since I am taking college classes and trying to work, what are some simple, healthy but quick and cheap meals?

Question

for 2?

Answer 1

Oh sweety I am in the EXACT same position as you! By the time I'm done with school and work all I want to do is eat. I've found these recipes and they're really fast, cheap, and yummy.
Hope you enjoy them :)

Oven Fried Chicken Fingers and Potatoes

2 large baking potatoes (about 1 lb.), unpeeled
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 pkt. SHAKE 'N BAKE Original Chicken Seasoned Coating Mix
1/4 cup GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. honey

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick strips; place in large bowl. Add dressing and cheese; toss to coat. Place in single layer on large greased baking sheet.
BAKE 12 min. Meanwhile, coat chicken strips with coating mix as directed on package.
TURN potatoes over with large spatula; push to one side of baking sheet. Place chicken strips on other side of baking sheet. Bake an additional 15 min. or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Mix mustard and honey; serve for dipping.

Quick Chicken Terriyaki

1/4 cup KRAFT LIGHT DONE RIGHT! Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1-1/3 cups water
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
1-1/2 cups MINUTE White Rice, uncooked

HEAT dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 7 min. or until cooked through.
ADD water, teriyaki sauce and garlic powder; stir. Bring to boil.
STIR in broccoli and rice; cover. Cook on low heat 5 min. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 min. Fluff with fork.

Lean Beef Tacos

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 pkg. (16.35 oz.) TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Soft Taco Dinner
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Four Cheese Mexican Style Cheese
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S FREE or KNUDSEN FREE Fat Free Sour Cream

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Brown meat; drain. Add Seasoning Mix and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 10 min., stirring occasionally.
MEANWHILE, fold each Tortilla over crumpled piece of foil, pressing to hold taco shell shape. Spray each side of tortilla with cooking spray. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake 7 to 8 min. or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheets 5 min. or until crisp.
SPOON meat mixture into tortillas; top with cheese, Taco Sauce, lettuce, tomato and sour cream.

Italian Pork Chop Dinner

2 cups MINUTE Brown Rice, uncooked
4 lean bone-in center-cut pork chops, cut 1/2 inch thick (about 6 oz. each)
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 each: green and red pepper, cut into strips
1/4 cup KRAFT LIGHT DONE RIGHT! Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese

COOK rice as directed on package.
MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet on high heat until hot. Add chops; cook 2 min. or until browned. Reduce heat to medium; turn chops over. Sprinkle with oregano; top with pepper strips. Drizzle with dressing; top with tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 12 min. or until chop juices run clear and chops are no longer pink in center.
SPOON rice onto serving plates; top with chops. Increase heat under skillet to high. Cook vegetable mixture 1 to 2 min. or until vegetables are tender and sauce is thickened. Spoon over chops; top with cheese.

Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet

1/3 cup KRAFT Greek Vinaigrette Dressing
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
4 cups cut-up fresh vegetables from the salad bar, such as broccoli, green peppers and carrots (about 1 lb.)
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups MINUTE Brown Rice, uncooked
1 lemon

HEAT dressing in large deep nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with oregano. Cook 5 min., stirring once.
ADD vegetables and broth; simmer 5 min. Stir in rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Turn off heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until liquid is absorbed.
GRATE 1 tsp. lemon peel; sprinkle over chicken. Cut lemon into 4 wedges; serve with chicken and rice mixture.

Polynesian Chicken Salad
2 cups baby spinach leaves
2 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup canned mandarin orange segments, drained
1/4 cup GOOD SEASONS Red Raspberry Vinaigrette with Poppyseed Dressing
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled, sliced
2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Cashews
2 Tbsp. BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted

TOSS spinach and romaine with the peppers and oranges in large bowl.
ADD dressing; mix lightly. Spoon onto serving platter or two salad plates.
TOP with the chicken; sprinkle with the cashews and coconut.

