

super meat boy!!!

journey OST

braid

the legend of zelda: the wind waker

bastion OST

the last of us

halo 4

study play on 8tracks

tv series soundtracks

hannibal’s music [love love loveee!!]

torchwood soundtrack

doctor who soundtracks [1-5]

game of thrones soundtracks [1-5]

sherlock season 1

film soundtracks

harry potter soundtrack

amelie soundtrack

gladiator soundtrack

pirates of the caribbean soundtrack

intouchables soundtrack

lord of the rings complete soundtrack

interstellar soundtrack

best movie soundtracks on spotify

vaporwave music [i heard it’s good for studying but i only listened to macintosh plus bear with me please]

macintosh plus

blank banshee

dream catalogue

2814

supreme space race

other calming sounds + apps

coffitivity

infinitestorm

rainymood

relaxing nature sounds

white noise

+ my masterposts

notes, studying, and self-study resources

self-study resources

supplies

igcse resources

improving your handwriting

how to studyblr

literature masterpost

organisation

aesthetically pleasing notes

annotating

studying a foreign language

really great apps

math

college + uni

motivation

biology

space!!!!

chemistry

physics

summary writing

the discursive/argumentative essay

the narrative essay + the descriptive essay

the ultimate english masterpost!!

stress relief

what i’ve learnt throughout my years of being a student

how to stay productive during holidays

bullet journals

+ more

i hope this huge list helps you all out with studying + not losing focus!! + also i wish all of you a very happy 2016 <3

-helena xx

12K notes View Post

studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago

For us students, Sunday is universally hated day. Full of last minute homework assignments, cramming for tests and existential crises, Sundays are almost always awful. Nothing is worse than having a stressful start to your week so in an effort to make things easier for all us, I made a Sunday Checklist for you get your life in order on Sundays so that you don’t get swept away by your mountain of responsibilities.

Pull out your planner: Enter in all test dates and due dates that haven't already been inputed. Check to see what you have going on that week.

Make a to-do list: Include all assignments due Monday/Tuesday and anything else you need to get done. Highlight or mark high priority items and get them done first.

Start working: Finish high priority assignments first and then move on to the less pressing tasks. Use the Pomodoro technique to keep yourself productive.

Review material: After finishing your assignments, spend some time reviewing last week’s material for each class to refresh yourself. It’s easy to forget what you’re studying if you don’t touch your textbooks at all during the weekends.

Clean out your bag: Empty your backpack and reorganize everything for the week. You’ll be amazed at how much trash and stray papers you’ll find.

Make food for the week: If you’re like me and hate cafeteria food, make a few dishes and refrigerate them for the week. Pasta is an ideal choice for me because its not only fairly easy to make but it packs lots of calories for long school days.

Pick out your outfits for the week: Doing this will make your morning so much easier because literally all you have to do is get yourself dressed.

Laundry: Getting laundry done during the week usually never happens with a busy schedule so get it done on Sunday night so you’re not scrambling for clothes mid-week.

Clean your room: Keep your sanity during week by tidying your room up during weekends so you’re not left wondering where that homework assignment disappeared to.

If you find yourself having really busy weekdays, try your best to keep Sundays free of any commitments so you have a full day to get all your homework and studying for the week done! I usually get everything done on Sundays and do minimal studying during the week. Also push yourself to get up early on Sundays; I know its tempting to sleep in but you will be surprised at how much more time you have in your day when you wake up early.

Here’s to a happy school year free of stress!

-Ramya // futurecristinayang

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studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago

♫ - Sunday morning by maroon 5

Sunday is a rest day for a lot of people, but for others it’s the busiest day of the week. It might be hard to control yourself and not procrastinate, right? Here are some things you can do (as a student) on Sundays to help boost your productivity but staying relaxed at the same time!

morning

go for a run/ walk/ do some yoga

have a brunch

make some freshly squeezed orange juice

take a long shower/ bath

read a book

make your to-do list for the day

make a Sunday rewards list

clean and tidy your room

complete the smaller tasks on your list

afternoon

look for a good playlist

sort out all your work

get all your study materials

get a head start on next week’s homework/ assignments

start working on the bigger tasks

take breaks regularly (exercise, get some snacks, hang out with friends)

motivate yourself with those rewards

find the balance between work and relaxation

evening

pack your bag for the next day

make your lunch for the next day (tips)

pick out your outfit for Monday - socks and undies too!

take a shower if you haven’t already

read over your notes again

read a book/ listen to an audiobook/ watch some videos

change your sheets

go to bed earlier than usual: you’ve got a whole week ahead of you!

It isn’t easy to find that balance between work and relaxation, but it’s oh so important! Sunday should be the day that, at the end of it, you feel like you’ve done enough work but that you’ve also rested enough. Good luck!

