Know How to Feed Yourself

By Michele Brannon Hamilton

If you put bad gas in the car, it's going to sputter and die. Your body is the same way. Feed it well and you'll have the energy to play sports, take classes and hang out with your friends. With these few tips, you can save time and eat well.

Find Simple But Tasty Recipes

You don't have to be dull to eat well. There are easy recipes all around you that only take minutes to prepare. Share your favorite recipes with your friends and ask for their best recipes in return. Visit websites like allrecipes.com and studentrecipes.com for great recipes rated by other users.

Plan Ahead

Prepare meals on the weekends and store the food for those week days when you're in real rush. Put portions in baggies and store them in the freezer so you can grab what you need. You can make dishes like lasagna, sausage rolls, chicken and rice and hamburgers. Don't forget to date and label the baggies so you know what's inside.  You can also buy raw meat in large packages and store them in smaller portions in the freezer.

Store fridge items in baggies too. Take an hour to wash all your veggies and lettuce and bag them in the fridge so you can grab them quickly. Good choices are celery, baby carrots, broccoli, green beans, radishes and cauliflower.

Keep Expenses to a Minimum

Buying groceries can seem expensive when you're trying to make a recipe but there are ways you can cut costs. If you have room mate, share the expense. Buy ingredients that you will both use like spices and staples like sugar, rice or flour. Buy in bulk. You'll save money in the long run and you'll always have the basic ingredients on hand.

Follow a Basic Grocery List

Despite what you may think, the basic food groups do not include pop, chips and take out. Here's a list of essentials to get you started in the right direction:

In the Cupboard: flour, sugar, pasta, rice, crackers, canned soup, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce, bouillon cubes, cup o soup mix and potatoes. You won't starve with these basics in the house.

In the Fridge: fresh vegetables, fruit, salad, eggs, cheese and milk. Keep on hand Worcestershire sauce, chopped garlic, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce and any Asian or Thai sauces you like - these can all be added to sautéed, steamed or fried veggies.

Keep it Simple

The greatest invention for simple cooking is the crock pot. You can throw the food in the crock pot in the morning and let it cook while you do your homework. The food is literally ready when you are - it doesn't get any simpler than that. Add beef or pork to the pot. Pour dry onion soup mix over the meat and enough water to cover. Let the food cook for a few hours and voila - you have a delicious meal and gravy all in one. Or use chicken instead of red meat. Add cream of mushroom, celery or broccoli with enough water to cover the meat and get a great chicken dish to serve over rice.

If you really want to keep it simple, don't forget a microwave for easy reheating.

With a little planning, you will soon have independence from take-out and you're parents can stop worrying about you. Prepare ahead, keep your expenses down, have basic ingredients on hand and keep it simple. Now that you're eating right most of the time, you can save the take out for study nights or when you're just too tired to cook.

Resources

Here are two great sites with simple recipes rated by users like you :

http://www.studentrecipes.com/

http://www.allrecipes.com/

Sources

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=student+meals&meta=

http://www.yumyum.com/student/

http://www.studentrecipes.com/

http://www.princeton.edu/~isg/recipes.shtml