Plus a cheeky sweet treat

Trying to eat healthy on a budget can be a struggle for students. Between busy study schedules and seeing friends and family, there might not be too much time in your week to plan and cook meals.

Here are 3 meals that are quick, easy and cheap to make in big portions:

Salmon and rice bowl (3 portions) 🍣

Ingredients:

• 3 salmon fillets (about 120g each)
• 3 cups of white rice (you can choose any, though)
• 1 cucumber
• 1 or 2 avocados
• 2 spring onions
• Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Chilli flakes
• Sriracha mayo

Method

1. Season the salmon with soy or teriyaki sauce, garlic powder, paprika and chilli flakes.
2. Fry the salmon on medium heat for a few minutes on each side until crispy, or air fry at 180°C for 8-10 minutes.
3. Cook the rice according to package instructions.
4. Slice the cucumber, avocado and spring onions.
5. Assemble the bowls with rice, salmon and veg, then drizzle with sriracha mayo.

Total estimated cost: £12

Chicken fried rice (3 portions)🍚

This one is a super easy, cheap and filling meal - also good for reheating for lunch between lectures.

Ingredients:

• 300g chicken breast
• 250g uncooked rice
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 15g butter
• Soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Sweet chilli sauce

Method:

• Cook the rice and set it aside.
• Season and cook the chicken in a pan.
• Add the chopped onion, garlic and bell pepper.
• Push everything to one side and scramble the eggs in the same pan.
• Add the rice and sauces, mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.

Total estimated cost: £8

Butter chicken and rice (student-friendly fakeaway)🍛

3 portions

Total estimated cost: £10

Chocolate bark 🍫

While eating healthy, it's always good to stay balanced and finish with something sweet at the end of the day! 

Chocolate bark is so easy and simple to make; you just need 4 ingredients:

• 200g dark chocolate (can use milk/white if you prefer)
• 2 tbsp chocolate chips
• A small handful of salted pretzels
• 2 tbsp honeycomb pieces

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until smooth.
2. Spoon onto a parchment-lined baking tray and smooth over with a spatula to make a thin layer.
3. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips along with crushed pieces of pretzel and honeycomb, then chill until solid.
4. For neat slices, remove the bark from the fridge and leave for a minute to come to room temperature. Use a sharp knife to cut it into shards (if it's fridge-cold, the chocolate will snap rather than cut).

Now you can have chocolate bark as an after-dinner snack or dessert.

Total estimated cost: £3.75

Eating well as a student doesn't mean spending loads of money or hours in the kitchen. A little bit of planning goes a long way, and having food ready means you are way less likely to skip meals or spend money on takeaways.