{"id":70364,"date":"2012-05-05T08:00:37","date_gmt":"2012-05-05T13:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=70364"},"modified":"2012-05-04T10:56:12","modified_gmt":"2012-05-04T15:56:12","slug":"healthy-cooking-for-one-college-grad-on-a-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/05\/healthy-cooking-for-one-college-grad-on-a-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy Cooking For One College Grad on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Rachel Berman, RD, Director of Nutrition at CalorieCount.com<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Whether you are a new graduate off your campus meal plan and living on your own for the first time, or just need tips on how to stock your kitchen without breaking the bank, below are tips and staples for eating healthy at home when it’s a setting for one.\"\"<\/p>\n

Plan Your Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meal planning reduces stress, saves money, and reduces food waste. A fun money saver is to pick a \u201ctheme\u201d each week. For example, if you pick Mexican food for one week, versatile ingredients for various meals might include salsa, black beans, avocados, cheese, corn, and whole wheat tortillas. With these ingredients plus staples (see below) you could make plenty from black bean quesadillas<\/a><\/strong> to spicy egg scrambles<\/a><\/strong> and southwestern salads<\/a><\/strong> or wraps.<\/p>\n

Minimize Mess and Save Time with One Pot Methods<\/strong><\/p>\n

Slow cookers are inexpensive, come in many sizes, and recipes that use them do not require a lot of effort or clean up.\u00a0 Same idea goes with anything that stir-fries and just uses one skillet. <\/p>\n

Prepare Ahead of Time<\/strong><\/p>\n

Washing and preparing food ahead of time saves you time during the week and also helps keep you from making impulse food decisions. If the veggies are already washed, you are more likely to grab and eat them.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Wear Yourself Out Cooking<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s pretty time consuming to cook single portions<\/a><\/strong> over and over again. Instead, prepare a little bit more and store the leftovers for a later meal. For example, you could cook a couple of chicken breasts in advance for use in your Mexican food themed week in a salad, sandwich, quesadilla or wrap.<\/p>\n

Stock Your Pantry<\/strong><\/p>\n

By keeping these staples in your kitchen, you can make healthier meal decisions when in a bind and on a budget.<\/p>\n

Must Haves for the Fridge\/Freezer:<\/strong><\/p>\n