Farmhouse Chicken Dinner

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 small bone-in chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), skin removed
1/4 cup KRAFT LIGHT DONE RIGHT! Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
2 cups baby carrots
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 cups MINUTE Brown Rice, uncooked
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

MIX flour and pepper in shallow dish. Add chicken; turn to evenly coat both sides with flour mixture. Shake off excess flour mixture. Heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken, meat-side down; cook 5 to 6 min. or until golden brown. Turn chicken over; add carrots, onions and 1 cup of the broth. Cover. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 20 min. or until carrots are tender and chicken is cooked through (180°F).
MEANWHILE, cook rice as directed on package. Spoon onto serving platter. Use slotted spoon to remove chicken and vegetables from skillet; place over rice. Cover to keep warm.
ADD Neufchatel cheese and remaining broth to skillet; increase heat to high. Cook until cheese is melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 3 to 5 min. or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Spoon over chicken and vegetables; sprinkle with parsley.

And dessert...if you've been good, hehe

Fat Free Creamy Pudding Dip

3 cups cold fat free milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding & Pie Filling
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

POUR cold milk into medium bowl. Add pudding mix and cinnamon. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes; cover.
REFRIGERATE until ready to serve. Store leftover sauce in refrigerator.

Banana Pudding Squares

20 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, finely crushed
3 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
3 medium ripe bananas
3 cups fat free milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding & Pie Filling
1/2 square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, grated

MIX wafers and margarine. Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish.
MIX Neufchatel cheese and powdered sugar with wooden spoon until well blended. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Spoon mixture evenly onto crust; spread carefully. Cut bananas in half crosswise; cut each piece lengthwise in half. Arrange banana pieces over Neufchatel cheese mixture.
POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Spoon over bananas. Spread with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Answer 2

If you know what time you're going to be home, I would suggest looking into the Betty Crocker Crock Pot Meals. They go for about $6.50 at Jewel, and you might even be able to find them cheaper somewhere else. Each on is 5 servings, so you could set it up one day and then microwave some for your other meals. Setup is very easy, because it only takes about 10 minutes or so.

I'm disabled and can't stand for very long and I like them because they are a cheap and easy way for me to cook dinner for me and my wife, when she get's home from work. I just set it up anywhere from 4 to 10 hours before my wife is suppose to get home and it's ready when she walks in the door. If she's a little late it's not a problem, because it's on the warm setting.

The cooking time all depends on your crock pot. Mine has settings for 4, 6, 8 and 10 hours. There are even ones that can be programmed even longer now.

Answer 3

My mom knew I'd have a similar problem when I went to college. She bought me a book called The Starving Student's Cookbook. It had all these cheap and easy recipes for 1. It was simple to double them.

One trick I did was I always made a HUGE pot of spaghetti sauce and then froze it in quart containers. That way I could thaw it and add to ravioli, spaghetti, or tortellini for a quick italian meal. By adding a few ingredients (tabasco and beans), I had chili or by adding macaroni and cheese, I had Beefaroni.

Saved me many headaches.

Answer 4

we call it Hamburger Special - grew up with it!

Brown about a lb. of Ground Beef.
and 1 chopped onion
Then add 1 can of Tomatoe Soup and 1 soup can of water.
Add about 3 cups of Egg Noodles cook until noodles are soft.
Turn off heat
Add 1 can of creamed corn
and 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese stir it all together

Put in a caserole and top with cheddar cheese

Cook at 350' in the oven for 1/2 hour.

Sounds weird but it is the most home comfy dinner!!!! It would actually make enough for 2 meals for 2 people.

Enjoy if you decide to make it!

Answer 5

lean cuisine...sure way to fill an empty stomach when u are in a hurry and u dont have to cook for anyone

Answer 6

cereal with milk or toasted bread with scrambled egg

Answer 7

TRY THIS WEBSITE THEY HAVE GREAT RECIPES. landolakes.com

Answer 8

Cheap and Healthy Recipes (and they aren't kidding!) and I would add, Quick, too:

http://www.faqs.org/docs/consumer/recipes/

I would add:

Meatloaf with baked tater and steamed veggie of your choice...

You can also use the meatloaf recipe and use it to make Stuffed Bell Peppers. Stuff the peppers, pour some canned tomato puree over the top, add a slice of cheese and cook....

