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One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Basic College Kitchen Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Basic College Pantry Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Basic College Groceries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Purchases That Will Save Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cooking Gifts For College Students (Nice To Haves) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Cooking Large Batches Saves Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Five Ways To Stretch Your Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Three Healthier Food ChoicesFor College Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Three Easy Vegetable Ideas For Dinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Budget-Friendly Ground Meat Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Budget-Friendly Chicken Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Six Easy College Dinner Recipes Using Leftover Chicken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Weekly College Dinner Meal Planner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Week #1 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Week #2 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Week #3 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Shopping List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Week #4 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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FOUR YEARS AGO, my oldest son went off his college meal plan and had to
cook all his dinners. I spent a week running a mini boot camp teaching him some
basic cooking skills before sending him on his way.
Then, another one of my boys moved off campus and needed to make his own
dinners. The only catch was that he had five requirements. He would only make
recipes that:
1. required no cutting
2. required only a few ingredients
3. did not require measuring
4. used the minimal number of dishes to wash
5. provided a healthy portion of protein
I spent some time perusing the supermarket aisles and found many spice/herb/
seasoning mixes, marinades and simmer sauces that can make easy meals for
college students.
I came up with this one month meal plan for my son, and realized there are so
many other college students like him that struggle to come up with easy dinners
night after night.
The recipes in this one month meal plan are budget friendly, easy to prepare and
healthy. Each week, you can choose a menu, follow the grocery shopping list
provided and easy recipes.
The concept is easy. Each Sunday (or other day you choose), you get a head start
on cooking for the entire week. The rest of the week, the food you prepare on
Sunday is transformed into a variety of healthy, delicious meals.
INTRODUCTION
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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BASIC COLLEGE KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
HERE IS A STREAMLINED LIST of kitchen essentials for college students
interested incooking very simple meals.
• sharp knife (you will have to cut/chop something at some point)
• large deep pot (6-8 quart) for pasta
• medium saucepan (3 quart)
• non-stick skillet (one small, one medium)
• colander
• rimmed baking sheet
• can opener
BASIC COLLEGE PANTRY ITEMS
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Spice/herb blends, e.g., Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning,
steak seasoning, chili mix, taco mix
• Canned beans
• Jarred pasta sauce
• Whole grain pasta
• Brown rice
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BASIC COLLEGE GROCERIES
• Inexpensive cuts of meat—ground turkey, ground chicken (less
expensive than ground bee), chicken drumsticks/thighs
• Moderately priced proteins—boneless chicken thighs/breasts (look
for sales), frozen fish filets
• Pulses such as black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils and other
beans which are healthy,inexpensive sources of protein
• Frozen vegetables (if you’re worried about spoilage)
• Whole grain bread (bread keeps in the freezer well)
• Brown rice (you can buy instant brown rice to save time)
• Eggs
PURCHASES THAT WILL SAVE TIME
COOKING HEALTHY COLLEGE DINNERS can take less time if you buy some
prepared foods to supplement your meal. Prepared foods are almost always more
expensive than cooking it from scratch yourself, but sometimes it is worth the
extra expense when you’re short on time.
• Pre-cut/pre-chopped vegetables (fresh or frozen)
• Pre-chopped onions/peppers (fresh or frozen) and pre-minced garlic
(you can buy minced garlic with oil in a jar
in the produce section)
• Rotisserie chickens (often priced very reasonably at
the supermarket)
• Precooked chicken sausages (come in lots of different flavors—cut up,
saute in a little oil and add marinara sauce; serve over whole grain pasta)
• Frozen meatballs (just add sauce and cook whole grain pasta for
spaghetti and meatballs)
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COOKING GIFTS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS (NICE TO HAVES)
• Panini grill/press
• Rice cooker (get one that has a brown rice setting)
• Toaster oven
• Lekue Steam Case(makes it easy for students to microwave vegetables
and entire meals)—Stir-Fry Chickenin this steam case worked well
• Spice mixes (Penzeys has some great spice/herb blends and they
ship—Mitchell Street Steak Seasoning, Fajita Seasoning and Old
World Seasoning are some of my favorites)
• Prepared sauces/marinades (look in the ethnic section of the grocery
store for Indian and Asian simmer sauces)—great for care packages
• Prepared dal (Indian lentils)—Costco sells this in bulk
COOKING LARGE BATCHES SAVES TIME
YOU CAN SAVE A LOT OF TIME cooking healthy college dinners by cooking in
large batches before the school week begins.
