You wake up early, snooze your alarm, and close your eyes for a second.  Then a second turned into an hour and now you’re running late and have no idea what to take for lunch. No worries, we’ve all been there. Don’t leave running late to class with an empty stomach. To prepare for next time, a list with a low budget and fast recipes will help for a busy student.

Shop to go or Prepare in Advance

First things first, we hit Dollar Tree or the 99 cent store. What? We said cheap. While at the store, keep in mind what can be cooked quickly and still be delicious. Campbell’s makes some pretty tasty soups, all of which you can store in a container and microwave later at school. Or cook beforehand and carry in a thermos. If you happen to have some time, consider making yourself a grilled cheese sandwich and heating up some tomato soup. You cannot go wrong with the classics. Pack some ants on a log: peanut butter on celery sticks with raisins to represent the ants.

It helps to prepare your meals like overnight oats- the night before. Don’t know what they are? Find yourself a clean jar with a lid, serve yourself a sufficient amount of oats and a tablespoon of chia seeds for an extra kick of omega-3’s. Step 2: fill ‘em up with water, milk, soy milk, any liquid that you cook your oats with. Give it a stir and time for toppings! Seeds, nuts, berries, fresh fruit, yogurt, peanut butter, make the wildest combination you can think off. Before you put a lid on it, we suggest adding some spices such as cinnamon, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, pumpkin spice for fall, and gingerbread for winter. Pop the lid on and put that sucker in the fridge. These are for the mornings you’re incredibly late. All you have to do is take it from the fridge and catch your bus! You can add your sweetener of choice at the Rio Cafe, whether it’s pure sugar or brown sugar, that’s up to you.

No Cooking Required!

What if you have time but not the patience to cook? We got you covered. Cook a packet of ramen noodles how you normally would, add fresh cut veggies and a raw egg into the broth. Break the yolk and slowly stir, you should see egg ribbons like an egg drop soup. Delicious, economic, and all you had to do were cut the vegetables!

Since we’re on the topic of eggs, You should know that you could make yourself a quick breakfast burrito in no-time with a microwave. Crack one or two eggs in a microwave safe mug, season as you like, throw some cheese in there, balanced with veggies, and ripped pieces of ham or turkey. Give it a quick stir and pop it in the microwave for a minute. Since we’re being sloths already, throw in two tortillas in the microwave and cook it all for an additional 30 seconds. Careful, it’s hot! Prepare your breakfast burritos and enjoy, or if you’re in a hurry- then wrap in aluminum foil for on the go!

Whether you cook your food in a microwave, or not, make sure your food is thoroughly cooked. If you want more recipes, check the internet, my friends. It is both a curse and a blessing.

The print version of this article will appear Tuesday, Oct. 30th.