Whether you are a freshman or a senior, grocery shopping on a budget can be stressful. Often we resort to simple quick fixes like boxed macaroni and cheese, frozen pizzas, and instant ramen because it is cheap and we convince ourselves it's not that bad.

After the second or third week, we are so sick of all the same cheap, "easy," and crappy food that we realize the root of the issue: we don't know what to cook or how. So let's brush up on some nutrition, shopping, and kitchen skills before we delve into the recipes.

Before You Go To The Store:

The majority of the recipes focused on later in this article revolve around fresh ingredients, but not all recipes do and there will be ingredients you won't want to have to make yourself, for example, tortillas. This leads to you having to buy some pre-made and packaged products. Say you want to make a salad with some dressing, do you have any idea what is in that dressing and how it could be affecting your body?

Here is a great TEDx Talk about how nutritional labels work to trick you. Of course, we need to follow up with how we should read nutritional labels. Here is a video by Dr. Eric Berg about what you should focus on when you are reading nutrition labels, and to follow that up here is a video of him reading food labels in action to show you how even "healthy" foods try to trick you.

Reading the labels on your foods can help show you how few nutrients certain items actually provide, and if you continue to buy those items, at least you're doing so mindfully. Okay, now you're prepared to read package labels, but have you considered if you know how to select ripe and ready to eat fruits and vegetables? Buzzfeed made this great video on how to tell if fruits are ripe. Buzzfeed's video doesn't cover all the fruits and signs of ripeness, but it is a helpful start. If you're curious about a particular fruit or vegetable's signs of ripeness you should give your parents a call and ask. I'm sure they'd love any excuse to chat, even if it's about fruit.

Where To Shop:

We are prepared for our visit to the grocery store; we understand nutrition labels better and how to select the products we need. Where should we go shopping? No, you don't need to go to Whole Foods just to get quality products. Although buying foods at a one-stop-shop retailer may not yield the best results. I wouldn't go to Target to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. This isn't because of some horrible, traumatizing experience. It's simply because Target doesn't have a large grocery selection. Target's tiny grocery department rarely has everything I need. There are one-stop-shop retailers that do have massive grocery departments though. These would be stores such as Winco, Costco, and Walmart.

Winco is a lot like Costco without the membership, and portions of purchases are more controlled (you won't have to buy a crate of something just to get a deal). Costco requires a membership, though you could "tag along" with someone who has a membership. Be warned about Costco shopping though, your upfront bill will be much higher because you're buying in bulk, and with some foods, you run the risk of not using everything up before expiration.

Walmart. We all know what Walmarts are like at this point. It may take research to figure out which items are the best quality at the lowest cost from which store, but you'll be happy you did it when you save hundreds on food by the end of the year.

What To Buy:

Read the nutrition labels on all food products! Avoid foods that have overly scientific or difficult to pronounce ingredients. The ingredients are listed from the most amount used to least, so if sugar or some similarly not great ingredient is first, it's not going to offer much sustenance. When it comes to buying groceries try to focus on buying items that will be ingredients for a recipe. For example, purchase dry or canned beans which you could make into dips, taquitos, nachos, burritos, and more. Buying items that can be combined to make bigger and better meals keep your bill lower (since you aren't buying pre-packaged) and options open.

Canned beans and veggies are cheap, usually costing 50￠(sometimes even less) to $1.30 (most I've seen). Still read the ingredients! It seems stupid and weird but many canned goods are loaded up with unnecessary amounts of salt or sugar, or worse, some other mystery ingredient. I prefer to buy organic canned products because usually, not always, the ingredient list is simply the beans or veggies, filtered water, and maybe a dash of salt for preservation.

When buying canned or prepackaged fruit cups, I suggest you stick to ones that use natural fruit juice as the preservative instead of heavy or even light syrups. Those syrups are loaded with sugar that soaks into the fruit, and I think they taste weird, to be honest.

Other items great items for budget-friendly meals would be rice, veggie or whole grain noodles, fresh fruits and vegetables, rotisserie chickens, canned tuna, tortillas, salad kits, quinoa, dry roasted nuts, and bagged frozen fruits. The recipes will give you more direction.