• Cook a pot of rice for the week and reheat as needed (the rice cooker
makes this a no-brainer)
• Cook a pound of pasta for the week and reheat as needed
• Make a batch of grilled boneless chicken thighs/breasts for the week
and reheat/transform into meals throughout the week (see below
for ideas)
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FIVE WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR
COOKING HEALTHY COLLEGE DINNERS doesn’t have to cost an arm and
a leg. In addition to buying items on sale, choosing cheaper cuts of meat and
including less expensive sources of protein like beans and eggs at dinnertime can
stretch your dollar.
• Buy ground chicken or turkey instead of beef, or use half ground
chicken/turkey and 1/2 beef in recipes
• Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast
• Buy chicken on the bone instead of boneless chicken
• Add a can of beans to pasta sauce and chili
• Add a poached or fried egg to your dinner if you want more protein
THREE HEALTHIER FOOD CHOICESFOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
• Eat brown rice instead of white rice. It has more protein and fiber
and will keep you full longer.
• Eat whole grain pasta instead of white pasta.It has more protein
and fiber and will keep you full longer.
• Eat whole-grain bread in place of white bread.It has more protein
and fiber and will keep you full longer.
THREE EASY VEGETABLE IDEAS FOR DINNER
• Simple salad (many pre-mixed salad combinations are available
in the produce section)
• Roast vegetablestossed with olive oil, minced garlic (or sprinkle
on some garlic powder), salt and pepper and bake at 425 degrees
for 25-30 minutes, until tender. Harder vegetables take longer to
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cook through. Baby carrots, green beans, cauliflower/broccoli florets
(you can buy these already cut up) roast well.
• Steam or microwave fresh or frozen vegetables in aLekue Steam
Caseuntil tender;toss with extra virgin olive oil or butter, salt, and
pepper. This takes 2-4 minutes, depending on the vegetable.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY GROUND MEAT RECIPES
GROUND MEAT (e.g., ground turkey, chicken, bee) is one of the cheapest forms
of meat you can buy at the supermarket and is super versatile.
Ground meat can be made into burgers and seasoned with your favorite spice/
herb mix. Form them into square patties and serve on toasted whole grain bread
if you like (a slice of melted cheese on top would be nice too).
Almost everyone loves chili, pasta with meat sauce and tacos. The ground meat
is cooked the same for all three of these recipes. Simply heat a little oil in a large
skillet and saute the ground meat of your choice until browned (if you have
chopped onion or garlic, this is a great time to add some). Then it can be used in
one of the following ground meat recipes. I recommendmaking a double batch
of chili and pasta meat sauce, and freezing one batch.
•
CHILI—for each pound of cooked ground meat, add 1can of beans
(any kind will work—black beans, red beans), 1 can (15 ounces) of
tomato sauce, and 1 packet of chili seasoning; cook 15-20 minutes;
serve over baked potato (wash potato, poke holes in it with a fork and
microwave 5 minutes; turn it over and microwave another 5 minutes
or until soft), steamed brown rice or whole grain pasta.
•
PASTA MEAT SAUCE—for each pound of cooked ground meat, add a
large jar of marinara/pasta sauce (add garlic powder/onion powder
and other herb/spice mixes to jazz it up if you like) and cook 15-20
minutes; serve over whole grain pasta.
