<p>If he’s near a Costco, getting a rotisserie chicken every week will nearly pay for the membership. $4.99 and they seem 2x the size of supermarket ones! (plus he can get cheap milk, eggs and burgers for the George Foreman!)</p>
<p>Plus our local Costco often has a tray of 8 rotisserie chicken quarters (thighs with attached drum sticks) for $4.99. I suspect that the breast meat gets used for their chicken salad and other fresh prepared items and the quarters are left over. Great value!</p>
<p>I LOVE lentil soup…going to try your mother’s recipe, Hanna!</p>
<p>I know you are really looking for things he can make rather than pre-packaged frozen meals, but often you can get frozen entrees buy one get one free. I like Cedar Lane, especially the chile rellano (sp?), eggplant, and tortilla pie. If you get them on a great sale the price isn’t bad. Costco chicken is a great idea if he can get to Costco.</p>
<p>Along with the baked chicken then made into soup idea, I take any remaining chicken off the bone, cut up carrots and onions, cover wit water and then throw in a box of Uncle Ben’s wild rice and its seasoning mix. Everyone loves this soup.</p>
<p>My husband likes huge baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese on top. EASY.</p>
<p>Black bean soup - so easy to make, freezes great. Saut</p>
<p>Some great ideas for empty nesters here, too.</p>
<p>my son is moving into his first apt this weekend. i have made him a recipe book in a binder with easy recipes and simplified step by step instructions.
the easiest recipe is for chicken tacos…
in the crockpot.
1 lb boneless chicken ( i have even thrown it in frozen)
1 cup chicken broth
1 package taco seasoning.</p>
<p>cook on low 8 hours… shred with 2 forks…
can be served on salad or in flour tortillas with shredded cheese, guacamole, salsa, etc</p>
<p>Costco sells a 2pack of 2# pork loins that are cheap (not the tenderloins, they have increased in price). I pop one of those in the crock pot with 3 cups water, squirt some mustard & ketchup top, followed by 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and set it to low for the day. Then shred with a fork for very tender pulled pork. (yesterday I put it in frozen for the first time and it was great).</p>
<p>I agree that potatoes baked in the microwave are fast and filling.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Another easy meal for fall is…</p>
<p>Take a large sweet potato (the reddish ones that are orange inside), prick it, microwave it for 5-10 min (depending on size and micro power).</p>
<p>Open and mix with some butter. Serve with sliced warmed ham and a veggie.</p>
<p>Is your S near a Trader Joe’s? There are so many things there that are not expensive and he can make quickly. They have lots of pre cut fresh and frozen veggies that you can cook and add chicken or other meat to. They have frozen rice that comes in pouches that you pop in the microwave and it comes out great.</p>
<p>How about an omelet with with his favorite veggies and cheese? Pasta is easy and you can do a red or white sauce and add meat or chicken and it lasts for several meals. My D’s are both vegetarians, so they use the “fake” meat from Trader Joe’s to make tacos and then save the extra meat for taco salads the next night.</p>
<p>There is a TJoes cookbook available on Amazon that I got for my grad student S. He has lived on Cajun rice and bean mixes with some veggies or sausage thrown in for long periods of time. </p>
<p>Tortillas, cheese, and a dollop of canned beans with a cut up tomato and handful of lettuce and avocado slice is my last minute quesadilla supper. Sometimes I add fake crab, as it is cheap instant protein. </p>
<p>After a Thai student lived here, I learned to freeze 1/3 lb amounts of ground pork for quick noodle stir fries. The small amount thaws quickly in water, and can be fried with Asian sauces and vegetables for a fast meal.</p>
<p>It is hard for a grad student to find the time or desire to cook a meal. I think it’s hard for anyone to cook for just themselves. Sometimes it’s easier to eat the bigger meal on campus during the day and have “lunch” at night. A sandwich with whole grain bread, lean protein, low-fat dairy cheese and veggies is healthy. Pair it with a healthy pre-made salad or soup from the deli, fruit or yogurt and it’s a complete meal that’s easy to fix. There’s so many possiblilities that if it’s changed up every week, it doesn’t get too old having sandwiches all the time.</p>
<p>I’m not a big fan of freezing foods. I think it’s easier to just cook three or four portions of food on the weekend and alternate days. Or if you have to have variety. Do simple things like chicken pieces or thighs and heat them up with different ready made sauces. (Italian, Indian, Chinese are all easily available.) </p>
<p>When my husband was in grad school he was part of an eating group. They cooked a real dinner five nights a week. There were 10-12 members so you only had to cook once every two weeks, except on weekends. It really was fun and they ate really well. I still remember “Dessert is expected, but not required.” :)</p>
<p>*It is hard for a grad student to find the time or desire to cook a meal. I think it’s hard for anyone to cook for just themselves. Sometimes it’s easier to eat the bigger meal on campus during the day and have “lunch” at night. A sandwich with whole grain bread, lean protein, low-fat dairy cheese and veggies is healthy. Pair it with a healthy pre-made salad or soup from the deli, fruit or yogurt and it’s a complete meal that’s easy to fix. *</p>
<p>^^^
This!</p>
<p>Rarely do male grad students want the hassle and clean-up of preparing “recipe meals” involving pots, pans, etc. Sandwiches are an easy alternative.</p>
<p>Another EZ option. Go to Subway and order some $5 footlong sandwiches. Ask for mayo/dressings/etc to be put “on the side”. Ask for each half to be wrapped/bagged separately. A meal can be had for $2.50. (Light-eaters might ask that the footlongs be cut into thirds!). </p>
<p>Sometimes there are specials for $4k footlongs. If so, do the above, but freeze some. For freezing, be sure to select meats, etc, that can be frozen…leave out the L&T.</p>
<p>Just remembered one of an old BF’s fav meals (that I loved, too).</p>
<p>French bread
cheddar cheese
salami slices
apple slices
the above combo was so good. Also can use Triscuits instead of bread.</p>
<p>grapes on the side.</p>
<p>I always felt like I was in some European countryside when we ate this…lol</p>
<p>nj2011mom’s pork loin recipe reminded me of an even cheaper recipe I got from food network’s Robert Irvine. He puts a pork shoulder (can use pork loin) in the crock pot and covers it halfway with water. Then cooks it on low for 8 to 10 hours. I took that recipe which includes onions and just used water. You take the pork out, remove all the fat and water, then shred/pull it with a fork and mix in your favorite barbecue sauce. Two ingredients and people often think it came from Jim & Nick’s, a popular barbecue restaurant!</p>
<p>I think it would be very nice if everyone would do what they can to encourage males to learn to do simple food shopping and cooking. They will eat better and the women in their lives will certainly be happy they have these skills. They can also help teach their future children to make better food choices.</p>
<p>I agree! Our single working full time/ part time grad student enjoys preparing fish; esp salmon. You can purchase fresh salmon many times at very reasonable prices. Take that cut of salmon, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with lemon pepper. Bake in foil for about 20-25 mins. Add a veg or salad, rice–you have a healthy fresh meal! Easy cleanup as well.</p>