Add a lil spice to your meals

With many food delivery apps like Skipthedishes and UberEats, it’s really easy to order takeout. And before you know it, you’re paying a hefty bill. For the new year, I’ve decided to avoid takeout at all costs. Normally, I’m in the kitchen meal prepping and cooking meals for the week. But sometimes, it’s easy to order nuggets and fries from McDonald’s.

With that being said, here’s everything I ate for the week. And if you think I order anything from a fast food restaurant; you’re wrong…for the most part. Let’s see all the delicious meals I had in one week, all on a student budget.

Sunday

A plate of scrambled eggs and bacon served with English muffins and guava jam.
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Breakfast – Scrambled eggs, bacon and English muffin with guava jam

Lunch – Turkey sandwich with lettuce, cheese and tomato

Dinner – Brown stew chicken with white rice and shredded lettuce

On Sunday, I was craving a nice breakfast. Something tasty but filling at the same time. And what’s a better breakfast than bacon and scrambled eggs?

Monday

A serving of white rice, brown stew chicken and shredded lettuce.
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Breakfast – Apple cinnamon oatmeal

Lunch – Brown stew chicken with white rice

Dinner – Tomato Mushroom Pasta

Trust and believe, that I will be eating leftovers for lunch. Besides, it’s easy to grab and go, especially when I have early classes.

Tuesday

A serving of Greek yogurt, strawberry granola and maple syrup.
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Breakfast – Plain Greek yogurt with strawberry granola and maple syrup

Lunch – Turkey wrap with cheese and lettuce

Dinner – Tomato Mushroom Pasta

Trying to be early for my 8 a.m. classes on Tuesdays is difficult. However, to make it easier to get ready and be on time, I usually prefer having a quick breakfast. And you can never go wrong with a bowl of Greek yogurt and granola.

Wednesday

A plate of scrambled eggs and avocado toast.
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Breakfast – scrambled eggs with avocado and toast

Lunch – Turkey wrap with cheese and lettuce

Dinner – Lettuce wraps with ground turkey, black beans, corn and shredded cheese

For me, healthy eating means including more fruits and vegetables in my diet. Instead of using tortilla wraps for dinner, I decided to go the healthy route by using romaine lettuce.

Thursday

A serving of lettuce wraps made with ground turkey, black beans, sweet corn with cheese sprinkled on top.
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Breakfast – Apple cinnamon oatmeal

Lunch – Lettuce wraps with ground turkey, black beans, corn and shredded cheese

Dinner – Sweet chilli grilled chicken wrap with fries from McDonald’s

After a long day of classes, I was exhausted. With no energy to cook, and ultimately starving, I had no choice but to order takeout. To avoid waiting too long for my food to be delivered, I ordered a chicken wrap from the closest McDonald’s.

Friday

A serving of Chinese chicken wings and carrot stick served with creamy dill sauce.
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Breakfast – Pancakes with apples

Lunch – Beef stir fry with broccoli and carrots

Dinner – Chinese chicken wings with carrot sticks served with creamy dill sauce

You can never go wrong with wings, right? Not to mention, it’s the perfect way to celebrate the weekend ahead.

Saturday

A small bowl of Jamaican red peas soup, made with carrots, salt beef, dumplings, corn and potato.
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Breakfast – Strawberry banana smoothie bowl with coconut flakes, strawberries and maple syrup

Lunch – Chicken wings with carrot sticks

Dinner – Red peas soup with salt beef, carrot, dumplings, and potato

Having a bowl of soup is a staple meal for the Winter. Even so, I’m usually picky when deciding on what soups to make/eat. If it’s not Jamaican or ramen, I’m not interested! But on this particular day, I decided to make Jamaican red peas soup. And with enough scotch bonnet pepper, it was mouth-watering, to say the least!

Now you might be wondering if I get hungry between meals – I usually do. Often, I opt for eating snacks in between meals. Whether it’s fruits, yogurt or granola bars, I love a good snack. That way, I don’t feel extremely hungry during the day which makes it easier to focus at school and work.

This week, it was super fun to keep a dish diary, as cooking regularly can be challenging, especially for a college student. You’re either too exhausted or busy with assignments. But what if I told you that making meals in advance has helped me save my money and essentially, develop better eating habits. By cooking your own meals, you’re avoiding takeout and getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, if you are thinking about meal prepping, take this as a sign to start!

Here are 5 breakfasts ideas that take under $5 and 5 minutes.

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