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• TACO MEAT—for each pound of cooked ground meat, add 1 packet of
taco seasoning and a little water; simmer for 5 minutes; serve with
whole grain tortillas, salad greens and shredded cheese, make into a
quesadilla (see below), or make a burrito bowl with steamed brown
rice, salad greens, and canned beans.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY CHICKEN RECIPES
CHICKEN IS A COLLEGE STUDENT’S BEST FRIEND. It’s relatively inexpensive,
healthy and a great source of lean protein.
One of the simplest one dish meals that can be made in large quantities is
thisEasy Pan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables.
•
PACKAGED SIMMER SAUCESare also a great way to make dinner in
very little time using chicken. I scoured the ethnic section of our
grocery store and found a number of wonderful Indian and Asian
simmer sauces. You just place chicken in a pot with the simmer sauce
and cook. Alternatively, you canbake chicken with the sauces (I think
this method would work better if you’re using chicken on the bone).
•
GRILLING BONELESS CHICKEN (OR FISH) ON A PANINI PRESSis one of
the easiest college dinner ideas. Mom and Dad—this is a great gift for
your college student. Simply season a batch of boneless chicken with
your favorite spice/herb mix, drizzle with olive oil and grill. Since
the panini press cooks both sides of the chicken at the same time, it
only takes about 10-15 minutes on the high setting to cook boneless
chicken breast.
•
BAKING BONELESS CHICKEN is an easy way to cook large batches of
chicken. Simply season a batch of boneless chicken with your favorite
spice/herb mix, drizzle with olive oil on both sides and place on foil-
lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until there
is no more pink on the inside of the chicken.
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
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SIX EASY COLLEGE DINNER RECIPES USING
LEFTOVER CHICKEN
LEFTOVER COOKED CHICKEN (grilled, roasted or store-bought rotisserie
chicken) is really versatile and can be transformed into many new easy college
dinners throughout the week:
•
BAKED PASTA WITH CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES—Mix together cooked
whole grain pasta, cut-up cooked chicken, and cooked vegetables of
your choice, and some marinara sauce in an oven proof dish. Sprinkle
with shredded cheese or grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 350
degrees for 25-30 minutes. Alternatively, you can put everything in a
microwaveable bowl and cook 3-4 minutes until heated through.
•
EASY CHICKEN PARMESAN—Top grilled chicken breast with some
pasta sauce and shredded cheese; bake at 350 degrees for 10-15
minutes, until chicken is warmed through and cheese is melted.
Alternatively, you can heat this up in the microwave for 2-3 minutes
(The Lekue Steam Case would work for this; if you don’t have one,
just make sure to cover the dish so it doesn’t splatter).
•
MEXICAN RICE BOWL—Place scoop of cooked rice in microwave-safe
bowl, and top with chopped cooked chicken and canned beans. Heat
in microwave 3 minutes or until hot. Top with shredded cheese, salad
greens and salsa. Guacamole (you can buy prepared guacamole in
individual portions) and Greek yogurt or sour cream are nice extras.
•
CHICKEN-VEGGIE QUESADILLAS—Place whole grain tortilla in a skillet;
sprinkle with some shredded cheese, and chopped cooked chicken
(grilled/roasted chicken or taco meat) and leftover cooked vegetables.
Cook until cheese is melted; flip and continue to cook until meat is
heated through.
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• CHICKEN VEGETABLE FRIED RICE—Heat a little oil in a large pan. Add
cooked brown rice and toss until hot. Push the rice to the sides of
the pan and add a few whisked eggs. Once eggs are firm, mix with
rice and add chopped cooked chicken and leftover cooked vegetables.
Season with soy sauce or teriyaki sauce.
•
HEARTY RAMEN NOODLE SOUP—Cook ramen noodles according to
package,adding leftover cooked vegetables, chopped cooked chicken
and an egg (crack open into the pot).
WEEKLY COLLEGE DINNER MEAL PLANNER
I came up with four easy weekly college dinner menus so there is plenty of variety.
