How to Eat Cheaply and Well? We've Prepared a Student Gastro Survival Guide: One Serving Costs You 33 Crowns

Eating well on a budget isn't exactly easy, but it's definitely not impossible. Once you get the hang of a bit of planning, all you need is one trip to the supermarket a week and a few basic ingredients to rotate in different variations over a few days. The result? Almost nothing goes to waste, nothing spoils, and you've got a nutritious meal every day.

To save you time, we’ve prepared a week-long budget meal plan. During this time, you'll pick up a few simple tips that can save you both time and money in the long run. Think of it as a little budget challenge to see if this system works as well for you as it does for us.

The basic principle is simple: low cost, high nutrition

It’s not about eating as little as possible but choosing foods with a good price-to-nutrition ratio.

Best value for money options include:

• Oats
• Rice
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Beans
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt
• Seasonal vegetables
• Bananas

From these ingredients, you can whip up most simple homemade meals.

With this plan, each meal makes more portions, at least two. It's great for couples, roommates, or for packing lunch for the next day. It lasted us two people for six days. What I love most about this system is that you often use something from the previous day in the next meal.

Treat the recipes as inspiration rather than strict rules. Feel free to adjust them based on what you have at home and what you're craving. If your budget (and conscience) allows, you can add some meat.

I spent about 600 CZK on the whole shopping trip, but I was shopping in Portugal. To make sure it's also cheap in the Czech Republic, I added the whole shopping list to Rohlík. Excluding spices and olive oil that most people have at home, the entire week costs 528 CZK, that's roughly 33 CZK per serving. If you don't have olive oil at home, it's worth stepping slightly outside of the budget to get it. The same goes for a few basic spices.

Let’s get to it: one shopping trip, five meals, and minimal wasted ingredients.

Shopping List (5–6 days / approx. 16 servings)

Dry

• 500g rice
• 270g lentils
• 3 cans of chopped tomatoes
• 2 cans of chickpeas
• 1 pack of wraps (6 pieces)

Protein

• 6–8 eggs
• 1 tofu (approx. 200g)

Vegetables

• 1 bag of spinach (150–200g)
• 1 cucumber
• 500g cherry tomatoes (or regular ones = more budget-friendly)
• 4 carrots
• 4-5 large potatoes
• 3 onions
• 1 garlic bulb
• 1 lemon

Others

• Olive oil
• Soy sauce
• 120g plain yogurt
• 1 cooking cream
• Cumin / paprika / curry
• Salt and pepper

Level up (optional):

• Mayonnaise/spicy mayo for rice bowls
• Tahini for hummus and veggies
• Fresh coriander and chili seasoning for shakshuka and curry

Rice Bowl with Egg and Fresh Vegetables (2 servings)

Rice bowls are my current obsession. Rice, fresh veggies, and a runny yolk egg. A simple combo that becomes a colorful, hearty lunch or dinner in minutes. It’s a dish you can make in dozens of ways based on what you have at home. We’ll show you the basic version today, but you can easily switch it up. Add different veggies, tofu, leftovers from the fridge, or a different dressing—the principle stays the same.

Cook a larger amount of rice at once. Use some for the bowl and the rest for the next day’s meal.

Instructions:

• Cook 2 cups of rice for a base for the next days. Rinse it. Cook in a 1:1.5 water ratio. Let sit covered for 5 minutes.
• Dice the tomatoes.
• Slice the cucumber thinly.
• Prepare the eggs with ideally a runny yolk. Heat a pan, add a drop of oil, and fry for 3–4 minutes on medium heat.

Assembly

• Add rice to a bowl, you can pour soy sauce over it now.
• Top with spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, and add the egg on top.
• Drizzle with 1–2 tablespoons of soy sauce or mayo, and lightly dress the veggies with olive oil.

Done. In 20 minutes, you’ve got a balanced meal that keeps you full for long, and rice prepped for the next day. Don’t forget to store it in the fridge.

Soak the lentils overnight for the next day!

Lentil Stew (4 servings)

Warm meals are essential. Especially in a week when you want to cook easy and cheap, a bowl of hot food can make a big difference. This lentil stew is the kind of recipe that's almost no work. Prepare everything in one pot and let it simmer for a bit.

One major perk is that it makes several servings. It's not mandatory to finish it immediately; in fact, it often tastes better next day as the flavors meld. If you know you won’t finish it, freeze some and pull it out when you’re short on time but craving something warm and filling.