Critical Cooking Skills:

So now you've got your ingredients and you are ready to start cooking. Let's take a minute to go over some basic kitchen skills with Mr. Gordon Ramsay. First up is Mr. Ramsay's video on mastering basic cooking skills, which detail how to chop an onion (minus the tears), cook rice, skin (and debone) a filet of fish, sharpen a knife safely, and cook perfect pasta. In this second video with Mr. Ramsay, we learn 10 useful cooking tips that can save us time in the kitchen, such as how to ripen fruit faster, cut a bell pepper without getting seeds everywhere, and speed up meat cooking by scoring it. Buzzfeed swoops in again with a video about how to prepare certain difficult fruits like kiwis and mangos. Again if you need to learn more specific skills consult your family or a trusted internet source. It's finally time for the good stuff!

The Recipes:

These are recipes I've found all over the place and have compiled for your benefit. Links to the full recipes are linked in the descriptions. Some of these are recipes I've tried, some are not, but the point is there is a lot of meal variety using budget conscious ingredients. For the organization, these recipes will be organized by which meal time they theoretically correlate with, but there's no shame in breakfast for dinner. You've waited long enough, let's dive right in!

Breakfast:

1. Smoothies:

This is a relatively intuitive meal to make. You will need a blender of some sort, I use a Ninja personal sized blender, it would be a great going away gift to ask for. Basically, you just need a cup of frozen fruit (blackberries, raspberries, a mix, etc.), a banana (if desired), some protein powder, and fill the rest with water or milk. The frozen fruit will chill the drink so you don't have to waste space with ice. If you have a personal style blender, you can pre-fill your blending cups with all the fruits, and then all you have to do in the morning is add a scoop of protein, fill with water, and blend. Seeking some more direction? Try this banana mango smoothie recipe or a tropical green smoothie.

2. Avocado Toast

Aww, yes! Take the trend for a test drive and have two pieces of toasted bread with half a sliced avocado on top. A loaf of bread can cost between $2 and $6 depending on which brand and type you buy, while a six-pack of avocados cost $3.92, according to Walmart's website. If you store the other half of your avocado properly you can use it for another serving of toast the next day, or just use if for another recipe.

3. Caramelized Banana and Peanut Butter Quesadilla.

Want a portable breakfast for under 50￠ total? Give this breakfast quesadilla a go! Instead of using your overripe bananas for banana bread, caramelize them for a banana and peanut butter quesadilla. It takes a total of 15 minutes to make, and it's a great warm breakfast for a chilly morning.

4. Chocolate Croissants.

You need two things for this: one eight-count tube of crescent rolls and ⅓ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes and you have yourself eight breakfast treats.

5. Easy Monte Cristos.

Looking for a savory, grab-and-go breakfast roll? This is a quick and filling recipe for a ham and cheese daydream. Makes 8 rolls in 20 minutes or less.

6. Golden Milk Overnight Oats.

Do you have a love of oatmeal and a killer crack-of-dawn class? Here is a great make-ahead recipe for overnight oats, especially if you enjoy a hint of honey and vanilla with it. It costs 40￠ a serving and preparing it takes five minutes. Although these oats have to soak overnight (eight hours) to be the perfect consistency for consumption. Eight am classes are no excuse not to eat.

7. No Sugar Added Apple Pie Overnight Oats.

Trying to refrain from excess sugar, no worries! This overnight oats recipe has got you covered. At 91￠ a serving, this breakfast will feel like you're starting your day with dessert. Unlike the last overnight oats recipe, this one needs to sit for 12 hours. But you can make multiple servings at once, and they'll last in the fridge for a few days.

8. More Overnight Oats.

Okay, okay. I won't keep overloading you with these. Here is a 3-in-1 recipe that includes the flavors: peanut butter and banana, raspberry Nutella, and coconut almond. This is a chocolate peanut butter and jelly version. If you need more flavor combos, just ask Google and you'll experience a tsunami of oats ideas.

9. Baked Oatmeal.

This is a great breakfast to make for when you have people over for the weekend. This recipe makes about five servings, takes five minutes to make and 20 minutes to cook. Though it requires an eight-inch baking pan and cooking spray, it only needs five ingredients. A super easy recipe that will surely impress.

