Mattie Meal: The You Don’t Have To Be So Generic on a Budget Post

Nowadays, eating on a budget can consist of chips and dip, PB&Js, and the infamous cup noodles. Unfortunately, those aren’t the most nutritious. For health’s sake, a little research and revamping can help you put together a meal plan that is not only nutritious, but still fits into a limited budget.

• Breakfast: For breakfast, a PB&J isn’t the worse thing ever, but adding fruit to the mix makes your morning start much more nutritious and energy filled. With breakfast being the most important meal of the day, make sure you get a lot of power (and protein) early in the day.

• Lunch: When lunch time occurs, soothe your stomach from those unearthly growls and twists and turns. A nice cold-cut is a fantastic choice. Whether you like the sliced chicken, ham or turkey breast, add some cheese, veggies (hello fresh spinach & tomatoes!) to take your sandwich to the next level. Because it’s cheaper to buy your ingredients vs. buying a ready made sandwich at your local deli, feel free to buy the things you really like. Instead of going out for your lunch, make your own sub at home. The amount you spend on a sandwich made at Subway, can be spent on ingredients that’ll last you an entire week.

• Snack: After class or work, a snack is always great. Not only is it a pick-me-up from a long day, but it can also give you a much needed energy boost in between lunch and dinner. For a snack, leave the chips alone and invest in some apple slices instead. (Have a sweet tooth? A dabble of caramel should satisfy your sweet craving.) Looking to avoid that cold you feel coming along? Indulge in an orange. It’s full of vitamin C. Fruit is moderately priced and usually cheaper than processed snacks.

• Dinner: When it comes to dinner, chicken is the way to go because it is very versatile. From burritos to pasta, you can grill, bake, or fry (if you must). Chicken can be cooked in a variety of ways and giving you different tastes.

Money Saver Tip: Buy chicken breast in bulk. You can always separate the servings of chicken for different days and freeze it to keep it fresh. A fave? Chicken Alfredo. All it takes is some Alfredo sauce, your choice of pasta, and grilled chicken breast, and voila! You have a meal that is reminiscent of home, and you can save the leftovers for another day.

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