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https://labo.dormy-ac.com/daigakusei-zisui-recipe/　

With classes, club activities, part-time jobs, 

and volunteering, college students are busy every day. 

Many may find it difficult to make time to cook at home.

That’s where “Meal Prep” comes in handy!

This article introduces the benefits of “Meal Prep” and

 10 budget-friendly recipes that make cooking easier. 

We hope you find it useful!

Why Meal Prep is Perfect for College Students

The trick for college students to continue cooking for themselves is

 to “prepare food in advance”.

Benefits of " Meal Prep " 

① Makes cooking easier on weekdays

For busy college students to continue cooking for themselves, 

it's important to reduce the effort of cooking every day.

If you prepare food on the weekend and store it in the refrigerator or freezer, 

you can prepare lunch boxes or dinner just by popping it in the microwave.

If you only have to pop it in the microwave,

 it's easier to continue cooking for yourself every day, 

so it's a good idea to prepare food on weekends or other days when you have time.

Benefits of " Meal Prep " 

② It's more economical than making one serving every day

If you live alone and try to cook a day's worth of meals every day, 

you may end up making too much or having leftover ingredients, 

which leads to food waste.

You'll have to buy more ingredients to make up for the waste, 

which will increase your food costs.

Therefore, if you prepare food in advance, you won't waste ingredients, 

and even if you make too much, you can store it in the refrigerator or freezer, 

which will help you keep your food costs down.

Recommended for college students! 10 Budget-Friendly Recipes

Here are 10 budget-friendly recipes recommended for college students!

1.Mapo tofu

Mapo tofu is one of the easiest dishes to make.

Compared to other dishes, it requires fewer ingredients and is easy to cook, 

so you can make it in no time.

This is a dish that is easy to customize, 

so if you have time, it's a good idea to try out different flavors.

Useful recipes

2. Fried rice

Fried rice is also an easy dish to make!

If you cook extra rice the day before and freeze the leftover, 

you can cook it easily.

This will give you more options than just freezing plain rice, 

and you'll never get bored of eating it.

Useful recipes

3. Stir-fried vegetables

Stir-fried vegetables are inexpensive and don't take much time or effort!

You can freely combine different vegetables to create a wide range of dishes.

Cabbage, bean sprouts, Chinese chives, onions, carrots, 

and bell peppers are particularly good vegetables for stir-frying.

Useful recipes

4. Omurice (Omelet with rice)

Omelet with rice is another great value-for-money dish!

Not only is it inexpensive, but depending on the cooking method, 

it can even be made in the microwave, making it easier than you might think.

If you can make fluffy eggs, not only will it be delicious to eat,

 but the cooking itself will be fun, so be sure to give it a try.

Useful recipes

5. Salt-grilled fish

Salt-grilled fish is super easy to make, 

as all you need to do is grill fillets you've bought at the supermarket!

You can enjoy a variety of fish depending on the season, 

such as salmon, mackerel, and saury!

Even if you don't have a grill, 

you can easily cook it in a frying pan!

Useful recipes

6.Pasta

Some people may think, "Making pasta is a troublesome 

because I don't have a pasta pan or a deep-bottomed pot."

However, it's actually possible to cook pasta 

using just a frying pan!

You don't need a knife or cutting board, 

you just need a frying pan to cook it, 

so it's easy to make.

Cleaning up afterwards is also easy, 

so be sure to give it a try! 

Useful recipes

7. Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is a great value dish 

that can be made for about 50 yen per pan!

It's filling, and you can enjoy it in a variety of flavors 

by adding your own variations!

You can add bean sprouts as well as cabbage 

to create a different texture. 

Useful recipes

8. Pork chop

Pork chops are one of those dishes 

that can be prepared in a short time!

They can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days, 

so it's recommended to make some for dinner 

and pack the leftovers in your lunch box.

It saves you the trouble of cooking, 

so you can also save time 

when cooking at home.

Useful recipes

9. Curry and rice

Curry takes longer to make than other dishes, 

but one of the best things about it is that 

it's relatively inexpensive to make!

It's easy to prepare as it requires few ingredients, 

and it's easy to vary so you won't get tired of it.

As the saying goes, "second-day curry," 

so sometimes people prepare curry 

in advance and eat it on the second day and beyond.

However, if you do eat curry on the second day and beyond, 

there is a risk of food poisoning, 

so be sure to refrigerate it and reheat it before eating.

Useful recipes

10. Raw egg on rice

Raw egg on rice is one of those simple dishes 

that will leave you feeling full.

It's especially recommended 

when you're short on time or too tired to cook.

However, you might get bored of just eating raw egg on rice.

For that reason, we recommend keeping some things 

in the fridge that can be eaten as is, such as pickles.

Useful recipes

Four points to keep in mind when buying ingredients for home cooking

1. Find Grocery Stores with Low Prices

The price of the same ingredients may be different 

at a supermarket near the station 

and one that's about a 10-minute bike ride away.

The difference may only be a few tens of yen, 

but in the long run it can add up 

to significant savings on food costs.

When you're not tired and have time to spare, 

it's a good idea to look for stores 

where ingredients are cheap and stock up there.

2. Use Flyers and Apps

You can get great deals by using flyers 

you find in your mailbox or official store apps.

It might seem like a troublesome, 

but you can often find big discounts, 

so if you're looking to save on food costs, 

be sure to take advantage of flyers and apps.

3. Set a Budget in Advance

When you go grocery shopping, 

it's a good idea to decide on a budget beforehand.

 If you don't set a budget, 

you may end up putting one ingredient 

after another into your shopping cart, 

and before you know it, 

the bill may end up running into thousands of yen.

4. Go Grocery Shopping After Eating

If you go shopping before a meal when you're hungry,

your appetite may get the better of your desire to save money, 

and you may end up buying more than you need.

Therefore, if you want to save on food costs, 

it is effective to shop after meals, such as after lunch. 

How did you find it? 

I hope this information helps you in choosing your new home.

Dormy Labo