Quick and easy dinner recipes for poor college couples?

I need some quick and easy dinner recipes for my boyfriend and me.


If anyone is willing to give any away, that isn't just Ramen noodles and mac %26amp; cheese, or ordering pizza,


I'd be eternally gratefulQuick and easy dinner recipes for poor college couples?
I have Lot's of Cheap and Easy meal ideas. This week i am focusing on meals that are less than $5 to prepare. Here are the links for 2 great meal ideas:





Homemade Pizza's:


http://cheapfamilymeals.info/2008/12/17/鈥?/a>





Tater Tot Casserole:


http://cheapfamilymeals.info/2008/12/16/鈥?/a>





Happy Cooking -Machelle at http://cheapfamilymeals.infoQuick and easy dinner recipes for poor college couples?
I make a cheeseburger casserole,you just take the cheapest hamburger you can get,fry it and drain it,mix it with a can of Cream of Mushroom soup (I use Aldi brand) and a little bit of milk just to make it a little creamier,and put this in the bottom of a casserole dish,and in the meantime make a box (again just the cheap stuff) of mac %26amp; cheese according to the directions on the box.When this is done spread it over the hamburger soup mixture in the casserole dish and if you'd like you can put shredded cheese over the top,but this is not necessary,it's good without the extra cheese.And you just put it in the oven @ 350 degrees until heated through.My husband and my kids love this dinner,it's one of their favorites!!
This is just a quick 3 ingredient recipe that my mom threw together one night when she was short on ingredients. It came out so good that she now makes it regularly. We even serve it to guests. There is a lot of flavor and it's cheap to make.





Reduced fat smoked sausage (we like hillshire farms)


1 can diced tomatoes with italian herbs (we like the delmonte brand with basil, garlic and oregano)


1 box bowtie pasta





Slice the sausage into bite sized pieces and cook it in a skillet until it is a little bit browned. In the meantime, boil water for your bowties and make about 1/2 to 3/4 of the box. Once the sausage is done dump in the can of tomatoes and season with a little salt and pepper. After the noodles are cooked, drain them and dump them into the tomato/sausage mixture. Stir it all up and enjoy. Super easy and really flavorful!
You sound like me :) Here are some things we live off of during the week:





Hamburger helper (Wal-Mart has the tubes of hamburger meat for like $5 and it lasts two large portion meals)


Canned soup with grilled ham and cheese


Tacos (with leftover Hamburger meat)


Chili w/beans (easy and cheap)


Buy a large bag of frozen boneless chicken ($9) but it lasts at least three meals for me and my boyfriend... we make chicken helper, grilled chicken sandwiches with bacon and cheese, cut up in small pieces and add egg noodles (very cheap) with a can of cream of mushroom soup yummy
not everything is supposed to be eaten as a full course meal. so just make what you need. depending on how hungry you are, the first two can always be a side dish (just prep some meat %26amp;maybe some veggies) or a bigger serving can be a whole meal.


-velveeta shells %26amp; cheese (try a new flavor. my fav is rotinini w/broccoli)


-pasta/rice a roni (huge flavor variety. guaranteed to find something you both like)


-hamburger helper


-hot pockets


-spaghetti


-tacos/quesadillas


-burgers w/fries
I found a website awhile ago when I was looking for some good tasting recipes that were also healthier, lower in fat and calories. And I stumbled upon this:





www.3fatchicks.com





There are numerous recipes listed that I make almost every week. They are that good. The feta stuffed chicken is my favorite. I've recommended this website to a handful of my friends, and they've been thankful.





Hope this helps.
well me and my boyfriend dont go to collage.. but we are 19 and 21 and work everyday.. and struggle and struggle.. its like groceries are not even an option for us sometimes...i didnt go to to the grocery store for almost 2 monthes because i didnt have any money





we eat a lot of spagetti... i have to recommend that you get a huge jar of prego...its like 2 bucks and 50 cents.. get the biggest pack of noodles you can get.. they are like a dollar.. and i recomment getting the bag of frozen meat balls.. they are about 5 dollars.. but there are over 64 meatballs in there... if you buy hamburger meat.. your looking at 11 dollars for a big pack... and that will only last 2 meals... its delicous and good... also do you have an aldis by you??? i go there everytime i go shopping.. you can get canned goods for like 20 cents... pack of noodles for like 50 cents.. bread is like 60 cents... veggies are so cheap its crazy.. you can get a head of lettuce for 50 cents.. and 2 peppers for 29 cents.. look around... and every sunday i cut coupons.. i save tons of money that way.
tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches





make ur own little english muffin pizzas





salads (little bits of meat; your choice) I usually make steak salad( cut up steak and cook it in a pan. Then put it in with the lettuce, croutons, or whatever is like to have in a salad.) not too expensive





Have fun!!! :))
pasta and a Salmon Fillet





and hot choclate





easy , yummy and cheap
pasta...cheap and easy
will you could have hamburger helper..that's like 1.50 a box
I've lived on 3 continents, and everywhere except America, soup is a staple. It is cheap, healthy and versatile. And great in winter.





