As a junior in college, I live off campus, and I have an altered meal plan (I get 100 meals in the semester, and have $450 to spend at our food court and any other little shops around campus). Because I'm trying to actually adult this year, I did the math:

There are 16 weeks in the semester, so that means 112 days (including weekends). However, I won't really be on campus during the weekends, so that leaves 80 days. So that's a meal every day, and two meals for 20 days. The average meal costs around $8 from the food court, but with my meal plan budget of $450, so I can only really spend $28 A WEEK... If I were to buy something every day, I couldn't go over $5.62.

On top of that, on Mondays and Wednesdays I have a class from 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM, and all of our dining options close at 2:00 PM, so I'd have to book it to the nearest location in order to be able to get a meal. In other words, eating on campus is a freaking disaster... So, I've decided that in order to strive towards adulthood (and avoid from starving to death...) I will be doing the majority of my cooking off campus!

Now, a big part of my decision is centered around the fact that I'm broke. Like "lots of debt sprouting from impulse shopping, to the point where I might not be able to pay my rent" broke. So with this new adventure, I have to be cost-conscious! I've found a few meals from moms on Pinterest that are under $10, but they're catered to families of three or four - so some will be more than $10, but you'll have extra. And who doesn't love extra?! (cause I'm a girl who loves to eat *cue "Let's Eat" by Macklemore*)

Meal #1 - 8 Can Chicken Tortilla Soup ($10.43 for 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, drained
• 1 (12.5 oz) can chicken breast, drained
• 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 oz) can green enchilada sauce
• 1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
• 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning

Instructions

1. Open and pour all ingredients into a large stock pot or into your slow cooker and stir together. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes. If you're feeling extra, you can top it with shredded cheese and sour cream!

Meal #2 - Easy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie ($9.51 for 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 (9 inches) pie crusts
• 1 (10.75 ounces) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (8 ounces) tub or package cream cheese
• 1/2 (16 ounces) package frozen mixed vegetables
• 3 cups cooked, diced chicken meat

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine soup and softened cream cheese. Mix until thoroughly blended. Stir in vegetables and chicken.
3. Pour chicken mixture into pastry-lined pie pan. Cover with top crust. Seal and cut steam vents on top. Cover edges of crust with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil halfway through baking to allow edges of crust to brown. Check often late in cooking time to ensure crust is not burning.

** You can also make this in a 9×13 casserole dish. Another variation is to add biscuits to the top instead of a pie crust.

Meal #3 - Crispy Cheddar Chicken ($10.58 for 8 servings)

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 2 sleeves Ritz crackers
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/8 t pepper
• 1/2 C milk
• 3 C cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 t dried parsley or dill

Sauce:

• 1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
• 2 T sour cream
• 2 T butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut up the chicken into chunks. You could also pound out the chicken so that it was thinner, either way, you just don’t want a huge thick piece of chicken.
3. Put 2 sleeves of Ritz Crackers into a bag and crush them, or add them to a food processor, and crush them finely.
4. Get three bowls in an assembly line. One with milk, cheddar cheese, and the last the Ritz Crackers. Dip the chicken into the milk, then into the cheese and finally into the crackers. The cheese has a hard time sticking, I just pressed it on and held a little of it on as I dipped it into the crackers. I also added a little of the cheese on the top when it was going in the oven.
5. Position all the coated chicken in a greased 9×13 pan. Cover and bake for 40 minutes and then remove the cover and bake 10 more minutes.
6. Right before the chicken is done, make the sauce for the top. Add a can of cream of chicken soup to a pan with 2T butter, 2T sour cream, dill and heat it up. Don’t boil or you will curdle the cream cheese. When the chicken is done serve with the cream sauce.

Meal #4 - Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas ($12.47 for 10 enchiladas)

Ingredients

• 10 soft taco shells
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9×13 pan. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don’t want curdled sour cream. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese, and if you like green onions and black olives.
4. Bake 22 min covered, remove foil and then high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

Meal #5 - Chicken Fried Rice ($7.15 for 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 (1 oz) packets of fried rice seasoning
• 2 (16 oz) bags of frozen mixed vegetables
• 3 cups white rice
• A bunch (or is it a bushel) of green onions, chopped
• 2 cups of chicken, cooked and chopped
• 3 eggs

Instructions

1. Add some butter to a pan and saute the onions and rice together for a little bit. Anytime we have rice for a meal I always make double so that the next night I can make fried rice with the leftover rice.
2. Then when the rice pops a little, move it all over to the side, position the pan over the heat on that side and pour in a couple eggs, scramble them right in the pan.
3. Next add the seasoning packet and I add about double the soy sauce ( if not more!) they call for and mix it all up.
4. Dump in any chicken, pork, beef, or even shrimp you have cooked. Now open the bags of veggies and toss those in. I add mine frozen, leave the heat on it and let them thaw. I also place a lid over it to make sure the veggies are not cold.