You can also use that meatloaf recipe to make meatballs to add to spaghetti with bottled marinara sauce, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve with a tossed green salad made with packaged salad green (they are soo convenient) plus any veggies of your choice, i.e. onion, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, canned beets, avocado, cucumbers, canned garbanzo beans...whatever is on sale or in season or at a good price.

I love and eat a LOT of turkey burgers....just mix ground turkey with chopped onions and worchestershire sauce. Easy to cook in the toaster oven. Garnish with some of those packaged greens you use for salads, plus sliced tomatoes and a slice of cheese. Serve with bottled sweet gherkins.

Use more ground turkey or ground beef sauteed with those onions to make tacos. Fill packaged taco shells with the meat mixture, top with chopped tomatoes, grated cheese and taco sauce plus low fat sour cream and avocados. Serve with Spanish Rice:
serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1/4 large onion, finely chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 whole tomatoes from a 15-ounce can
1/4 cup liquid from canned tomatoes
40-ounce can chicken broth (30 ounces used total)

Open can of tomatoes and chicken broth and set aside. These ingredients have to be added quickly, so have them ready.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium-high. Add rice, stirring constantly. When rice is brown, immediately add the onion and garlic and stir so it is evenly mixed. Quickly add the 2 tomatoes (squish them with your hand). Add 1/4 cup of liquid from the can of tomatoes and 3/4 of the entire amount of chicken broth. Bring to a full boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until rice is tender and most of broth has evaporated, about 20 to 30 minutes. (The remaining broth can be added if rice is still a little hard) Remove rice from heat and leave covered until ready to serve.

You can also make chilis, stews or casseroles on the weekends and eat them during the week. I serve my chili over macaroni and top with avocado, grated cheese, fresh cilantro and thinned sour cream. It's a meal in itself! Try making that old quick and cheap casserole....Tuna Noodle Casserole:
Serves 5
INGREDIENTS:

* 1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1/2 cup evaporated milk
* 3/4 cup frozen peas
* 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
* 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
* 1/3 cup chopped onion
* 1/2 cup sliced almonds
* 1 pinch paprika

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot with boiling salted water cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain.
2. In a large bowl combine the cooked egg noodles, cream of mushroom soup, evaporated milk, peas, tuna, grated cheese, and chopped onion. Pour into a greased 1.5 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with the almonds and the paprika.
3. Bake in a preheated 425 degree F (220 degree C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Chicken Parmesan is quick and cheap....buy chicken cutlets and bread with Italian seasoned bread crumbs and fry in olive oil. Top with bottled marinara sauce and a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese. Serve with tossed salad or steamed veggie.

Roasted Stuffed Chicken can stretch for 3 or 4 days. Stuff the chicken with the following recipe and cook, as well as putting the excess stuffing in a small casserole and cook it along with the chicken.

Cracker Stuffing
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/4 pound saltine crackers
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 1 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
* 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
* 1 cup chicken broth
Variations: Add sauteed mushroom; cooked, chopped chicken giblets.
DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the saltine crackers, celery, onion, eggs, parsley and pepper. Set aside.
2. Measure the half-and-half into a small cup and stir in the cornstarch. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the half-and-half and simmer for a few minutes to thicken. The gravy will be somewhat thin.
3. Pour hot gravy over the cracker mixture one cup at a time, stirring each time, until the dressing is moist but not soupy. Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Salmon Cakes are VERY cheap and quick.....and good with corn on the cob
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

* 5 large potatoes, peeled and halved
* 3 cups water to cover
* 1 (14.75 ounce) can canned salmon
* 1 egg
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small saucepan, cover peeled potatoes with water. Bring water to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together salmon, egg, potatoes, salt and pepper. Mold the mixture into patties (whatever size you choose). Coat both sides of the patties with flour.
3. Heat oil over a medium-high heat in a large skillet. Fry the patties (2 or 3 at a time) on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Breakfast for Dinner? Poached eggs with bacon and a bagel with low fat cream cheese and fruit spread

If you need more instructions on how to cook the above stuff go to:

http://www.allrecipes.com
http://www.foodnetwork.com