Quick and easy meals for busy nursing students!

[Erythropoiesis]

Hi ladies and gentlemen. I will be starting my program in a little over one week, and I'm trying to do all that I can NOW to prepare for what is coming. I have all of my supplies, and I've read great comments from y'all about what to expect in school, how to approach the course load, and all of your tips and tricks in that regard.

I wanted to start a thread where people can share their go-to meal ideas. Time will be limited and I like to cook, but some of my dinner recipes can take upwards of an hour and a half to finish. That's time that can be spent doing other things. What do y'all do as far as meals go? I have a crockpot that I plan to use a lot, I just need ideas. What's quick and cheap? When I was in school the last three semesters, I ate A LOT of sandwiches, raw fruits and veggies, and cheese. I'm so uncreative when it comes to this. If anyone knows how to scrounge up nutritious meals with limited time and money, it's a nursing student. I'm interested to read what you come up with.

[Pdxstudent]

Well I haven't started yet...I start my program next month...but I'm in the same boat. My husband will be working full time and my kids are busy with their schedules and I won't have time to make a fresh hot meal every night.

I found some great ideas on Pinterest as far as snacks and lunch to take to school with me. One idea was taking a mason jar filled with noodles, veggies, and spices and just add hot water and you have diy noodle soup.

For dinner we have decided that we will plan out meals each week on Sunday. We are going to go with a theme for each week day. For example Monday's might be Italian, Tuesday's might be Mexican. I'll make and freeze what I can on Sunday so it's all ready to go. I'm definitely interested in hearing anyone else's crockpot ideas though!!

[Erythropoiesis]

I like the themed idea! When I do use my crockpot I make large amounts of whatever it is. I recently made chuck roast spaghetti sauce, I've done white beans with sausage, and in the winter it's great to do chili and things like that. Those things freeze well too.

I spotted an oatmeal recipe not long ago that I've been meaning to try. You basically put dry oatmeal, water, and whatever seasonings/dehydrated fruit in the crock pot and turn it on warm or low (depending on how hot your crockpot gets). It's supposed to cook down overnight and then you wake up to oatmeal with fruit for breakfast. I'm a big egg eater in the mornings but this sounds heavenly as a treat.

[tnicnat]

Invest in a pressure cooker - I got one, it's the electric one and I've been able to cook quick, healthy meals. Granted I don't have small children anymore, mine are grown and moved out, still, in nursing school we tend to eat what we can when we can. I've been in a program for a year, in my last semesters and all I do is sleep, study, school and work. I'm on a two week break and feel so spoiled that I can sleep in a few days, actually have coffee from a real mug, have a breakfast that isn't in my car, and I plan on making some huge meals this last week to last me in the first week or so of my next semester.

I have a crock pot and pressure cooker - winter time I cook soups, stews and will have sandwiches and soup, or I'll make a pot roast and lots of winter veggies. My little dog and two cats love it when I cook these meals cause they eat so well!

Be careful with lots of fruits and veggies, they spoil quick and it will just frustrate you which you don't need right now. I just say buy in moderation, buy what's in season and use yummly! It's a life saver

[Dorali, BSN, LPN, RN]

Pinterest is a great resource for crockpot recipes. Also, AllRecipes.com is excellent!

If you have time before starting school, I suggest preparing some of those meals, putting them in gallon size ziploc bags & freezing them. Put them in the fridge the morning before to thaw, and by the next morning you can dump it in your crockpot, turn it on and go!

There are also crockpot liners you can get at the grocery store, they're usually around the aluminum foil & Saran Wrap. They're pretty cheap ($2/box of 4) and really help with clean up. No burnt gunk on the sides of the pot to scrub.

I have lots of recipes, I'll see what I can find.

[barcode120x, RN, NP]

PBJ and fruits is probably the best/healthiest meals for school. I ate like crap the whole 2 years in nursing school, but it helped me get through the stress! Lol.