BUSY COLLEGE STUDENT? BUSY FAMILY? — HERE ARE 3 HEALTHY, QUICK & BUDGET FRIENDLY DINNER IDEAS!
Colleges and K-12 schools are BACK TO SCHOOL!
This time of year always creates various challenges when it comes to mealtime. Classes, sports and other activities often interrupt our healthy eating goals.
Below are THREE different nutritious dishes that can be made ahead of time and are very budget friendly. There’s very little cutting involved so even the younger kids can help with prep!
There are endless ways to modify and enhance these dishes to your liking. Please leave your comments below and let me know how your dinners turned out!
Simple meal preps great for college students & busy families on the go!
You can substitute veggies to your liking. I found meal prep containers on sale at Ralphs $6.99 for 10!
MEAL PREP #1
Makes seven 2 cup servings @ $1.57 per meal
ASSEMBLE:
- Heat source
- Large skillet/pan w a cover
- Knife
- Stirring utensils
- Optional- individual containers
- Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 lb ground turkey ($6.04)
- 2 cup brown rice (.79)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (pantry stock)
- 1 cup chopped onion (.50)
- 32 oz low sodium chicken broth ($1.67)
- 12 oz frozen carrots ($1.00)
- 12 oz frozen broccoli ($1.00)
- 1 tsp garlic granules (optional pantry stock)
- Salt & pepper to taste (optional pantry stock)
Total cost: $11.00!!
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat the skillet and add the olive oil.
- Sauté onions, ground turkey, optional garlic granules & brown rice in a large skillet over medium heat until turkey is cooked.
- Next, add chicken broth, stir, simmer & cover.
- Then add frozen carrots & broccoli when most brown rice is cooked and most of the liquid is gone.
- Salt & pepper to taste (optional)
- Place in meal prep containers.
MEAL PREP 2
Makes Eight 2 cup servings @ $1.48 per Meal
ASSEMBLE:
- Heat source
- Large pot for cooking lentils
- Large skillet/pan w a cover
- Knife
- Stirring utensils
- Ingredients
- Optional- individual containers
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 lb ground turkey ($6.04)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (pantry stock)
- 1 cup chopped onion ($.50)
- 16 oz bag of dry lentils ($1.69)
- 32 oz low sodium chicken broth ($1.67)
- 12 oz frozen carrots ($1.00)
- 12 oz frozen green beans ($1.00)
- 1 tsp garlic granules (optional pantry stock)
- Salt & pepper to taste (optional pantry stock)
Total cost: $11.83!
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook lentils in large pot using chicken broth instead of water. Follow prep directions on the bag.
- Add olive oil to a large heated pan/skillet.
- Then sauté onions, ground turkey & optional garlic granules over medium heat until turkey is cooked.
- Add frozen carrots & green beans. Stir until veggies are cooked.
- Next add cooked lentils and stir all ingredients together.
- Salt & pepper to taste (optional)
- Spoon 2 cups of this mixture into single serving meal prep containers.
MEAL PREP 3
Makes 9 Servings @ $1.18 per meal (Or, $2.76 per meal with curry sauce.)
ASSEMBLE:
- Heat source
- Large skillet/pan w a cover
- Large pot w/cover
- Knife
- Stirring utensils
- Optional- individual containers
- Ingredients
Brown Rice v White Rice: The Facts!
INGREDIENTS:
- 2.5 lb ground turkey ($6.04)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (pantry stock)
- 1 cup chopped onion (.50)
- 2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans ($2.00)
- 12 bag chopped spinach ($1.00)
- 14 oz coconut curry simmer sauce (optional $5.98)
- 3 cup white rice ($1.05) You can use any type of rice.
Total cost: $10.59
($16.57 with curry sauce)
DIRECTIONS:
- Cook rice, according to directions, in large pot.
- In a large heated pan, add the olive oil.
- Sauté onions, ground turkey & optional garlic granules over medium heat until turkey is cooked.
- Add frozen spinach. Stir.
- Add garbanzo beans with liquid (Do not drain.) Stir.
- Add optional coconut curry sauce. Stir. (I did not use this in this pictured recipe)
- Stir all ingredients together.
- Salt & pepper to taste (optional)
- Scoop 1 C. rice into individual containers (You can more or use less rice.)
- Scoop 1 C. of ground turkey veggie mixture next to rice.
FOLLOW MINDFUL MEALS BY KIDS on INSTAGRAM!