HERE’S THE GAMEPLAN:
1. Do your grocery shopping on Saturday or Sunday.
2. Sunday is prep day for the entire week
3. Minimal cooking is needed for the rest of the week—most of the meals
are assembled and/or reheated.
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WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #1
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
SUNDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich Chili served with Tossed Salad
MONDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Easy Chicken Parmesan served with
Steamed Vegetables
TUESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Whole Grain Pasta with Meat Sauce
and Tossed Salad
WEDNESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Chicken Burrito Bowl
THURSDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice
FRIDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Chili served with Tossed Salad
SATURDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich
Whole Grain Pasta with Meat Sauce
and Tossed Salad
WEEK #1 CALENDAR
SHOPPING LIST
2 pounds ground turkey, chicken
or beef
1⁄ pounds boneless chicken
1 dozen eggs
1 pack shredded cheddar or
Mexican blend cheese
1 package mixed salad
greens of your choice
1 package fresh or frozen
vegetables of your choice
1 box whole grain pasta
1 jar marinara/pasta sauce
1 box instant brown rice
2 cans beans of your choice
1 pack chili seasoning
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
or tomato sauce
1 bottle soy sauce or teriyaki
sauce
1 jar salsa
spice/herb blend of your
choice (e.g., Italian, Cajun,
lemon pepper, seasoned salt)
Salad dressing of your choice
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RECIPES
Sunday—Prep Day/Chili for Dinner
MAKE GRILLED OR BAKED CHICKEN BREAST
► Season boneless chicken with your favorite spice/herb mix. Drizzle
some olive oil on both sides. Grill on Panini press or bake in
preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked through
(no longer pink inside). Transfer to a container and let cool to room
temperature; refrigerate.
COOK GROUND MEAT
► Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet. (Optional: Add some
chopped onion and garlic and sauté a few minutes.) Add 2 pounds of
ground meat and cook until browned, using a large spoon to break up
the meat into pieces.
► Place half of the browned meat in a bowl and set aside.
MAKE CHILI
► To the remaining browned ground meat in the skillet, add 1 packet
chili seasoning, 1 can diced tomatoes or tomato sauce and one can
of beans. Mix together and cook for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a
container and let cool to room temperature; refrigerate.
MAKE MEAT SAUCE
► Rinse out skillet that you used to brown the ground meat.
► Put remaining cooked meat in skillet. (Optional: Season with
garlic and onion powder.) Add 1 jar marinara sauce and heat.
Cook for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a container and let cool
to room temperature; refrigerate.
COOK BROWN RICE
► Cook 1-2 cups brown rice in rice cooker or use instant brown
rice and cook according to package instructions. Transfer to
a container and let cool to room temperature; refrigerate.
DINNER
► Reheat chili and brown rice in microwave; serve with salad
or steamed vegetables of your choice.
Turkey Black Bean Chili >>
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #1
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Monday—Chicken Parmesan
• Place 1-2 pieces of cooked chicken breast on foil-lined baking sheet.
Spread a little sauce (from meat sauce) on top. Sprinkle with shredded
cheese and either bake in preheated 375 oven for 10-15 minutes
until heated through, or microwave for about 2 minutes. Serve with
steamed vegetables of your choice (make a double batch of vegetables
and save for Thursday’s meal).
Tuesday—Meat Sauce Pasta
• Cook ½ box pasta according to package directions. Reheat meat
sauce and serve on top of pasta. Serve with salad. Rinse extra cooked
pasta with cold water, drain, transfer to a container and refrigerate.
<< Wednesday—Chicken Burrito Bowl
• Place a scoop of cooked rice in a microwaveable bowl. Top
with chopped cooked chicken, and beans. Heat in microwave
3 minutes or until hot. Top with salsa and shredded cheese.
Serve with salad.
Thursday—Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice
• Cut desired amount of cooked chicken into pieces. Cut
leftover steamed vegetables into pieces.
