10-minute Quick and Easy Meals for College Students Who Don’t Like Cooking
Ever wonder why some students have sharp memories and always perform exceptionally well in their exams? They have focused on eating nutritious meals, from breakfast to dinner, whether salad or protein-rich foods. These healthy and easy meals for college students significantly affect their mental and physical health, which always plays a major role in their academic performance.
According to the American University, students have lower grades and attendance rates when they don’t get essential vitamins and nutrients from healthy foods, such as vegetables and dairy products. How can students always focus on eating healthy foods when they are always tight on time? We know going to college is overwhelming, and preparing healthy meals can be a hectic task for them.
In this article, we will uncover the best and quickest ways to prepare meals that college students can capitalise on, whether making breakfasts, lunch, or dinners. Start preparing your meals yourself and enhance your academic performance, leading to professional growth and success!
8 Easy 10-Minute Meals for College Students Who Don’t Like Cooking
Here is a scenario for you! Let’s say you have academic tasks to work on and are also feeling hungry. What will you do? Will you try to prepare a healthy meal or work on your assignments? The chances are high that you will order some type of fast food and try to complete your academic task, thinking it can go your way.
However, this habit always affects your academic performance because the continuous consumption of fast food and unhealthy drinks leads to bad consequences on your health. You should buy vegetables, lentils, eggs, and meat and always try to prepare your meals at home to avoid them. However, if you believe this preparation will stop you from submitting your homework on time, in this situation, hiring assignment writing services will be a key decision to maintain your health.
These services will help you leapfrog your classmates and pay attention to your health, enabling you to prepare healthy meals every day without worrying about pending tasks. Here are some recipes for you to try if you want to stay healthy and achieve higher grades.
- Scrambled Eggs and Veggies
Scrambled eggs and veggies are an easy meal for one college student. No worries if you are living in a hostel or the chef is not available in the morning to prepare your meal. This recipe is protein-rich, which is an important amino acids for the human body. According to WebMD, protein helps your body to make antibodies that are essential to fight infections and illnesses, highlighting how important it is for college students to stay active and healthy.
When you prepare a meal with eggs and veggies, it will not only provide you with protein but also fibre to keep your gut healthy, preventing stress that can affect your academic performance. Below is the recipe for an easy high-protein meal for college students:
- Take two eggs and crack them in a bowl. Add one to two tablespoons of milk, and beat to mix them appropriately.
- Cut down some veggies, such as spinach, bell peppers, or broccoli.
- Take a non-stick frying pan and add one to two tablespoons of olive oil and heat it lightly.
- You can add veggies to the oil when it becomes warm. Let these veggies cook for two minutes, and then add eggs.
A high-protein meal is ready for you to enjoy. It will be a perfect option to start your day because it keeps you energetic without consuming sugary foods.
- Tuna Salad Wraps
Tuna salad wraps are another cheap and easy meal for college students, which doesn’t require you to cook. Consuming tuna regularly, whether fresh or canned, is a must for students because it performs several essential functions in the body. As per Good Food, canned tuna is a perfect source of protein, several amino acids and vitamins, such as vitamin D.
Follow this recipe and prepare a meal that will keep you full for hours, allowing you to focus on your academic tasks, such as writing your dissertation:
- Mix canned tuna with Greek yoghurt, and add salt, pepper, and chopped onions.
- Stir the spoon in the bowl to mix these ingredients completely.
- Add this mixture into a tortilla and wrap it up. You can also add some lettuce or broccoli.
- Eat it, and your body and mind will thank you.
- Peanut Butter and Banana Toast
Peanut butter and banana toast can be a good energy booster in the morning, especially for students who are going to spend their whole day in an educational institute. This easy meal prep idea for college students will help you eat a healthy breakfast even when you are tight on time. Plus, peanut butter, banana, and whole bread will provide you with essential amino acids and nutrients.
According to Healthline, peanut butter is a good source of protein and healthy fats, allowing students to maintain their health without any hassle. Moreover, bananas will provide you with fibre, supporting your digestive health. Here is an easy recipe for this idea:
- Take four to five pieces of whole bread, and put them in the microwave for one to two minutes.
- Spread peanut butter from any good brand on them.
- Cut the bananas into pieces and add their slices.
- You can also add chia seeds or cinnamon for extra nutrients and minerals.
- Eat this breakfast several times a week, and you will start noticing positive changes in your body. It can also be a perfect option for your lunch or dinner.
- Avocado Toast with Eggs
Are you a college student looking for an easy and healthy meal? Nothing can be better than avocado toast and eggs. Avocados are perhaps one of the best and healthiest fruits in the world. As per HCA Houston Healthcare, avocados are high in fibre and vitamin C, enhancing the power of the immune system to prevent diseases. Their regular consumption will keep your blood sugar levels in control.
Here’s how you can prepare a cheap and healthy meal as a college student:
- Take half of an avocado and mash it completely. Try to get one that is fresh.
- Take some pieces of white or brown bread and spread mashed avocado on them.
- You can also add fried or boiled eggs on every toast to increase the consumption of protein. It will be an easy and cheap meal idea for everyone, especially for college students.