10. Make Ahead Breakfast Scrambles.

For under a dollar per serving, here is a more protein packed breakfast. 10 minutes is all you need to get this breakfast ready before you go to bed. When you wake up all you have to do is put it in the microwave for a minute. It's like a ham and cheese omelet, but to-go.

11. Scrambled Eggs.

No judgment. I've met several people who did not know how to cook an egg. This is just here for those who want to make sure they're doing it right, but don't want to ask other people. It takes five minutes total.

12. Egg Muffin Cups.

A true portable omelet. In a total of 25 minutes, you have 12 servings of healthy egg muffins to reheat and eat throughout the week.

13. 5 Ingredient Freezer Biscuits.

Interested in a lighter on-the-go breakfast item? These biscuits cost 35￠ a serving, take 10 minutes to make, and cook for 22 minutes. You can make a batch for the whole week and bake them as you go, or cook them ahead of time and put them in a container to snag as you head out the door.

14. Sausage, Gravy, And Egg Breakfast Sandwich.

This is another great breakfast to make for when you have guests over, a little more time to cook, and want to impress them. It may take 30 minutes to make, but it is a fulfilling and savory way to start the day. This recipe makes six servings too, so you could save some for later.

15. Cinnamon And Apple Panini.

Here's an interesting and sweet breakfast recipe. In 10 minutes or less, you've got four servings of a breakfast pie, complete with some caramel sauce.

16. Make Ahead Breakfast Parfaits.

Don't pay $5 or more for a parfait at a coffee stand or cafe. It takes 15 minutes to make your own with this recipe. It will cost the same or less and you get six servings instead of one!

Snack Time:

17. Ham and Pickle Roll-Ups.

Not ready for lunch yet, but want a little crunch? Try a ham and pickle roll-up. They're a refreshing and fulfilling snack, that takes maybe four minutes to make.

18. Pizza Roll-Ups.

Sticking with our roll-and-ready theme, how about pizza roll-ups? This could be an easy lunch item as well. It costs 93￠ per serving, and it takes a total of 25 minutes to make.

19. Dry, Roasted Nuts.

This isn't a recipe, but dry roasted nuts are a great mid-day snack that people often overlook. They offer good fats, protein, and a bit of crunch for when you want a little something minus the cooking.

20. Microwave Sweet Potato Chips.

Buying bagged chips can get expensive, not to mention the overload of excess sodium. Try these sweet potato chips when you want some crunch. In just 15 minutes, you have eight servings. The key is to slice the sweet potato very thin, so this will be great practice if you don't own a mandolin.

21. Easy Quesadilla.

Not all quesadillas are meal-quality. This is a lighter, snack quesadilla recipe. Overall, it takes three minutes or less to make. Here is a hearty black bean quesadilla recipe if you need a more protein-packed snack. Maybe BBQ chicken quesadillas or grilled chicken. Or what about a pizzadilla?

22. Freezer Ready Mini Pizzas.

15 minutes is all you need to make these mini pizzas. Of course, you can add extra toppings as you go too. For $1.17 this a much more satisfying, customizable, and fulfilling snack compared to bagged pizza rolls.

23. Creamy Black Bean Taquitos.

Taquitos are interesting because they could be a mix and match lunch item, or a snack. Try these black bean taquitos, and decide for yourself. They take 30 minutes total to make but you can make a bunch and save some for later.

Lunch:

24. Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

A lunch classic! In 15 minutes you've got a great grilled cheese that could cost you $2 or less depending on the ingredients you buy. Want to spice it up? Try the roll-up grilled cheese and tomato soup dipping sauce. How fancy!

25. Best Sloppy Joes EVER.

This recipe is large and freezable, meaning you can make your cooking time last by paying it forward.

26. Soup.

This is great for a cold or stormy day. Filling and easy, chicken enchilada soup recipe may just become a staple in your week to week cooking. Let's list some more soup recipes just in case you need more variety: easy oriental noodle, black bean, tomato basil, and quick chicken noodle soup.

27. Taco Salad.

This falls into the too-lazy-to-finish-preparing-the-meal category, but it is still a delicious lazy meal.

