A good, healthy meal is unfortunately a rarity for many college students. Money is scarce, grocery shopping gets overwhelming and Ramen is convenient. For the frugal shopper, it’s hard to avoid foods that are over-processed and loaded with sugar, but eating healthy while you’re in school is possible.
I’m a “food person,” and when I moved off of campus I was determined to eat good food without taking out another student loan. While I was in the process of learning the important things, like how to use my stove, I also came across a free online cookbook, [“Good and Cheap”](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/490865454/good-and-cheap).
The message of “Good and Cheap” is to eat well on $4 a day. The book started as a capstone project for Leanne Brown, a former New York University student who was working on a master’s degree in food studies. Brown wanted to create a cookbook to fit the budgets of people living on SNAP, the U.S. government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the result was an aesthetically pleasing book with advice for buying food, delicious recipes and simple pantry basics.
Brown’s philosophy emphasizes buying food in season and eating fruits and vegetables — wise advice that’s both economically and environmentally helpful. The key is to work on building up a pantry of commonly available items that will make it easier to make meals quickly and affordable.
**Brown’s pantry basics:** vegetables (try to get them in peak season), fruits (apples, oranges, bananas, melons, etc.), dairy (butter, milk, yogurt), protein (meat isn’t the only option — cheaper and easier-to-store items are dried beans, lentils, nuts and eggs), grains (bread, tortillas, pasta, all-purpose flour), canned vegetables, frozen fruits and vegetables, flavoring, cooking items, and spices.
Brown’s book lists plenty of options for each to give you flexibility and allow substitution of ingredients. With these basic ingredients, you can start cooking wholesome meals without fancy kitchen equipment or lousy ingredients.
“Good and Cheap” will help you get on track to cooking better and spending less time and money at the grocery store. Learning to cook real food won’t only help you stay in better shape, but it will help you to make more out of your budget and ingredients.
Brown’s cookbook is available as a PDF, free to download on her [website](http://www.leannebrown.com/). Below are recipes taken from the book:
**Egg Sandwich with Mushroom Hash**
Two servings, $1.80 per sandwich
2 tsp butter
1 small potato, diced
½ lb mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 rolls
2 English muffins
4 slices of bread
salt and pepper
optional; tomato, avocado, cheese
Melt half of the butter in a pan on medium heat, throw in the potato and cook for 5 minutes, stir minimally. Season with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms and garlic, and a splash of water if the potatoes are sticking to the pan. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned. Pierce the potato with a fork. If it goes through, you’re done; if not, cook for a few minutes. Melt the other half of butter in another pan on medium heat, crack eggs into the pan and dust with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan to ensure the egg whites cook throughout. Toast the bread, then construct your sandwich.
**Corn Soup**
Four to six servings, $1.25 per serving
_For the soup_
4 cups corn
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green or red pepper, finely chopped
1 small potato, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1 tbsp cornmeal or flour
salt and pepper
_For the broth_
4 to 8 cobs of corn with corn removed
2 bay leaves
5 cups vegetable broth for chicken stock
salt and pepper
_For corn broth:_ place the cobs and bay leaves in a stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down to medium heat and let the water boil for 30 minutes. Taste broth and add salt and pepper until it tastes lightly corn-y, boil down until you have 5 cups of liquid.
_For the soup:_ Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and potato, then stir. Cover the pot and let steam for 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir vegetables and add a splash of water or broth if vegetables stick.
Let vegetables cook for 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Add the corn and cornmeal/flour to the pot and stir. Cover with roughly 5 cups of broth, bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Broth will thicken and become opaque.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a slice of bread or add a hard-boiled egg for extra protein.
**Kale Salad**
Two main servings, $2.25 per serving
_For the salad_
1 large bunch kale
2 cups bread cubes
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper
Romano or parmesan cheese, freshly grated
_For the dressing_
1 raw egg yolk from a high-quality fresh egg
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely grated (optional)
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
_For the dressing:_ Drop egg yolk into mixing bowl, add lemon juice, mustard and garlic. Whisk until dressing is light and frothy. Slowly add olive oil while whisking, then add salt and pepper.
_For the salad:_ Cut kale leaves to remove large stem, slice the leaves in half lengthwise, then cut into thin ribbons. Toss the kale into the bowl to coat with dressing. Set aside for 10 minutes, or leave it in the fridge a few hours to marinate. Before serving, add croutons and Romano cheese.