• Heat a few teaspoons oil in a large skillet. Add desired
amount of cooked rice and toss until hot. Push rice to
perimeter of skillet and drizzle a little oil in the center of the
skillet. Break an egg in the center and scramble until cooked.
Add chopped chicken and vegetables and toss everything
together. Season with soy sauce or teriyaki sauce.
Friday and Saturday
• Reheat leftovers and serve with salad or steamed vegetables.
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #1
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SHOPPING LIST
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken
breast or thighs
1 pound ground turkey, chicken
or beef
1 pack cooked chicken sausage
(regular or spicy Italian)
1 small container of milk (unless
you drink milk regularly during
the week)
1 package mixed salad greens of
your choice
1 pack taco seasoning mix
1 box prepared guacamole
in individual serving packs,
optional
1 pack tortillas (corn or
whole wheat)
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #2
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
SUNDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich
Teriyaki Chicken served with Steamed
Vegetables and Brown Rice
MONDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Soft Tacos served on Corn Tortillas with
Lettuce, Cheese, Salsa, and Guacamole
TUESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Cajun Chicken Quesadillas
WEDNESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Chicken Teriyaki Bowl
THURSDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Taco Nacho Mac and Cheese served
with Tossed Salad
FRIDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Chicken Sausage Jambalaya served
with Tossed Salad
SATURDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich
Taco Salad or Taco Pizza topped with
Salad Greens, Salsa, and Guacamole
WEEK #2 CALENDAR
*NOTE: You may still have enough from
last week’s shopping for some of these
items, so check before buying more.
1 box Annie’s or Horizon
Macaroni and Cheese
1 box butter (keep one stick in
the refrigerator; freeze extra
sticks)
*1 dozen eggs
*1 pack shredded cheese
(cheddar or Mexican blend)
*1 package fresh or frozen
vegetables of your choice
*1 box instant brown rice
*1 bottle teriyaki sauce
*1 jar salsa
*Salad dressing of your choice
*Cajun seasoning
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RECIPES
Sunday—Prep Day/Teriyaki Chicken for Dinner
MAKE GRILLED OR BAKED BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST/THIGHS
► Marinate 1 pound of boneless chicken in Teriyaki sauce for 15-20
minutes. Season the rest of the boneless chicken with Cajun seasoning.
Drizzle some olive oil on both sides of all the chicken pieces. If using
Panini press, grill Cajun seasoned chicken first, then grill teriyaki
marinated chicken. This should take about 10 minutes in total. If you
are baking the chicken, preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake chicken
on foil lined baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until cooked through
(no longer pink inside). Transfer to a container and let cool to room
temperature; refrigerate.
MAKE TACO MEAT
► Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add ground meat and
cook until browned, using a large spoon to break up the meat into pieces.
► Add taco seasoning and ¼ cup water. Mix together and cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a container and let cool to room temperature; refrigerate.
COOK BROWN RICE
► Cook 2 cups brown rice in rice cooker or use instant brown rice and
cook according to package instructions. Transfer to a container and
let cool to room temperature; refrigerate.
DINNER
► Reheat teriyaki chicken and brown rice in microwave; serve
with steamed vegetables (make a triple batch of vegetables
and reserve extra for Tuesday and Wednesday).
Monday—Soft Tacos
• Reheat taco meat. Heat corn tortillas in microwave for
30-40 seconds. Fill tortillas with taco meat, salad greens,
shredded cheese, salsa and guacamole.
Tuesday—Cajun Chicken Quesadillas
• Cut Cajun grilled/baked chicken into pieces (if you have
extra, save it for Friday’s Jambalaya),
Taco Mac and Cheese >>
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #2
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• Place a corn tortilla in skillet; sprinkle with some shredded cheese,
chicken and leftover cooked vegetables. Top with more cheese and
cover with another corn tortilla. Cook until cheese is melted on the
bottom; flip everything over using a spatula, and continue to cook
until cheese is melted on bottom and chicken/vegetables are heated
through. Cut into quarters and serve.
