College life is a vibrant tapestry of academic exploration, personal growth, and newfound independence. Balancing rigorous coursework with social interactions, college life is a unique chapter where individuals learn, adapt, and lay the foundation for their future endeavours. While you are managing all of all of this, health often takes a backseat.
Yesterday, I was on call with my younger brother who is leaving for Ireland in two weeks for his undergrad school. As he was wrapping up packing, we started discussing what is he going to do for meals. As is the case with most of the hotels or student residences in Europe and the USA, we know that he will have access to a kitchen in his hostel. Having completed all my education in India, this is a privilege I never had.
Making three meals a day is not a small task by any means. For students, it becomes even more difficult. There are a few common problems that all the students have:
- Limited utensils. You can have only Having said that, you should definitely pack a small pressure cooker with you, especially if you are moving out of Asia.
- Minimal skills. Probably, making Maggi and tea is the only cooking experience students may have.
- Scarcity of time. On most mornings, you are running for classes. That leaves you with hardly any time for breakfast or prep for meals.
I have tried to create a meal plan that works around these problems. With a kitchen at your disposal, you can at least have a healthy clean meal.
Table of Contents
Meal Plan for Students
Before you jump to the meal plan for students, I would highly recommend you go through the notes.
Notes:
- Pasta is hands down the easiest meal you can make. The easiest way to make it is to boil pasta on the weekends enough for the week. All you have to do at meal time is heat up store-bought pasta sauce and mix the boiled pasta.
- The most wholesome dish for a lazy cook is pulao. Just switch to frozen pre-cut vegetables that are easily available in stores and avoid all the washing, peeling, and cutting.
- The easiest breakfast to make is overnight oats simply because it does not require any cooking, all you need to do is throw a bunch of things together, and you are done. You can make it in bulk for the entire week. Here is a recipe I like.
- Making a roti poses a lot of problems. It is messy, it gets technical and you need to use a lot of utensils making cleaning up after is no fun. You have two options that you can replace it with – bread and tacos.
- Though Paneer Bhurji requires a little more skill and time, the good thing is you can skip prepping vegetables and have a good protein-rich meal. If you can’t find paneer, use tofu.
Related Post: 6 Quick Breakfast Ideas – Indian Edition
Conclusion
In essence, a meal plan for students studying abroad serves as a valuable resource for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and ensuring a smooth adjustment to a new academic and cultural environment. By embracing the flavors and nourishment of home, students can embark on their educational journey with vitality and enthusiasm.