+ more posts

upgrade your notes!

how to start studying infographic

handy apps for economics students

five easy steps to becoming a better you

feed yo’ brain

dealing with lazy groupmembers

studying and gaming: playlists and soundtracks

how to be less prickly when stressedpractice tests

xoxo Lou

8K notes View Post

studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago

I’ve seen a lot of curious people wanting to dive into classical music but don’t know where to start, so I have written out a list of pieces to listen to depending on mood. I’ve only put out a few, but please add more if you want to. hope this helps y’all out. :)

stereotypical delightful classical music:

battalia a 10 in d major (biber)

brandenburg concerto no. 5

brandenburg concerto no. 3

symphony no. 45 - “farewell” (haydn)

if you need to chill:

rondo alla turca

fur elise

anitra’s dance

in the steppes of central asia (borodin) (added by viola-ology)

if you need to sleep:

moonlight sonata

swan lake

corral nocturne

if you need to wake up:

morning mood

summer (from the four seasons)

buckaroo holiday (if you’ve played this in orch you might end up screaming instead of waking up joyfully)

if you are feeling very proud:

pomp and circumstance

symphony no. 9 (beethoven; this is where ode to joy came from)

1812 overture

symphony no. 5, finale (tchaikovsky) (added by viola-ology)

american (dvořák)

if you feel really excited:

hoedown (copland)

bacchanale

spring (from the four seasons) (be careful, if you listen to this too much you’ll start hating it)

la gazza ladra

death and the maiden (schubert)

if you are angry and you want to take a baseball bat and start hitting a bush:

dance of the knights (from the romeo and juliet suite by prokofiev)

winter, mvt. 1 (from the four seasons)

symphony no. 10 mvt. 2 (shostakovich)

symphony no. 5 (beethoven)

totentanz (liszt)

quartet no. 8, mvt. 2 (shostakovich) (added by viola-ology)

young person’s guide to the orchestra, fugue (britten) (added by iwillsavemyworld)

if you want to cry for a really long time:

fantasia based on russian themes (rimsky-korsakov)

adagio for strings (barber)

violin concerto in e minor (mendelssohn)

aase’s death

andante festivo

if you want to feel like you’re on an adventure:

an american in paris (gershwin)

if you want chills:

danse macabre

russian easter overture

if you want to study:

eine kleine nachtmusik

bolero (ravel)

serenade for strings (elgar)

scheherazade (rimsky-korsakov) (added by viola-ology)

pines of rome, mvt. 4 (resphigi) (added by viola-ology)

if you really want to dance:

capriccio espagnol (rimsky-korsakov)

blue danube

le cid (massenet) (added by viola-ology)

radetzky march

if you want to start bouncing in your chair:

hopak (mussorgsky)

les toreadors (from carmen suite no.1)

if you’re about to pass out and you need energy:

hungarian dance no. 1

hungarian dance no. 5

if you want to hear suspense within music:

firebird

in the hall of the mountain king

ride of the valkyries

night on bald mountain (mussorgsky) (added by viola-ology)

if you want a jazzy/classical feel:

rhapsody in blue

if you want to feel emotional with no explanation:

introduction and rondo capriccioso

unfinished symphony (schubert)

symphony no. 7, allegretto (beethoven) (added by viola-ology)

canon in d (pachelbel)

if you want to sit back and have a nice cup of tea:

st. paul’s suite

concerto for two violins (vivaldi)

l’arlésienne suite

pieces that don’t really have a valid explanation:

symphony no. 40 (mozart)

cello suite no. 1 (bach)

polovtsian dances

enigma variations (elgar) (added by viola-ology)

perpetuum mobile

pieces that just sound really cool:

scherzo tarantelle

dance of the goblins

caprice no. 24 (paganini)

new world symphony, allegro con fuoco (dvorak) (added by viola-ology)

if you feel like listening to concertos all day (I do not recommend doing that):

concerto for two violins (bach)

concerto for two violins (vivaldi)

violin concerto in a minor (vivaldi)

violin concerto (tchaikovsky) (added by iwillsavemyworld)

cello concerto in c (haydn)

piano concerto, mvt. 1 (pierne) (added by iwillsavemyworld)

harp concerto in E-flat major, mvt. 1 (added by iwillsavemyworld)

and if you really just hate classical music in general:

4′33″ (cage)

a lot of these pieces apply in multiple categories, but I sorted them by which I think they match the most. have fun exploring classical music!

also, thank you to viola-ology and iwillsavemyworld for adding on! if you would like to add on your own suggestions, please reblog and add on or message me so I can give you credit for the suggestion!

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studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago

Last Week’s Bullet Journal Spread, Legend, Indexing Key, And Reading List!!

last week’s bullet journal spread, legend, indexing key, and reading list!!

notebook: large blank moleskine pens: staedler fineliners, delistar 0.5

(12.07.2015)

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studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago

2K notes View Post

studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago

My Bullet Journal + Key For Study-stressed-hermione

my bullet journal + key for study-stressed-hermione

I found what works best for me by writing down the most useful symbols from bullet journals I’ve seen around tumblr and adapting them to suit my own preferences and needs! Hope this helps x

601 notes View Post

studyhardplayhard000

9 years ago