Gone are the days of your parents’ freshly cooked meals whenever you came home from school. If college has shown me anything, it is possible to run on a granola bar until the god-given hours of the night when you either eat your struggle sandwich or some quick ramen.
As finals season rains upon us, it is time to prepare meals so you are not starving yourself while cramming last-minute studies and crying into your pillow every night. This is a simple guide that you will hopefully adopt to not only feel well-nourished during finals week, but also confident in your test-taking abilities.
Step 1:
Make. A. Grocery. List. Before even stepping foot into the store, make sure you have a set list in mind rather than aimlessly roaming around the aisles for hours till end. Avoid getting things that you probably won’t eat that will end up rotting in your fridge for the next few weeks. Instead, call your parents and ask how to prepare some of your favorite home meals. They will probably give you the basic version of these recipes to make it easier on your end, while praying that you won’t burn your college apartment down. You can also look on Pinterest for simple one-pot/pan recipes or a quick Google search on the New York Times food column. I would recommend getting ingredients that you are familiar with, and try to avoid experimenting the first time you cook. You don’t want to end up with a horrible-tasting meal before your 7 p.m. final.
Step 2:
Go to the grocery store. Whether that be Food 4 Less, Ralphs, Trader Joe’s or any other store, simply go and shop. Both Food 4 Less and Ralphs offer sales if you download their rewards programs, which help with saving money on the tight student budgets we all live on. If you don’t have a car, try taking the bus, aka the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA). Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) teamed up with RTA to offer students free passes whenever needed. Simply swipe your R’Card and you’re in! Or maybe you have a friendly roommate that you can grocery shop with. Regardless, there are accessible ways to get to the grocery store of your choice. The only thing required is your energy and will to make delicious food for the week.
Step 3:
Now that you are in the store, go straight to what you have set on your grocery list. Now, it is okay to get a couple of snacks to keep beside you while you study, but don’t buy that loaf of bread if you truly don’t need it. Try to stick to what is on your list, especially if you’re making set meals for the week that require specific ingredients. A couple of the meals that I like to meal prep include veggies such as cauliflower (the best vegetable on this planet), green beans, broccoli, asparagus (if my funds allow it) and bell peppers. They are usually paired with pan-fried chicken, rice, beef, or ground turkey. If you know what certain ingredients taste good together, then you can practically make anything that comes to your mind. Knowing how to pair ingredients is a skill, so make sure to practice cooking and following the occasional recipe for new meals.
Step 4:
Set time aside to actually make these meals. The good thing about meal-prepping is that you don’t have to worry about constantly cooking every day. Though cooking can be fun, it can also be a grueling task, especially during finals week. Use your Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening before finals week to stay in your kitchen and cook. You can prepare overnight oats for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and a healthy dinner of your choice. Every college student living on campus is probably paying between $400 to $1,200 in rent, so use your kitchen as much as you can because it is worth it. Once you have these meals set and cooled down, place them in glass or plastic containers and store them in your fridge for the week. If this process of meal preparation works for your finals, maybe try incorporating it into your weekly routine. It will probably save you the exhaustion of having to make those struggle meals on nights where you’d prefer to sleep and relax.
