Most certainly, college life can be stressful and time-consuming. With assignments piling up, maintaining a social life, and showing up for your part-time job, you barely have time to prepare a decent meal. Eating healthy is necessary, especially for college students, so we have included healthy recipes for college students. Eating a balanced diet will increase your mental health and thus concentration in class. Also, you will sleep better, be more productive and increase your academic performance.
20 Healthy Recipes For College Students
Who said cooking a healthy meal requires hours of preparation and tons of ingredients? We understand the time constraint you are facing. So, we took it upon ourselves to find 20 healthy recipes for college students that take minutes to prepare
1. Mango-avocado Fish Tacos Recipe
These easy-to-prepare fish tacos will deliver more than tropical colors and flavor. The meal will include healthy fast classified under Omega-9 fats such as oleic acid. Oleic acid, moreover, helps improve brain functioning and development-recipe.
2. Chicken-cauliflower Rice Recipe
If you are looking to minimize carb intake, cauliflower is a suitable substitute. This meal is above all rich in protein and is inclusive of many vegetables- recipe.
3. Chicken-Quinoa Bowl Recipe
Rich in protein, chicken, is also delicious and favorite food for many. In addition Quinoa adds to the advantages by providing all the essential amino acids you need for optimal brain functioning- recipe.
4. Beef Fajitas Recipe
Here, we have this rich in protein and iron meal is a low-carb option to prepare in less than 30 minutes-recipe.
5. Chickpea-tuna Lettuce Wrap Recipe
This meal is rich in protein and is a good source of fiber from lettuce. It will indeed leave you feeling full for longer and is an easy to make- recipe.
6. Roasted Vegetable Breakfast Muffin Recipe
Indeed these muffins make a healthy, whole breakfast with eggs, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and onions with less than 100 calories- recipe.
7. Roasted Vegetables And Lentils Recipe
Are you a vegetarian? We got you covered with this delicious meal that packs plant-based protein. Equally important, the meal is a good source of iron, which helps transport oxygen throughout your body, including the brain- recipe
8. Turkey Tacos Recipe
This is the perfect healthy meal for lunch full of lean meat and tons of healthy spices like garlic. The protein will keep you going till the next meal.- recipe.
9. Shrimp-avocado Quinoa Bowl Recipe
This meal is high in protein and contains a considerably high amount of monounsaturated fatty acids. You can leave out the shrimp and replace it with your favorite type of protein recipe.
10. Crockpot Vegetarian Chili Recipe
The meal is vegan and gluten-free. Thus it is of course healthy and loaded with three types of beans for protein, vegetables, and spices-recipe.
11. Salmon-spinach Pasta Recipe
Enjoy healthy recipes of pasta that is loaded with fatty acids for better brain function, anti-inflammatory benefits, and it combats heart diseases. You only need less than half an hour to enjoy your meal- recipe.
12. Chicken Burrito Bowls Recipe
Chicken burrito is easy to make, gluten-free, and loaded with lots of protein which in fact improves your brain function and leave you feeling fuller for longer- recipe.
13. Thai Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wrap Recipe
Full of protein and vegetables, this healthy meal is easy to make. Furthemore, you can use either chicken or turkey- recipe.
14. Peanut-chicken zoodles Recipe
Before we get any further, zoodles are zucchini noodles. If you need a gluten-free, low-carb option, zoodles are a great pasta replacement. Rich in protein and healthy fats thanks to peanut butter, this meal will in short leave you feeling full while specifically reducing cholesterol- recipe.
15. Spinach-mushroom Frittata Recipe
This is a low-carb option that suits breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition, the eggs and spinach will provide vitamin A which ensures your eyesight is best as it prevents night blindness-recipe.
16. Turkey Bolognese Recipe
Also known as turkey meat sauce, it includes vegetables and natural spices that are healthy and tasty. For instance, the chicken broth is a sure way to add calcium- recipe.
17. Baked Oatmeal Cup Recipe
Certainly if you love oatmeal, you will love this healthy breakfast recipe loaded with vitamins, minerals, and calcium. It is an entirely vegan and gluten-free- recipe.
18. Creamy Pumpkin Pasta Recipe
In conclusion, you can do more with a pumpkin than make pie. Enjoy this healthy recipe alternative to pasta using this recipe.
19. Chicken-quinoa salad Recipe
Moreover, there is a lot you can do with chicken, including making this salad. Rih in protein and packed with vegetables, therefore it is a colorful hearty, and healthy meal- recipe.
20. Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Recipe
Are you looking for a healthy delicious meal with a little protein served alongside veggies? You have one using this recipe.
That is to say with our 20 healthy recipes for college students, you will never run out of ideas. To sum up, the meals above are healthy and easy to prepare.
