Recently, I wanted a white board to have a physical list of homemade healthy food available at home. We didn’t have the money for one so we bought some dry-erase markers and taped old paper bags onto the back of the glass of our rarely used china cabinet. I like having a big visible list in the kitchen so my husband and I could refrain from opening the fridge several times a day. I also like planning a day before or on the day of so I can gouge what we’re craving for and which ingredients we have available that day.
Forgive the handwriting but I listed down several foods and recipes that we enjoy and have been repeats in our diet. We also wanted it to be relatively cheap so we process and prep meals at home to save food. All of the meals and food items listed are vegan. So far, we’ve been saving up great and feeling better with relatively healthier eating :D
How do you plan your meals?
image description: A china cabinet with its glass doors used like a white board. Brown paper bags are taped behind the glass to make the text visible.
I'm a single university student with a small budget (maybe $60 per week). When I do meal plan I try to make a dinner that will last me a few days but it's not always easy. For one, it gets boring, and two, some days I'm just hungrier than others so there are weeks where I go past my budget.
I'd be curious to hear how other university students do it.
If you're not very fond of repeating meals, you can try experimenting on new recipes that depend on the same base ingredients and vary on its toppings and flavorings. I remember I'd always have rice as a base and add different veggies and seasonings like soy sauce and chili flakes to make a quick fried rice. It takes time to develop your home cooking mainstays but if you do have some spare time, you can try figuring it out.