5 One-Pot Meals Under ₦1,500
Stretch your allowance without sacrificing flavour. These budget-friendly recipes are campus-kitchen tested.
Cooking on a student budget doesn't have to mean noodles every night. With one pot, one burner and a bit of planning you can cover dinner for two and still have leftovers for lunch.
1. Jollof spaghetti — sauté onions and pepper paste in oil, toss in your spaghetti raw, top with stock, and let it absorb on low heat. Total spend: ₦1,200.
2. Beans and plantain porridge — soak honey beans overnight, cook with palm oil, crayfish and ripe plantain. Comforting and protein-packed.
3. Chicken-stock rice — buy bony cuts, simmer for stock, then cook your rice in that liquid. Free flavour upgrade.
4. Egg fried rice — leftover rice + 2 eggs + green peas. Five minutes, ₦600.
5. Tomato stew pasta — penne tossed in spicy tomato stew with sardines. Add cheese on payday.
Pro tip: bulk-buy onions, pepper and Maggi at the start of the month — they're the backbone of every recipe above.