Eating from the Pantry: College Style

I have not been blogging as usual for about two weeks now, but I have been out of town visiting family and working REALLY hard on keeping up on homework. After all, the semester ends in less than four weeks! Crunch time!

Today, I would like to call attention to a post made by one of the blogs I follow (Moneysavingmom.com) and mention that while, yes, eating from the pantry is a GREAT way to save money, not all students have enough stock piles or time and resources to conquer this feat. Which is a serious feat for most of us. So, I would like instead to offer some tips and pointers on how to accomplish the challenge while staying creative and not breaking the bank.

First, what I did, was look at what I had on hand (some boxed rice I got on sale + MQ's, some steak I got for free or cheap from target with their Qs, and some grean giant vegies I picked up at publix 10/$10 + $.50/2 which made for some cheap nutritious sides!). I took those components, along with some simple spices (salt, pepper and italian seasoning) and put together some fun and easy meals!

Dish 1: frozen peas, cooked & cubed steak, and boiled rice
While rice is boiling for the last 5-7 minutes, add 1-2 cups water, cubed steak and peas. Turn down heat. Add salt, pepper & italian seasoning. (Add extra vegies or seasoning if on hand: chopped onions, garlic, cabbage, potatoes, etc) Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve while still hot.

Delicious and nutritious and ready to eat in less than an hour!


Dish 2: vegie medley, thawed & sliced steak, and boiled rice
Microwave vegie medley for about 2-3 min, or until partially thawed. Let steak thaw, then sliver when tender enough. Boil rice completely. Add vegies, steak and thoroughly cooked rice to a pan (any size, depending on amount), and stir. The steak and vegies create their own juice and since the rice is already cooked, it wont soak up all the liquid. While meat is browning, add salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste. Stir on med/low heat until meat is completely browned. Serve while still hot. Yields: fluctuates depending on amount cooked.


If you have any ideas about how to cook with four (common) ingredients or less, leave a comment and a link to your blog about your ideas and share the savings!!