by Joan Inong

Created on: May 09, 2009

Most college students are not made of money. As a result, they cannot afford extravagant, expensive meals all the time. However, cooking inexpensively on a student budget, and enjoying food, are not two completely discordant ideas. The following tips will show you how to cook delicious meals for less.

First, you must know which ingredients will cost you more, which will cost you less, and what you can substitute for. For instance, chicken and pork usually are inexpensive compared to beef and other meat products. Dark chicken cuts are especially inexpensive. Similarly, common vegetables are going to cost you less than "season" vegetables (those vegetables which are not available year-round). However, certain vegetables like tomatoes will cost the same throughout the year.

How you cook and what you decide to cook will also determine how much you are going to spend per meal. The best way to cook any piece of meat is to cook it slow, for a long time, and with some type of sauce. The sauce will be the foundation for the whole flavor of the dish. One great meal that is a personal favorite is called "adobo." It is a Filipino dish that involves only a few, cheap ingredients: some type of meat (usually pork or chicken), soy sauce, potatoes, and garlic. Brown the garlic in some oil, add the meat and brown that too. Once the meat is browned, add a cup or so of water (enough to cover the meat halfway). Add enough soy sauce to make the water rather dark. Allow the whole thing to simmer for about an hour or so. Cut the potatoes, meanwhile, and add them to the pot when the meat is almost done. Continue to cook until the potatoes are tender. And, for all of this, you would only spend about $1.50 per meal, per person.

Usually, crockpot meals are the most delicious for the least amount of money spent. That's because the slow-cooking process will meld all the ingredients together, concentrate the flavor, and result in a meal that's going to last for a couple of days.

Whenever you make something, try to cook meals that can be used at least in two different ways. One example is baking chicken breasts. You can cut them up and add them to a spinach salad, or you can make fettuccine alfredo and throw chicken slices in, or you can bread the chicken up and add some white sauce and mashed potatoes with gravy on the side. Whatever you choose, however, you can make delicious, yet inexpensive, food with your student budget.

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