28. Easiest Burrito Bowl.

The recipe calls it a "meal prep" and it sure is. It yields a large quantity that you can keep in the fridge to eat as you go, decreasing your time in the kitchen. There's also this burrito bowl recipe that costs 99￠ per serving. Or go extra simple with a rice and bean bowl.

29. Creamy Tuna Pasta With Peas And Parmesan.

At $1.50 a serving, this is a very attractive lunch option. Seven ingredients and 20 minutes total to make, it's just getting better!

30. Bowties And Broccoli.

Need to make sure you eat your veggies? How about you disguise them in pasta? Sounds like a great idea to me. Get this, it only costs 58￠ a serving for the bowties and broccoli! The same principle goes into the bowtie pasta with cherry tomatoes, capers, and basil.

31. Burritos.

Here is an easy grab-and-go burrito recipe for 87￠ per burrito! Once you know the basic recipe you can experiment and customize your own.

32. Salads.

Alright, I'm not just talking about the salad kits you get at the store. Yes, those are an option, but I'm talking about salads like spinach chickpea and quinoa, quinoa tabbouleh, kale white bean and pesto, couscous with chicken and vegetables, Greek-style chicken salad, Mediterranean chickpea, and cherry summer kale and vinaigrette.

33. Wraps.

Easy to make and to spice up. How about caprese with chicken, turkey and swiss, hummus stuffed pita, or zesty Italian. They're a little more contained compared to a traditional sandwich.

34. Sandwiches.

Don't underestimate the classics. Peanut butter and jelly, and peanut butter and banana sandwiches are great lunches. (Have you tried them toasted or with honey?!) Here are some different sandwich recipes too: grilled Margherita, chicken and melted cheese, big kahuna chicken teriyaki, spicy tuna and avocado melt,

Dinner:

35. Noodles.

These are some of my favorite noodle-based dishes: two minute Thai peanut noodles, 15 minute beefy mac n' cheese, bacon cheeseburger mac n' cheese, skillet sausage pasta, chicken Thai noodles, pizza pasta bake, chili pasta, pork and peanut dragon noodles, beef and cabbage stir fry, sirloin and snap pea stir fry, and don't you dare forget the classic stovetop mac n' cheese.

36. Spaghetti.

It may seem goofy to separate spaghetti from noodles, but there is a distinct difference. Sure you can buy pasta sauce and boil some spaghetti noodles, but why not try lemon spaghetti, bolognese, or chicken and fresh tomato.

37. Casseroles.

Just throw it in the crockpot, except actually just put it in the oven. Some of my favorites include: Mexican tortellini casserole, cheesy beef and rice, summer squash, and chicken and broccoli and brown rice casserole.

It's not quite a casserole, but this chicken and dumpling recipe is not quite like a pot pie either.

38. Lasagna.

This dish is best for when you're meal prepping for a busy week or having guests over. This skillet lasagna recipe is quicker than some of the baked lasagna recipes although baking takes minimal effort.

39. Tostadas, Tacos, And Nachos.

Oh yes, they may seem small but admit it, you never eat just one. This refried bean tostada recipe is awesome and you can easily add more ingredients to it. Chicken soft tacos are some of my favorites, but you can make tacos with beef, prawns, or fish as well. Nachos can be diverse in ingredients, and they're great for sharing.

39. Roasted Chicken.

A roasted chicken with vegetables can feed you for days, or feed you and your guests for a night. 30 minutes of active preparation, and two hours and 10 minutes of cooking make one impressive looking dinner. Looking for a less grandiose or time-consuming alternative? How about chicken crescent roll-ups. The roll-ups only take 30 minutes to prepare and cook. There's also chicken piccata, herb stuffed chicken breast.

40. Side Dishes.

Need a little something to accompany your main dish? Consider roasted sweet potatoes, curried chickpeas and rice, freezer garlic bread, caramelized onion-stuffed baked potatoes, or chive mashed potatoes.

Oh my gosh, that was long! If you made it this far you are a trooper! (Or just really hungry.) Thank you for making it this far and I hope this proves to you that being on a budget doesn't mean you can't have a variety in your meals. Once you know what to look for, where to get ingredients, and how to cook the recipes you want, you'll be eating much more than the instant cup of noodles.

It may seem daunting at first, but you've got this! Now start making your grocery list and hop to it. Luck be with you in your cooking endeavors!