Fuel Your Semester: Nutritious and Budget-Friendly Recipes for Students

Balancing a new semester, a part-time job, and eating healthy can be challenging. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and stick to quick fixes like a slice of pizza or instant noodles. But eating healthy is important for your success as a student. Here's why: 

• Healthy food enhances concentration, memory, and cognitive function, all crucial for learning and retaining information.
• A balanced diet keeps your energy levels high, helping you keep up with your studies, activities, and social life. 
• Good nutrition can help manage stress and anxiety and improve overall emotional stability. 
• Eating well strengthens your immune system, helping you fight off illness and recover faster if you do get sick. 

To make eating healthy more affordable, we've put together five of our favourite budget-friendly recipes for students, whether you're a kitchen newbie or a seasoned chef. These recipes are nutritious and easy on your wallet, helping you manage your expenses without compromising your health. 

Veggie Stir-Fry with Rice 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup rice: $0.50 
• 1 carrot, sliced: $0.25 
• 1 bell pepper, sliced: $1.00 
• 1 zucchini, sliced: $0.75 
• 1/2 onion, chopped: $0.25 
• 2 tbsp soy sauce: $0.30 
• 1 tbsp olive oil: $0.20 
• Optional: 1 egg (scrambled in): $0.5 

 Instructions: 

1. Cook rice as per package instructions.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onion until translucent. 
3. Add carrot, bell pepper, and zucchini. Stir-fry until tender. 
4. Mix in soy sauce and, if using, scramble in the egg. 
5. Serve over the cooked rice.

Estimated Price: $3.50 (with egg), $3.00 (without egg) 

Cheesy Quesadillas 

Ingredients: 

• 2 large flour tortillas: $1.00
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella): $1.50 
• 1/2 bell pepper, sliced: $0.50 
• 1/2 onion, chopped: $0.25 
• Optional: Salsa for dipping: $0.75 

 Instructions: 

1. Heat a pan over medium heat and place one tortilla in it.
2. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the tortilla. 
3. Add bell pepper and onion. 
4. Top with the second tortilla and cook until the bottom is golden and the cheese is melted. Flip and cook the other side. 
5. Slice and serve with salsa, if desired. 

Estimated Price: $3.50 (with salsa), $2.75 (without salsa) 

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 lb ground beef: $3.00 
• 1 cup marinara sauce: $0.75 
• 2 cups cooked spaghetti: $0.75 
• 1/2 onion, chopped: $0.25 
• 1 clove garlic, minced: $0.10 
• 1 tbsp olive oil: $0.20 
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning: $0.10 

 Instructions: 

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft. 
2. Add ground beef and cook until browned. 
3. Stir in marinara sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Serve over cooked spaghetti. 

 Estimated Price: $4.90 

Egg and Veggie Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients: 

• 2 eggs: $0.50 
• 1/4 cup milk: $0.10 
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced: $0.50 
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese: $0.50 
• 1 large tortilla: $0.75 
• Salt and pepper to taste: $0.0 

Instructions: 

1. Whisk eggs and milk together. Pour into a pan over medium heat.
2. Add diced bell pepper and cook until eggs are set, stirring occasionally. 
3. Warm the tortilla and sprinkle cheese over it. 
4. Add egg and veggie mixture to the tortilla and roll it up. 

Estimated Price: $2.40  

Japanese Teriyaki Chicken 

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb chicken thighs or breasts: $4.00 
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce: $0.75 
• 1 tbsp olive oil: $0.20 
• 2 cups cooked rice: $1.00 
• 1 cup steamed broccoli: $1.00 

 Instructions: 

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook chicken until fully cooked. 
2. Add teriyaki sauce and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. 
3. Serve chicken over cooked rice with steamed broccoli. 

Estimated Price: $6.95 

Community Cupboard

Don't forget that the Community Cupboard is here to help! Located on the 3rd floor of the Student Lounge, it offers free access to healthy food for students facing food insecurity. Here's how you can benefit: 

1. Food Runners / Food Stash Donations: Pick up groceries on Mondays, Thursdays, or Saturdays. No registration is needed. Bring a reusable bag! 
2. Healthy Snacks: These are available at the Nursing Station or Student Services. Options vary but may include oatmeal, yogurt, cheese, fruit, trail mix, and more. 
3. Community Resource Referrals & Grocery Gift Cards: Contact a College Nurse at nurses@columbiacollege.ca or visit room 223 on the Main Campus or room 403 on the North Campus. 

We are here to support you in prioritizing your well-being by eating healthy, staying active, and utilizing available resources. If you have any questions, please contact our nurses, Gigi and Claire. Your health and well-being are our top priority! 

Emails: gclarke@columbiacollege.ca (Gigi) | cgoth@columbiacollege.ca (Claire)