As a college student with a low budget and stacked classes it can be difficult to find time to eat. Especially with a lower meal plan, students need to be extra diligent in finding nutritious options.

Ramen and microwavable mac and cheese are the usual go-to meals for students, but here are some cheap alternatives to stay filled. 

The first step is to get a lunch or to-go box to bring homemade food to campus. After ordering a burrito bowl from Eagles Nest, students receive a free tupperware container they can clean and use for future meals. There are also cheap medium containers at Target for less than $4. 

GET THE MOST OUT OF THE CAF 

Apart from making food in dorm kitchens, students can take some time getting creative with the salad and sandwich bar. Bring a tupperware to meal prep for a couple meals.

The Caf usually has tortillas in the garden section so the best way to get the most out of a meal plan is to make multiple mini wraps. Fill the mini wraps with a variety of ingredients. Add hummus, spinach, tomato, feta and balsamic to make a delicious mediterranean wrap. Making a mini wrap tastes best with pesto sauce along with a few pieces of deli meat. Next, roll these up and cut them in half. These are perfect to take on the go and store in an on-campus fridge. 

ALL KINDS OF TOAST 

One of the best foods students can invest in is bread. The Walmart located across from campus offers a large variety of breads which are usually under $4. For those that are gluten free or vegan, a great alternative is rice cakes.

Nutella and peanut butter are great options to put on toast. Add a few pieces of fruit to the top and this may be able to provide multiple snacks throughout the week. For a more savory toast, try getting an avocado and spreading it on the bread. On occasion, the Caf has mini sriracha packets, which can be used to add extra flavor. 

THE BREAKFAST THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

During a rushed morning without time to stop at the Caf, an easy meal which takes less than 20 minutes the night before is overnight oats. The only ingredients are rolled oats, milk, a mason jar and fruit. If buying in bulk, this makes multiple meals. Mix the ingredients together, and put in the fridge overnight to have for the next morning. To sweeten the oats up without spending any extra money add some sugar packets from Common Grounds or Heritage. To add some extra protein and flavor, purchase protein powder from a grocery store—but that will impact the price a bit. 

For more helpful tips for eating in the dorm check out the hashtag dormfood on Tiktok to find thousands of students sharing their own recipes.