Wednesday—Chicken Teriyaki Bowl
• Place a scoop of cooked rice in a microwaveable bowl. Top with
chopped Teriyaki chicken, and leftover cooked vegetables. Heat in
microwave 3 minutes or until hot. Top with fried egg, if desired. Serve
with extra teriyaki sauce.
Thursday—Taco Nacho Mac and Cheese
• Prepare Mac and Cheese according to package directions. Stir in
some taco meat. Top with some salsa and guacamole.
• Serve with salad or steamed vegetables.
Friday—Chicken Sausage Jambalaya
• Cut 1-2 chicken sausages into chunks.
• Cut leftover Cajun chicken into pieces.
• Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken
sausage until lightly browned. Add cooked rice, chopped chicken,
some salsa and Cajun seasoning. Toss until hot.
• Serve with salad or steamed vegetables.
<< Saturday—Taco Salad or Taco Pizza
• For Taco Salad, heat taco meat and serve on top of salad
greens with salsa, shredded cheese and guacamole.
• For Taco Pizza, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place corn tortilla
on baking sheet and top with taco meat and shredded cheese.
Bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Top with salad
greens, salsa and guacamole (or serve salad separately).
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #2
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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SHOPPING LIST
2½ - 3 pounds boneless chicken
breast or thighs
1 pack frozen fish filet of your
choice (individually wrapped)
1 can/pack enchilada sauce
1 pack shredded cheese (Pepper
Jack or Mexican blend)
1 package mixed salad greens of
your choice
*1 dozen eggs
*1 package fresh or frozen
vegetables of your choice
*1 pack corn tortillas
*1 box instant brown rice
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #3
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
SUNDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich
Grilled Cajun Chicken served with
Steamed Vegetables and Brown Rice
MONDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Chicken Enchiladas served
with Tossed Salad
TUESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Cajun Baked Fish served with Steamed
Vegetables and Brown Rice
WEDNESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Mexican Chicken Parmesan served with
Steamed Vegetables and Brown Rice
THURSDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Cajun Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice
FRIDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Chicken Burrito Bowl
SATURDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich Spicy Chicken Quesadillas
WEEK #3 CALENDAR
*NOTE: You may still have enough from
last week’s shopping for some of these
items, so check before buying more.
* olive oil
* Cajun seasoning
* Chili seasoning
* 1 jar salsa
* 1 box prepared guacamole
in individual serving packs,
optional
* soy sauce or teriyaki sauce
*salad dressing of your choice
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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RECIPES
Sunday—Prep Day/Grilled Chicken for Dinner
MAKE GRILLED OR BAKED CHICKEN BREAST/THIGHS
► Season half the boneless chicken with Cajun seasoning, and the other
half with Chili seasoning. Drizzle some olive oil on both sides. If using
Panini press, grill chicken 10 minutes or until cooked through (no pink
inside). If you are baking the chicken, preheat oven to 400 degrees and
bake chicken on foil-lined baking sheet for 15-20 minutes until cooked
through (no longer pink inside). Transfer to a container and let cool to
room temperature; refrigerate.
COOK BROWN RICE
► Cook 2 cups brown rice in rice cooker or use instant brown rice and
cook according to package instructions. Transfer to a container and
let cool to room temperature; refrigerate.
DEFROST FISH
► Remove one serving of fish from the freezer, place on a plate and
defrost in refrigerator for Tuesday’s dinner.
DINNER
► Reheat grilled Cajun spiced chicken and brown rice in
microwave; serve with steamed vegetables (make a quadruple
batch of vegetables and reserve extras for Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, and Saturday).
Monday—Chicken Enchiladas
► Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
► Lay a piece of foil on a baking sheet and drizzle a little
oil on top.
► Cut up some Chili spiced grilled chicken.
► Lay out 3-4 corn tortillas on the baking sheet.