Instructions:

• Sauté onion in oil for 3–5 minutes until soft.
• Add garlic and sauté roughly 30 seconds before adding curry and cumin.
• Let the spices bloom for at least a minute.
• Add diced carrots. Briefly sauté.
• Add rinsed lentils, cans of tomatoes, and about 2 cups water.
• Cook on low heat for 20–30 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
• At the end, add the cream and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve with rice or as a thick soup on its own.

Tastes even better next day. If you have no one to share it with, go ahead and freeze the excess. It lasts about 2 months and gives you access to a nutritionally balanced meal at all times.

Salad with Roasted Veggies and Yogurt Dressing (4 servings)

Baked meals have one major advantage – the oven does most of the work for you. Preparation takes about ten minutes, then you have half an hour off and return to beautifully roasted, crispy veggies.

It’s worth making a large tray. It doesn’t take much more work or time, and some of the roasted veggies can be used in another recipe during the week. Just like with the rice bowl, you can easily switch up the veggies based on what you have or what’s in season.

Instructions:

• Dice potatoes, slice carrots, and cut onion into wedges.
• Mix with chickpeas, oil, salt, paprika, and cumin. Don’t be stingy with the spices.
• Roast for 30–40 minutes at 200°C.
• In the last 5 minutes, increase temperature to get it extra crispy.
• Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Add crushed garlic and lemon to yogurt and stir. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Put a handful of spinach in a bowl and top with roasted veggies.
• Drizzle with dressing.

Save a small box of roasted vegetables for the next day’s wrap.

Wrap with Hummus and Tofu (4 servings)

If you've never tried making hummus at home, it's high time to change that. It’s surprisingly easy and the taste difference is noticeable. We showed you how in a previous breakfast article. This just proves how versatile of a spread it is.

Thanks to the hummus and tofu, this wrap is packed with protein, filling you up more than it seems. Leftover roasted veggies from the day before fit perfectly here, and if you have leftover yogurt dressing, definitely add it to the wrap—it’ll make the whole meal juicier.

Instructions:

Homemade Hummus

• Rinse chickpeas, keep some can water.
• Add everything to a blender.
• Blend until smooth. Add more water if needed.

Common Mistakes:

• Not enough salt
• Not enough lemon
• Short blending time

Lasts 3–4 days in fridge. Try a caprese toast with it later—recipe here.

Fresh Vegetables

• Dice tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Add salt and pepper, mix.
• Drizzle with lemon and a drop of olive oil if desired.

Fried Tofu

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan.
• Add crumbled tofu and let brown.
• Then add soy sauce for rich flavor.
• Fry until golden, about 7 minutes.

Warm up the roasted veggies.

Assembly

• Start with a layer of hummus.
• Add tofu and the heated roasted veggies.
• Top with fresh veggies and spinach.

Wrapping

• Fold up the bottom.
• Fold in the sides.
• Roll tightly.

Shakshuka with Toasted Tortilla (2 servings)

Nearing the end, and the fridge is looking sad, but this meal will surely cheer you up. Just a few ingredients, simplicity, speed—these kinds of recipes are lifesavers. I particularly enjoy sharing this one. One pan = two servings, so invite someone close for brunch. They won't leave disappointed.

Instructions:

• Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft. Add chopped garlic and let it release its aroma (about 30 seconds).
• Add sweet paprika and cumin, mix briefly to release the aroma. This step is crucial—it prevents the sauce from tasting like just a “can of sour tomatoes” and gives it depth.
• Add a can of chopped tomatoes and stir.
• Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too sour, a pinch of salt or a tiny splash of olive oil helps.
• Create small wells in the sauce with a spoon.
• Crack an egg into each well.
• Let the eggs cook for about 4–6 minutes. The whites should be set, and the yolk should remain runny.
• Feel free to cook them longer according to your preference.

Tortilla:

• You can toast tortillas in a dry pan for about 30–60 seconds on each side.
• If you want them crisper, lightly brush with oil and toast a bit longer.
• Another option is cutting them into triangles and briefly baking them in the oven.

How to serve

• Serve shakshuka ideally directly in the pan at the center of the table.
• Place tortillas on a side plate and use them to scoop the sauce and eggs.
• You can lightly pepper the dish or garnish with coriander.

Time to head to the store. If you enjoy this system and want more inspiration, let us know, and we’ll prepare more!