Cooking on a Budget: College Edition

 Breakfast on a Budget: College Edition

by Vy Vu

02/25/2023

As a full-time college student, I often found myself skipping breakfast due to my tight budget and lack of free time. I experienced constant fatigue which started to affect my school days, and I wanted to know if skipping breakfast was the root of this problem. 

It turns out, a study shows that those who skip breakfast are likely to have disrupted circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythm is a human's internal sleep-wake system. This would explain why I felt fatigued most days. This study also shows that skipping breakfast can cause an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. This is because many breakfast foods include the proper vitamins that other meals may not provide. These vitamins include folate, calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and Vitamin D. 

After realizing the detrimental effects of skipping breakfast, I knew I had to find a solution. Therefore, I challenged myself to incorporate fresh foods into my diet with a $20 grocery budget.  I wanted these ingredients to last a week's worth of breakfast meals. I also used some common ingredients that I was able to find in my college apartment. I learned that ingredients are versatile and creativity was all I needed to make this challenge work. Due to my lack of time, I also came up with recipes that would take no more than 30 minutes total of prep and cooking time.

Jump to Recipes

The Ultimate Avacado Toast | French Toast Bites | Smoothie Bowl | Omelet | Peanut Butter and Banana Roll-Ups

Grocery List

I went shopping at my local Aldi. Aldi seems to have the most affordable prices compared to other grocery stores in my area. For $22.60, I was able to get the following items: 

• White sandwich bread ($1.45)
• A dozen eggs ($4.19)
• 2 Avocados ($1.60)
• 5 Bananas ($1.10)
• Cooked bacon ($3.59)
• Frozen Berries ($3.69)
• Spinach (1.99)
• Granola (2.75)
• Colby Jack cheese ($2.19)

Recipes

1. The Ultimate Avocado Toast: A piece of toast with thinly cut avocado slices followed by crispy bacon and a sunny-side-up egg. 

Total Time: 20 mins

• Prep time: 5 mins
• Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients: 

• 4 pieces of white bread
• 2 pieces of cooked bacon
• 1/2 an avocado
• 2 tbsp of oil 
• salt and pepper to taste
• chili oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Put a slice of white bread into the toaster/toaster oven and toast to your preference
2. Cook the cooked bacon according to the cooking instructions on the packaging
3. Add oil to a pan set to medium-high heat. After the oil is hot, crack an egg into the pan and let it cook for about 3-5 minutes or until all egg whites are cooked and brown, and crispy edges form (NOTE: use chili oil instead of regular oil to add spice to your dish)
4. While waiting for the eggs to cook, slice half of an avocado into thin slices
5. Once the egg is done cooking, salt, and pepper to taste
6. Lastly, assemble the dish: toast, avocado slices, bacon, and egg

2. French Toast Bites: Crispy, sweet, cinnamon toast cut into bite-sized delights.

Total Time: 30 mins

• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients: 

• 5 pieces of white bread 
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp milk (or water)
• Cinnamon
• Sugar
• Maple Syrup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the bread by cutting off all crust and cutting it into preferred bite-sized squares 
2. Crack an egg into a medium-sized bowl, add the milk, and then whisk
3. Place the bread pieces into the bowl and gently mix until each piece is coated
4. Add oil/butter to a medium-heated pan
5. One by one, place an egg-coated bread piece onto the pan
6. Once one side is cooked, flip each piece to the other side until it is also cooked. 
7. Add a 1:1 ratio of cinnamon and sugar to a bowl and mix
8. Place the cooked bread into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss until fully coated
9. Serve with maple syrup

3. Berry Medley Smoothie Bowl: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and bananas blended to create the creamiest, thickest smoothie.

Total Time: 15 mins

• Prep time: 5 mins
• Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of frozen berries of choice
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup of milk (or water)
• Granola
• 2 tbsp of honey (optional)
• Cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Microwave the frozen berries for 45 seconds or until somewhat thawed but still cold 
2. Place the berries, half a banana, milk, and honey into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more honey for extra sweetness 
3. Place the smoothie into a bowl and decorate it with the other half of the banana, granola, and cinnamon
4. Any other toppings of choice can be added or you can drink it as a smoothie!

4. Spinach-Bacon Omelet: Cheese, spinach, and bacon perfectly folded in a sheet of egg

Total Time: 25 mins

• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp of milk (or water)
• 1 cup of spinach
• 3 pieces of cooked bacon
• 1/2 cup of shredded cheese of choice
• 1 tbsp of oil
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Italian seasoning

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together two eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until well combined
2. Cook the cooked bacon according to the cooking instructions on the packaging. Once cooked, cut them into small pieces
3. Heat a large pan with oil to medium-high heat
4. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Move the pan around until the egg mixture covers the entire surface area of the pan.
5. Add the shredded cheese, bacon, and spinach to one half of the pan. Place a lid over the pan for 1-2 minutes
6. Once the bottom layer of the egg is cooked, fold the egg in half to cover the toppings.
7. Place a lid over the pan for another 2 minutes until the egg and spinach are fully cooked.
8. Serve with more salt and pepper to taste

5. Banana-Peanut Butter Roll-Up: Banana and peanut butter rolled up on a toasted sheet of bread 

Total Time: 25 mins

• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces of white bread 
• 1 banana
• Peanut butter (or any spread)
• Maple syrup (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut the crust off of the white bread. One by one, flatten the bread with a rolling pin
2. Cut the banana into 9 thin strips
3. Spread peanut butter onto each flattened piece of bread and add 3 banana strips to each piece of bread. You can add more bananas if you would like
4. Tightly roll the bread with the banana and peanut butter on the inside
5. Heat a large pan with oil to medium heat
6. Place each roll onto the pan. Flip every 30 seconds to a different side to ensure even toasting.
7. Plate with maple syrup

Results

This $20 grocery budget ended up lasting me more than a week and provided more meals than just breakfast. Most ingredients ended up being leftover which I used for other meals throughout the day. For example, I was able to make a quick grilled cheese lunch with leftover bread and cheese. 

Eating home-cooked meals each morning, I felt more energetic and awake during the school day. Having to cook breakfast each morning also gave me consistency in my everyday schedule which helped with my time management issues. Overall, my results of eating breakfast every day were consistent with the study results. 

Your Turn

Would you try this challenge? Do you already eat breakfast every day? Which recipe do you think you'd try? What quick and budget-friendly recipes do you normally turn to? 

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/is-breakfast-really-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day#Evidence-in-support-of-eating-breakfast