Jokes aside, if exams are knocking on your doorstep, it might be a good idea to plan ahead and figure out what you will eat for the next week or so. Your brain needs food to function properly, and you won’t be at your best for your exams if you don’t get the right nutrients. Here are some ideas if you’re looking to have a quick, cheap, and tasty meal for your exam week (though not necessarily as nutritious as the doctors would like).
1. Marinated chicken is your best friend
If you have a rice cooker like me, then you’re basically halfway done with your meal. What I like to do before/during exam week (and most of the time, really) is cut up some chicken breasts/thighs into small pieces, put them in a bowl and marinate them with eggs or yoghurt. I use eggs, soy sauce, a whole lotta pepper and MSG, and some garlic paste for fried chicken (usually with flour, either rice flour or whole-purpose flour). I use yoghurt if I’m feeling a little more fancy and want to cook butter chicken with a can of peeled tomatoes. This also works well with some gochujang: just put the chicken in the air fryer for 20 minutes or fry in a small amount of oil.
Chicken and rice is basically my go-to meal if I’m unsure of what to eat: I can never go wrong with this. I usually cut up a kilo of chicken, marinate, and store it in the fridge before my exams, and it lasts me my entire week with rice every two days. To cook, all I need to do is open the wrap and fry/air fry, which takes around 20ish minutes. I usually top it off with carrots or cucumbers for some greens.
2. Fried rice
Fried rice is easy and quick. Next to chicken, this is probably what I eat the most, so believe me when I say that having a rice cooker is an absolute godsend. All you need is day-old rice, any protein of your choice, any vegetables of your choice, eggs, soy sauce, salt and pepper. You can even use new rice if you make it with a little less water. Fried rice is good if you need something that’s nutritious, fulfilling, and lasts you for days if you make a big enough batch.
3. Pot of chilli
You can make massive batches of chilli if you have a big enough pot, for quite cheap as well. You have non-vegetarian options, of course, with a bunch of ground beef and maybe cheese. You can also make chilli vegetarian, since it’s a great enough dish with only beans. As you come back home from your exams, you need only to heat up your chilli, heat up some tortillas or rice, and relax while you enjoy your hot meal. Not only is it delicious and easy to make – it’s quite healthy if you put enough vegetables in it.
4. Stews and soups
I’m not a massive fan of stews and soups, but I can’t deny their convenience: it’s basically a large pot of liquid and veggies and maybe your choice of meat/protein. I sometimes make egg-drop soup with shredded chicken, which has around a 30-minute cooking time. It’s quick to eat, too, so if you’re looking for a cheap, relatively healthy and quick meal, maybe you should look into these liquid foods.
5. Instant ramen
Ahh, the university student staple. Where would students be without instant ramen? It’s quick, dirt-cheap, and can be delicious if you add a bit of extra flavour to it. My favourite one is the pink Buldak ramen – I boil it in water, then drain it and add milk, cheese and some shrimp. I like to think of that as gourmet cooking, but really, it’s just ramen. And if you decide to not be Mr. Fancypants then you can always just boil it in water, and maybe add an egg. Ramen is delicious, but also unhealthy, so make sure you’re not eating this every day during your exam week. I always keep some in my cabinet for emergencies, and I’m glad to say that those have been few and far between.
6. Frozen pizza
Another student classic. If you’re in a pinch and need your calories, there’s nothing that gets you going like a frozen pizza. While definitely not the tastiest, nor the healthiest of meals, frozen pizza is the perfect meal during exam week – there’s cultural and economic significance to it.
7. Poke bowl
If you add canned tuna to hot rice, kewpie mayo, maybe some fried onions and shredded nori, you’ve got yourself a glorified poke bowl: it tastes delicious and is the definition of cheap. Canned everything is perfect for exam week, so maybe try different fishes/proteins to find your perfect match. I like cutting cucumbers or stir-frying vegetables in soy sauce and oyster sauce as a side for this dish to get my missing nutrients.
8. Sandwiches
The ultimate meal: the sandwich. If you have a tosti (toastie) iron, then you’re basically set for life. All you need is some bread and cheese, really. If you want to go for something healthier, maybe choose brown bread instead of white bread, and cut down on the cheese a bit. Still, you can’t go wrong with sandwiches, melted or not – they make for a great, quick snack to fill you up in the middle of your all-nighters. If you ever get the urge to get takeout during exam week, just remember that you could be spending €20 less and be left without that immediate feeling of guilt if you just make that sandwich.
