<p>Here is a list that AFPrep850 started. Feel free to add onto this, so we people who don’t live in the dorms can save some money, effort, and time. :)</p>
<p>Some good cheap meals that you can make with just a fridge and microwave:</p>
<li><p>Kraft Mac & Cheese. Not Easy Mac, the real stuff. You can cook it in the microwave by adding 1 3/4 cups of water to the noodles and cooking uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir and cook another 5 1/2 minutes. Then add the 1/4 cup of milk and the cheese sauce. Buy your Mac & Cheese in the multi-pack, it’s pretty cheap that way.</p></li>
<li><p>Peanut Butter & Jelly. A big jar of peanut butter and a big jar of jelly aren’t overly expensive and should last you a good while. All you’ll need is a loaf of your favorite bread every so often. I like mine on rye, personally, and recommend Beefsteak brand bread if you want a good rye. I also recommend a tall cool glass of milk with this.</p></li>
<li><p>Hot Dogs. Ball Park sells an eight pack of franks that are individually wrapped and easily microwavable. Each pack comes with a coupon for like 50 cents or so off your next purchase of them. Get the beef ones, they’re a bit more expensive but taste better. Buns are pretty cheap in most areas and a jar of mustard should last you a good while as well.</p></li>
<li><p>Store Brand Frozen Veggies. I don’t know how many of you like to snack on vegetables, especially cooked ones, but if you buy your store brand’s frozen veggies you can get a good deal and can nuke them in the microwave.</p></li>
<li><p>Crackers and Peanut Butter. Saltine crackers (Premium, etc) aren’t overly expensive and go nice with peanut butter. You can also get Ritz crackers for a bit more money. Alternately use cheese, get the block of cheese and cut it using a grapefruit knife.</p></li>
<li><p>Dunkaroos. 'Nuff said.</p></li>
<li><p>Cereal. It’s already been said but I’ll say it again. I keep a box of it next to my desk at most times. Cheerios are great right out of the box, and I personally like Wheaties this way as well. But a real treat is Shredded Wheat with peanut butter.</p></li>
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<li><p>Instant oatmeal from Costco. Add your own sugar and fruits, its very filling.</p></li>
<li><p>Store bought veggies are amazing. Frozen whole okra from Ralph's is great for just nuking and dipping in Sriracha, and I can eat frozen cauliflower and broccoli by hte bag. If you can't stand plainv egetables, get the Green Giant frozen ones with sauces. Wait for it to go on sale (like 1.99 a bag) and buy several and store them away.</p></li>
<li><p>Easy mac is very cheap if you go to Costco. Its like 18 bags for 4 or 5 bucks.</p></li>
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<li>baked potatoes. they are cheap, nutritious (dont take off the skin or add butter/bacon) and have the highest satiety rate of any food. they fill you up the most</li>
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<li>Ramen with vienna sausage and egg. Just mix em up, add hot water, and you're done. Very satisfying. Takes indeterminate amount off your life.</li>
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<p>chopped salad. you have to get your veggies somehow and a salad is easy and takes relatively little time to make. salad dressing is also pretty cheap.</p>
<p>steamed rice with furikake (rice seasoning, normally has seaweed and etc)</p>
<p>fried eggs are easy to make-- also, scrambled eggs and the like. </p>
<p>fried rice is ridiculously easy to make. get those frozen assorted veggies at the market and defrost them, then put it together with chopped spam (if you guys like it, i do lol) and the rice and basically just stir fry it in a wok or even a pan with soy sauce, salt and kimchi (if you enjoy it, which i do) along with egg. simple, easy, tastes oh so good. a bowl of instant miso soup and tofu, and you're set.</p>
<p>for those tofu lovers, buy some extra mou / extra soft tofu and garnish it with green onion and soy sauce. serve with rice and whatever you'd like.</p>
<p>i'm biased on the asian part, and these might be a little more time consuming, but what about... NUTELLA. which is amazing!</p>
<p>all the food i just mentioned should take like 20 minutes prep+cook, tops. all of us can spare 20 minutes when you seriously think about it. better than cold cereal everyday (although i have been known to do that)</p>
<p>Scrambled eggs are so easy in a microwave. Just use a big enough bowl. They quadruple in size while cooking :) Great source of protein and relatively cheap.</p>
<p>Son is buying/cooking his own food this summer at school and going broke trying to get enough to eat.Lots and lots of oatmeal for breakfast. All you can eat dorm food plan is much more economical if you are an eating machine.</p>
<p>those packets of ramen (or other type of dried noodle and pasta) are easy to make in a microwave with a big bowl. IMO they taste better and are probably marginally healthier than the instant type. its faster if you have a water boiler to start it off with hot water before you microwave it, or just run the hot water tap for a few seconds first for it to heat up and use that.</p>
<p>then just stick the ramen/noodle/pasta in with the hot water and microwave for about 3-5 mins (trial and error for your specific type of noodle). you can use the seasoning from the ramen or just add your own sauces and other ingredients. i add the seasoning packet in with the water and microwave it all together. also, i find that asian ramen packs taste better than the americanized maruchan/nissin top ramen brands. :)</p>
<p>and theres no fast food restaurants with dollar menus in westwood other than el pollo loco. and even that is farther than i'm willing to walk. :p</p>
<p>I'm a rather picky eater. Here's my diet that usually runs about $50 a week or $7/day</p>
<p>Breakfast:
1. Bowl of cereal
2. Or piece of fruit and cup of yogart
3. With a glass of florida orange juice</p>
<p>Lunch:
1. Hamburger - moran beef patty, potato bun, lettuce, and cheese
2. Or Chicken breast burger with ranch
3. With tater tots and a can of pepsi</p>
<p>Dinner:
1. 1/3 to 1/2 pound of filet migon or beef rib eye steak with a potato and a pepsi
2. Or a can of progresso or chunky beef stew and some bread</p>
<p>Snacks include chips, candy, ice cream w/e is on sale at the market. It usually takes me weeks to finish all the snack food that I buy and that's usually budgeted to like $5 a week.</p>
<p>The downside: preparation time usually takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours of my day</p>
<p>About me:
Skinny 5'6 130lbs. Not a heavy eater.</p>
<p>I figure I'll save about $1000 to $1500 per academic year by cooking on my own. Versus a meal plan.</p>
<p>dont you also have to get a meal plan along with housing? probably 14B. even though its a good idea to save money throughout the year, wouldnt you be tired of all those food eventually?</p>