When you think of healthy food, it can be hard to imagine forking over money when you’re on a budget for expensive, gluten-free, and environmentally conscious products purchased at organic food markets like Whole Foods.

Still, there are many ways to eat healthy while saving money and eating gluten.

Some healthy foods that are cheap and easy to make include but are not limited are miso soup, chicken fajitas, and pad-see-ew. Play your favorite Spotify playlist, head to the market, and prepare to make three delicious and accessible meals.

Miso Soup

First up on the hit parade is Miso soup, a Japanese dish made with miso paste, a fish stock called Dashi, and dried seaweed. The proteins in the miso paste separate and rise to the top, creating the prominent thick cloudy haze.

The good thing about this meal is that there is no meal prep time other than cutting the tofu into 1 inch by 1 inch cubes. If you want a serving of two, then you need to fill half of a 2-quart pot with water. A bigger pot yields a larger portion, but this is not recommended unless you’re serving a large party.

Once the water starts to steam, use a strainer to dump Dashi packet onto the strainer. Submerge the strainer in the water but not all the way, just enough to moisten the Dashi.

Think of it like you’re making tea, and Dashi is the umami flavored packet, providing the hidden power of fish flavor to your taste buds and soul.

After about 10 minutes, you can throw away the Dashi. Nothing lasts forever. Then, wash the strainer to remove any excess Dashi and use the strainer again for the miso. Once the miso has dissolved into the soup, it is ready for consumption.

Don’t forget to add your soft tofu and dried seaweed. Depending on personal preference, you could also add green onions for a different set of textures and flavors.

Chicken Fajitas

The next meal is chicken fajitas, which is easy but requires you to follow some sanitary rules, there are no cutting corners on this recipe. Packed with high protein and vibrant strips of bell peppers, chicken fajitas are a great option for a low cost meal.

Prep time is about 10 minutes, starting by cutting chicken breasts into bite-sized portions.

If there is one thing good that came out of this pandemic, it’s that everyone knows how to practice good hygiene, which is why you should know never to cross-contaminate when you’re dealing with poultry.

Now, before I tell you to slice the chicken into tender strips, I’m going to clue you into a master class lesson in budget buying.

Here it is: learn how to cut a whole chicken. Think of all the meat you just bought from one whole chicken, but this recipe only requires the two chicken breasts, so the rest of the meat can be saved for a future meal.

Then, it’s time to cut the chicken breasts into strips. Reducing the density of the chicken breasts will help it cook faster and increase your portion ratio. After cutting the chicken breasts, season it with your favorite seasonings like garlic, salt, and pepper.

Heat your pan until it’s medium-hot and add a teaspoon of oil to cook the chicken.

If you’re in a time crunch, I recommend adding slices of your preferred colored bell peppers and a quarter of a white onion once the chicken appears cooked on the outside. However, if you’re operating with unlimited time, cooking the vegetables separately is recommended.

The cooking process should only take about 25 to 30 minutes on medium heat. Add a lid between 10-minute intervals to contain the steam for maximum tenderness.

Now that the chicken is cooked, there is nothing left but to consume and reap the rewards.

Pad See Ew

Last but not least is the most complex meal to cook. Pad see ew is a Thai dish composed of chewy flat rice noodles, branches of earthy Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli), garlic, egg (optional), and chicken.

The key to a successful Pad see ew is all about time and heat.

Put your phone down because there will be no downtime when you start cooking the noodles. Have your Gai Lan sliced, garlic chopped, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, vinegar and sugar at hand.

Use the largest pan you have at your disposal. The more space you allow the noodles to move in will yield a better result.

The first step is to cook basic scrambled eggs with garlic to add them to the dish. Set aside the cooked eggs on a plate to add later, and start cooking the noodles.

Rice noodles cook fast and even faster in high heat, so keep your eye on the charred marks on the noodles. The goal is to char the noodles without burning them. Begin with a medium-level flame. Then, add a spoonful of oil, followed by the noodles.

The race has begun, and you have about three minutes to cook the noodles. Add a teaspoon of each sauce along with a spoonful of sugar.

After adding the sauces, crank the heat to the highest level and wait 30 seconds before tossing. Now it’s time to add your Gai Lan. The steam combined with the heat of the noodles will provide an al dente serving.

Maintain the noodles at high heat until you’ve earned those charred stripes I mentioned. Pad see ew is famous for its sweet but charred flavor.

Once the noodles are steaming, all that is left to do is add your egg, leftover chicken and vinegar to balance the bitter flavor of the soy sauce.

It may feel justified to leverage unhealthy eating habits to quell hunger for more time studying and finishing assignments when you’re a student, but learning how to cook on a budget is an invaluable skill equally important as a degree.