- Oatmeal with Toppings
Oatmeal has already been a famous option among busy students and professionals. You can simply buy a pack of oatmeal and use it several times a week. A student can use it as breakfast, lunch or dinner. Using oatmeal with some other natural options can keep you healthy, providing you with essential nutrients and minerals.
Follow this recipe and your taste buds will thank you for this amazing meal:
- Take a half bowl of oats. Try to buy one that contains fewer synthetic ingredients.
- Cut some fruits, such as apples, blueberries, or bananas, to mix them.
- You can also include Greek yoghurt and honey to improve the taste.
- Dark chocolate will also be another great ingredient.
- Mix them all and leave the bowl for two to three minutes. You can then enjoy this tasty meal.
- Baked Potatoes with Cottage Cheese
Do you know which food helped our ancestors a lot in maintaining their health? It was potatoes. According to the University of California, potatoes have been a life-saving food for centuries because they provide humans with Vitamin C in essential amounts to prevent scurvy. They are also important for students who want to maintain their Vitamin C levels to avoid seasonal illnesses.
This is the best way to bake potatoes in under ten minutes and start your day with a healthy meal:
- Poke a potato with a fork from every side.
- Let it bake in the oven for five to seven minutes.
- Split them and add cottage cheese, salt, and pepper to enjoy them.
- You can also add extra veggies or tuna to get additional nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
- Greek Yoghurt and Apples
Don’t you want to spend even ten minutes on cooking and eat something healthy and full of protein? We know some students don’t like to start their day with eggs, chicken, or red meat. Yet, they like to consume protein in higher amounts. Are there any perfect solutions for such students and professionals?
Yes, they can opt for Greek yoghurt. It is an easy protein meal for college students. You can simply mix one to two apples into a small bowl of Greek yoghurt. You will surely enjoy this healthy meal because nothing tastes better than the combination of apples and Greek yoghurt.
Let’s say you are not a big fan of apples. You can add bananas, blueberries, or any other fruit according to your preference. It will be completely fine if you eat this healthy meal every day, as you will be getting protein in good amounts and essential vitamins and minerals.
- No-Cook Salad
No-cook salad is a quick and easy meal for college students. You don’t even need to use the microwave or stove to make this salad. A student can simply take fresh chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and broccoli. In this salad, you can also add some fruits if you want to improve the taste and comfort your taste buds.
This salad will be a good source of essential minerals and nutrients. It’s recommended that you eat it once a day because it will keep your digestive system healthy. As a result, you will not experience infections, meaning it will be easy for you to enhance your academic performance.
What to Make for Dinner If I Don’t Like Cooking?
You can aim for meals that require minimal preparation in case you feel tired or unmotivated. A hummus wrap, Greek yoghurt, or scrambled eggs will take only under ten minutes, and you will be able to prepare a tasty meal. Moreover, you can also make a protein smoothie with bananas, milk, honey and peanut butter.
A student always needs some essentials in their kitchen, such as tortillas, canned tuna, peanut butter, and frozen vegetables. It will make your dinner effortless. Additionally, you can also buy microwaves and air fryers to save time. All these simple choices can help you prepare healthy meals in no time.
What to Eat If You Don’t Like Cooking?
You can focus on no-cook foods if you believe cooking is not your cup of tea. You can opt for ready-to-eat foods, including fresh vegetables, dry fruits, and Greek yoghurt. Moreover, banana butter and tuna salad wraps can also help you avoid the hassle of cooking. Buy an electric kettle that you can use to boil eggs and lentils, helping you make salad quickly.
Sandwiches and smoothies are quick to make and require only minimal effort. You can stock all the above-mentioned items in your kitchen so that preparing breakfast and dinner is no longer a headache. These measures make cooking a fingertip task, allowing you to prepare your meal quickly.
Why Is Cooking So Hard with ADHD?
Cooking remains a challenge for people with ADHD due to poor attention, time management, and executive functioning. You will not be able to plan a meal, follow multi-step instructions, and execute every step perfectly. ADHD students usually have less motivation for cooking when tired or overwhelmed.
As a college student, you can break down recipes into multiple steps if experiencing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. You will utilise timers and alarms to prepare your ingredients for a healthy meal.
Wrapping Up
Preparing a meal, whether breakfast or dinner, always seems a daunting task, especially to college students. Usually, they have a short time and always prefer to eat cooked meals, even if they have to order fast food. They fear that cooking every day can lead to a delay in their academic tasks. They start experiencing health conditions due to the continuous use of an unhealthy diet, leading to a decrease in academic excellence.
On the other hand, if they prepare meals themselves to stay healthy, their academic efforts may have positive effects on their results. Don’t fear that cooking will delay your tasks because UK-based assignment writing agencies can rescue you quickly, helping you submit your tasks on time and allowing you to prepare healthy meals every day. So, take charge of your health and submit your homework with professional help, ensuring higher grades and continuous academic excellence.
Author Bio
Richard Lee is an experienced assignment writer with a master’s degree in social sciences from the University of London. Back in 2015, Richard started his academic writing journey to help students succeed in their goals. With a focus on ensuring quality, he curates well-structured and error-free assignments.