I ate a lot of it in college and I still like it now.


I also managed to pay off my student loans in under 3 years by continuing my frugal habits after graduations.





Keep some basics around the house to have a cheap satisfying meal in no time.


Stock up on things like boullion cubes, lentils, cans of beans (kidney, navy, pinto, etc.), eggs, root veggies, seasonal veggies, simple spices.


Remember that the harder the ingredient the earlier it goes in the soup (so bones, ham, carrots, turnips, potatoes, onions, celery, peas, green beans, corn, leafy greens, eggs, tomatoes in that order)





Depending on the soup I'll often add noodles or have some garlic bread with it. Bread freezes really well, so you can buy it without worrying about it going bad. And if it goes stale, simple cube the bread, fry lightly in olive oil, and garlic or spices if you want, and have delicious croutons to sprinkle on your finished soup.





Egg Drop Soup


(fastest, easiest soup ever with cheap eggs for protein)


boil water, add boullion cubes


if you want noodles, add them first, they take longer to cook


you can add tofu if you want


take whatever leafy green is cheapest, wash very well, shred and add


(spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, etc.)


whip the eggs and slowly pour them into the pot over a fork that you move around the pot to create the airy effect


if you want add some diced tomatoes at the end,


and a little salt and pepper





Lentil Soup


(cheap and filling)


soak the lentils overnight to soften and reduce cooking time


rinse in fresh water


boil lentils in boullion


add diced carrots, turnips, potatoes, onions for 20 min


you can add ham if you have it, or cut up hot dogs


add salt, pepper and vinegar to taste





Chinese Soup


cut up onions and potatoes into small pieces


boil for 30 minutes until soft


add diced tomatoes


season with salt and pepper


this is really simple but the length of cooking time makes the onions very mild and flavors the broth very nicely





Miso Soup


see if you can buy miso paste anywhere locally


don't go for the dried packets, they are expensive and full of sodium


the trick is to mix the paste in small amount of cold water first


otherwise the miso will spoil if heated directly


take boiling water off heat, mix in miso paste water slowly, serve


very healthy, especially if you add tofu and seaweed





Kale Soup


this is a much undervalued vegetable


buy a large or even two bunches of kale, it cooks down a lot


make sure to clean very well and remove the tough central stems


fry up some polish sausage or chorizo and set aside


using same pan, saute garlic and onions just briefly, add diced potatoes and carrots and cover with water, also throw in a couple of boullion cubes, cook until almost soft


then rip up the kale leaves and add to the pan, also put the sausage back, cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until the kale wilts and softens


season with salt and pepper


this is especially yummy if you mash some of the potatoes with a fork and mix into the soup to give it more texture





Bean Chili


take a can of kidney beans and pinto or navy beans


add a can of water for each can of beans to the pot


add a can of whole or diced tomatoes including juice (no extra water)


add chili powder, salt and pepper


add browned hamburger meat


(to save money I buy 1/2 beef and 1/2 pork and mix the two)


cook for 15 minutes, add water if needed





Tomato Vegetable Soup


take a can of whole tomatoes, chop them


add chopped root veggies, whatever is cheap or available


I will use carrots, potatoes, turnips, rutabago, yam, etc.


add these and another can of water and cook


chop an onion and add, celery also if not too expensive


then I like to add whatever veg is fresh and cheap


maybe green beans, corn, apsaragus, peas, mushrooms, etc.


cook for 20 to 30 minutes


if I'm feeling really hungry I will brown some ground beef/pork and add it to the soup right at the end


add salt, pepper, spices


I buy a huge jar of spice mix for making oil/vinegar salad dressing


then I have cheap, homemade dressing and also delicious in soup





Hope these ideas are helpful to you.


Best advice.


Buy in season, and buy what is locally available.


Less meat, more beans and tofu.


If you do buy meat, buy at the end of the day when it is on sale.


Then freeze that and use at a later date.

scars