Cajun Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice >>
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #3
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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► Place some chicken down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle some
shredded cheese on top of the chicken. Roll up each tortilla and put
seam side down on baking sheet.
► Pour enchilada sauce on top.
► Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken filling is hot.
► Serve with salad.
<< Tuesday—Cajun Baked Fish
► Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
► Sprinkle defrosted fish with Cajun seasoning and drizzle with
olive oil.
► Bake for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Cooking time will
depend on how thick the fish filet is.
► Serve with steamed vegetables and rice.
Wednesday—Mexican Chicken Parmesan
► Place 1-2 pieces of cooked Chili spiced chicken breast on foil-lined
baking sheet. Spread a little salsa on top. Sprinkle with shredded
cheese and either bake in preheated 375 oven for 10-15 minutes
until heated through, or microwave for about 2 minutes.
► Serve with steamed vegetables and rice.
Thursday—Cajun Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice
► Cut desired amount of cooked Cajun spiced chicken into pieces. Cut
leftover steamed vegetables into pieces. If you have leftover chicken
sausage from the previous week, chop this up too.
► Heat a few teaspoons oil in a large skillet. Add desired amount of
cooked rice and toss until hot. Push rice to perimeter of skillet and
drizzle a little oil in the center of the skillet. Break an egg in the center
and scramble until cooked. Add chopped chicken/chicken sausage and
vegetables and toss everything together. Season with Cajun seasoning,
a little salt and pepper, to taste.
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #3
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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Friday—Chicken Burrito Bowl
► Cut up desired amount of Chili spiced cooked chicken into pieces.
► Place scoop of rice in microwaveable bowl. Top with chicken.
Reheat for 2-3 minutes.
► Top with salad greens, shredded cheese, salsa and guacamole
<<Saturday—Spicy Chicken Quesadillas
► Cut up leftover cooked Cajun spiced chicken and steamed
vegetables into pieces.
► Place a corn tortilla in skillet; sprinkle with some shredded
cheese, chicken and leftover cooked vegetables.
► Sprinkle some Cajun seasoning on top if desired.
► Top with more cheese and cover with another corn tortilla.
Cook until cheese is melted on the bottom; flip everything
over using a spatula, and continue to cook until cheese is
melted on bottom and chicken/vegetables are heated through.
Cut into quarters and serve.
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #3
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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SHOPPING LIST
2 pounds boneless chicken breast
or thighs
1 pound ground turkey, chicken
or beef
1 bottle Frank’s Hot Sauce
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix
1 package White Chicken Chili
Seasoning Mix
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) white beans
2 large Idaho baking potatoes
1 package mixed salad greens of
your choice
*1 bottle Ranch or Blue Cheese
dressing
*1 pack corn tortillas
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #4
BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
SUNDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich
Buffalo Chicken served with
Baked Potato and Tossed Salad
MONDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Taco Quesadilla served
with Tossed Salad
TUESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
White Chicken Chili served over
Steamed Rice with Tossed Salad
WEDNESDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Teriyaki Baked Fish served with
Steamed Vegetables and Brown Rice
THURSDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich
Buffalo Chicken Pizza served
with Tossed Salad
FRIDAY
Oatmeal and Banana Sandwich Taco Bowl
SATURDAY
Scrambled Eggs, Whole
Grain Toast, Banana
Sandwich
White Chicken Chili served with
Baked Potato and Tossed Salad
WEEK #4 CALENDAR
*NOTE: You may still have enough from
last week’s shopping for some of these items,
so check before buying more.