Importance Of Healthy Recipes For College Students
1. Better Quality Sleep
College students barely get enough sleep. Moreover, failure to sleep for the recommended hours will contribute to health complications in the short and long run.
For example, lack of adequate sleep can result in weight gain in the short run and lack of focus in the long run. Healthy eating habits influence your quality of sleep. High levels of carbs and sugar during the day are linked to less restful sleep, while healthy recipes such as fatty fish high in fiber contribute to better sleep.
2. Better Academic Performance
Some foods such as refined foods and those high in sugar could slow your brain function. Thus, causing low productivity, poor memory, short concentration span, and overall poor academic performance. On the other hand, healthy recipes provide the needed energy for a college student’s brain to focus and remain alert. Therefore, eating healthy will make you focus in class and feel more efficient.
Besides, a healthy diet also impacts how fast you process information. Have you ever attended a class, and you found it hard to grasp what the professor was saying no matter how hard you tried to pay attention? That is an example of slow brain processing.
3. Weight-loss
Being at college can lead to weight gain, especially if you live on campus. With the dining hall always open with lots of snacks and fast foods that you can easily access, it is easy to gain weight. Also, your sleep patterns are often irregular and disrupted. Failure to get enough sleep can also contribute to weight gain. The stress that comes with being in college, especially during your first year, can be overwhelming.
You have left home and are now responsible for your finances, and you need to plan your day. It could be overwhelming and stressful, causing weight gain. Luckily, if you opt for healthier meals, you can shed off those extra pounds. Remember, being obese as college students comes with a ton of disadvantages, such as low self-esteem and health concerns.
4. Optimal Mental Health
Healthy recipes act as the source of energy that fuels your brain. Most certainly, for optimal functioning, your body needs a regular supply of energy. A poor diet that consists of highly refined carbs and sugars is linked to depression, anxiety, and several mood disorders.
On the contrary, healthy recipes such as vegetables have been proven to improve your mood, decrease anxiety, and lower stress
5. Reduced Cancer Risk
Eating healthy recipes that contain antioxidants can reduce a person’s risk of developing cancer by protecting cells from damage.
The presence of free radicals in the body increases the risk of cancer, but antioxidants help remove them to lower the likelihood of this disease. fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes have phytochemicals that act as antioxidants.
6. Better Mood
Meanwhile, research has found that food is closely related to mood. Secondly, foods that are rich in glycemic load; carbohydrates, cakes, white bread, have been associated with depression. Preferable healthy recipes should include vegetables and fruits since they contain low glycemic loads.
7. Improved Memory
A healthy recipe diet helps a lot in maintaining brain health and cognition in college students. Diets rich in vitamins, flavonoids, and polyphenols help in curbing the risks of diseases such as dementia.
Healthy Recipe Grocery List For College Students
Fruits
Things to consider for college students include buying easy fruits to take on the go, such as oranges, buying in bulk if you’re into smoothies, In-season fruits are generally cheaper. Some of the best healthy fruits are for example
- Berries
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Apples
- Grapes
- Watermelon
Vegetables
Build a salad or roast your vegetables and pair them with just about any dish for a filling, nutrient-rich meal. There’s also a wide variety of healthy canned veggies available too which are incredibly easy to prepare. They include for example
- Spinach
- Sweet potatoes
- Broccoli
- Bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Asparagus
Grains
Another healthy diet is sticking to whole grains if you can, such as whole-grain pasta and bread. Remember to read labels before you buy, and check for important information like sugar and fat content. They include for example
- Nut butter
- Oats
- Cereal
- Canned beans
- Whole-wheat bread
- Pasta
- Pasta sauce
Protein
For example;
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Fish
- Lunch meat
- Eggs
- Black beans
- Chickpeas
- Tofu
- Veggie burgers
- Peanut butter
Snacks
Buying healthy snacks at the store will prevent you from searching for snacks later that might not be as healthy.
- Edamame
- Popcorn
- Dark chocolate
- String cheese
- Dried fruit
- Nuts
- Rice cakes
- Hummus
- Energy bars
A healthy diet is fundamental for collge students current and future health, as well as their development and learning. The benefits of developing healthy dietary and lifestyle patterns from their age onwards can positively impact on their nutrition and health throughout their adult lives, and enhance the productivity of individuals and nations.
Salmon is so easy to make, it’s a perfect recipe for college students to master! This one is oven-baked with a little salt and pepper and takes only 10 minutes to bake.
Like a college kid with limited time and money, it can be difficult to incorporate fresh, healthy ingredients into your meals. This simple sandwich does just that — fresh tomatoes, avocados, and provolone cheese are drizzled in balsamic vinegar and sandwiched between bread slices of your choice.
According to the USDA website, a typical college student will usually spend between $163 and $367 a month on food. This particular website avails different costs based on gender, as well as four distinct meal-plan estimate levels.
