15 easy meals each from two simple foods | In a world filled with delicious food, it seems like fine dining has evaded the recipe boxes of poor college students for quite some time. Whether you are an “extreme couponer” or you mooch off of your parents’ Costco card, buying in bulk is the best way to save money on food. For those of us who cannot afford to be picky and go this route, here are two staple foods that, if bought in bulk, can serve many different purposes.
A different kind of ‘freshman 15’
15 easy meals each from two simple foods
Photo by Maria Perala
In a world filled with delicious food, it seems like fine dining has evaded the recipe boxes of poor college students for quite some time. Whether you are an “extreme couponer” or you mooch off of your parents’ Costco card, buying in bulk is the best way to save money on food. For those of us who cannot afford to be picky and go this route, here are two staple foods that, if bought in bulk, can serve many different purposes.
The first versatile, bulk-worthy food is the tortilla (either flour or corn). The best brand to buy is Guerrero, which can be found at any local supermarket. Depending on the store, these sell for $4 or less and last a long time when refrigerated. Below are some of the inexpensive meals my own mother used to make for our family using this simple food.
MEALS TO MAKE
1. Quesadillas
2. Sincronizadas
3. Chilaquiles (green or red)
4. Nachos
5. Fajitas
6. Chicken quesadillas
7. Crunchy Tacos
8. Taquitos
9. Tostadas
10. Enchiladas
11. Taco pizza
12. Tortillas dulce (cinnamon-sugar chips, also called Elephant Ears)
13. Breakfast burritos
14. Tortilla soup
15. “Real” tacos (like the ones sold at taco stands)
Another food I have found handy is chicken breast. Although it may seem expensive, when bought in bulk with the right coupons there is almost always an opportunity to lower the cost. Virtually anything can be made with chicken. However, these are the 15 I have found to be the easiest and least expensive. All recipes can substitute tofu for chicken.
Tortillas and chicken are just a couple of the staple foods that make a myriad of cheap, easy and delicious meals. Most people avoid buying in bulk because of the fear of getting sick of eating the same thing all the time. But each of the meals above give that particular food a unique and different taste from the rest, making it hard to get sick of eating the same food 15 meals in a row.
MEALS TO MAKE
1. Chicken panini
2. Chicken caesar salad
3. Orange chicken and vegetable stir fry
4. Sweet and sour chicken
5. Wonton chicken salad
6. Grilled chicken
7. Whole wheat chicken and veggie wrap
8. Chicken and mixed greens salad with walnuts
9. Chicken and vegetable shish kebabs
10. Lemon pasta with chicken
11. Barbecue chicken breast
12. Grilled chicken breast with rice and vegetables
13. Chicken pot pie
14. Chicken noodle soup
15. Chicken strips