*1 pack frozen fish filet of your
choice (individually wrapped)
*1 package fresh or frozen
vegetables of your choice
*1 pack shredded cheese
(Pepper Jack or Mexican
blend)
*1 box instant brown rice
* olive oil
* 1 bottle teriyaki sauce
* 1 jar salsa
* 1 box prepared guacamole
in individual serving packs,
optional
*salad dressing of your choice
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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RECIPES
Sunday—Prep Day/Buffalo Chicken for Dinner
BAKE BONELESS CHICKEN BREAST/THIGHS
► Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss half the chicken with Frank’s hot
sauce to coat. Season rest of chicken with your favorite herb seasoning
(e.g., Italian, or just salt and pepper is fine). Line a baking sheet with
foil. Drizzle some oil on foil and place both types of chicken on baking
sheet. Drizzle some olive oil on top of chicken. Bake chicken for 15-20
minutes until cooked through (no longer pink inside). Transfer Buffalo
Chicken to a container and let cool to room temperature; refrigerate.
MAKE CHICKEN CHILI
► Cut up herb seasoned baked chicken (above) into medium size pieces.
► Place one cup water, White Chicken Chili seasoning mix, white beans
and diced tomatoes in a pot. Bring to a boil, then add cut up chicken.
Heat through. Transfer Chicken Chili to a container and let cool to
room temperature; refrigerate.
MAKE TACO MEAT
► Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add ground meat
and cook until browned, using a large spoon to break up the meat
into pieces.
► Add taco seasoning and ¼ cup water. Mix together and cook
for 5 minutes. Transfer to a container and let cool to room
temperature; refrigerate.
COOK BROWN RICE
► Cook 2 cups brown rice in rice cooker or use instant brown
rice and cook according to package instructions. Transfer to
a container and let cool to room temperature; refrigerate.
White Chicken Chili >>
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #4
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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DINNER
► Make Baked Potato: Wash potato and then prick holes in potato
with fork. Microwave on high for 5 minutes; turn potato over and
microwave another 5 minutes or until potato is soft when you squeeze
it with a towel (potato will be hot!); cut potato in half lengthwise.
► Reheat Buffalo chicken in microwave and cut up; serve on top of baked
potato with shredded cheese and ranch or blue cheese dressing.
► Serve with tossed salad.
Monday—Taco Quesadilla
► Place a corn tortilla in skillet; sprinkle with some shredded cheese and
taco meat on top. Top with more cheese and cover with another corn
tortilla. Cook until cheese is melted on the bottom; flip everything
over using a spatula, and continue to cook until cheese is melted on
bottom and taco meat is heated through. Cut into quarters and serve
with salsa for dipping.
► Serve with tossed salad.
Tuesday—White Chicken Chili
► Reheat Chicken Chili and cooked rice.
► Serve with Tossed Salad.
► Remove one portion of fish from freezer and place on top of a plate
in refrigerator to defrost for Wednesday’s dinner.
<< Wednesday—Teriyaki Baked Fish
► Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
► Marinade fish in teriyaki sauce while oven heats up.
► Place foil on baking sheet and drizzle some oil on foil. Place
fish on baking sheet and drizzle a little oil on top. Bake for 12-
15 minutes depending on how thick the fish is.
► While ish is baking, steam some vegetables and reheat
cooked rice.
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #4
One Month of Easy Dinner Recipes for the College Student
EASY COLLEGE DINNER
WEEKLY MEAL PLANNER
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Thursday—Buffalo Chicken Pizza
► Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
► Cut up cooked Buffalo chicken into medium size pieces.
► Place corn tortilla on baking sheet and top with Buffalo
chicken pieces and shredded cheese. Bake until heated through,
about 10 minutes. Top with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
► Serve with tossed salad.
Friday—Taco Bowl
► Place a scoop of rice in a microwaveable bowl. Top with taco meat;
microwave 3 minutes or until hot.
► Serve with shredded cheese, salad greens, salsa and guacamole.
Saturday—White Chicken Chili
► Make Baked Potato: Wash potato and then prick holes in potato
with fork. Microwave on high for 5 minutes; turn potato over and
microwave another 5 minutes or until potato is soft when you squeeze
it with a towel (potato will be hot!); cut potato in half lengthwise.
► Reheat White Chicken Chili. Serve on top of Baked Potato with
shredded cheese.
► Serve with tossed salad.
WEEKLY PLANNER WEEK #4
