Category Archives: Money/Budget

College students are always on a budget when it comes to food. After factoring textbooks, tuition and rent into their budget, there’s usually not much money left to splurge on food! Here are four essential foods every college student should have stocked in their pantry. Below are attached links for other alternative recipe options students can make using the products. Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you have to cook and eat the same meal every day. Spice up these boring products with some of these alternative recipe suggestions!

• Spaghetti/ Pasta Sauce: Every student uses spaghetti sauce. It’s an essential part of the college food group system, and the possibilities are endless. You can make the typical spaghetti, add in some meatballs or hotdogs, and you’re good to go! Other alternatives using pasta sauce: Sloppy Joes, Tomato Soups, Tomato Stews, Casseroles, Marinade and more! Check out this website for 50 recipes you can make with pasta sauce.

• Spam: This meat in a can fulfills the meat cravings for students on a budget! Buy this product in bulk at a local Costco or Walmart. Most people fry spam and eat it with salads, egg, rice or bread – and there are many ways of serving Spam that many college students don’t know about. Other alternatives using spam: Spam masubi, BLT spamwiches, Spam Turnovers, Burritos, 7-layer dip, Spam meatballs and more! Check out the top-rated Spam recipes for more ideas.

• Ramen Noodles: When people think of college student’s diets, they think ramen noodles. Ramen is the most affordable food product that majority of college students eat. You can find them for 25 cents each at a local grocery store. It’s the quickest meal for students on the go, just boil water, add noodles, flavor powder and you’re done! Other alternatives using ramen: Ramen noodle alfredo, stir-fried ramen noodles, 3 bean ramen salad, chicken parmesan over ramen noodles. Here’s 100 recipes to spice up your ramen noodle diet.

• Canned Tuna: Canned tuna is a great option for students who are vegetarians or are sick of eating Spam. Most people eat canned tuna straight out of the can with crackers. Another popular way of using canned tuna is to make a tuna sandwich using mayo, egg and relish mixed in with the tuna. You can buy canned tuna in bulk at a local Walmart or Costco. You can also find them at the dollar stores, but be sure to check their expiration dates before buying! Other alternatives using canned tuna: Pasta Salad, tuna melt, casserole, tuna burger, tuna meatballs, tuna salads. Take a look at all the top-rated canned tuna recipes.