Madrid Student Meal Prep: 10 Easy Recipes Under €3 Per Serving

You’re spending €10-15 every time you eat out, your grocery shopping haul sits unused in the fridge, and you’re surviving on pasta with jarred sauce for the third night in a row. Meanwhile, your budget is crying and you’re pretty sure you’re developing scurvy.

Cooking in Madrid as a student doesn’t have to mean sad desk meals or expensive takeout. With Spanish supermarket ingredients and recipes that actually work in tiny kitchens with minimal equipment, you can eat well for €3 per meal or less.

These aren’t fancy Instagram recipes. These are real, practical meals that you’ll actually make more than once, using ingredients from Mercadona, and requiring approximately zero cooking skills.

The Reality of Student Cooking in Madrid

Your Kitchen Situation (Probably)

What You’re Working With:

2 burners (maybe)
No oven (or a tiny one that doesn’t work well)
One pot, one pan
Limited counter space
Minimal utensils
Shared with roommates
No food processor, stand mixer, or fancy gadgets

The Good News:
All these recipes work with this exact setup. No oven required for most. Minimal equipment. Maximum food.

Your Actual Constraints

Time:

Classes and studying
Social life
Exploring Madrid
Can’t spend 2 hours cooking daily

Budget:

€30-40/week for groceries
Can’t afford expensive ingredients
Eating out occasionally still needs to be possible

Energy:

Exhausted after classes
Don’t want to cook elaborate meals
Need food NOW, not in an hour

Skills:

Maybe you’ve cooked before, maybe you haven’t
Following recipes is hard enough without Spanish instructions
You can boil water. That’s the baseline.

Solution:
Meal prep on Sunday. Make large batches. Eat all week. Minimal daily effort.

The Meal Prep Strategy

The Sunday Afternoon Game Plan

2-3 Hours Total Time:

12pm: Grocery shopping

€25-30 for the week
One trip to Mercadona
Everything for multiple recipes

1pm: Prep Work (30 minutes)

Wash and chop vegetables
Measure ingredients
Set up cooking station
Put on Spanish music or podcast for practice

1:30pm: Cooking (1.5-2 hours)

Make 2-3 different recipes simultaneously
Use different burners
Multitask efficiently

3:30pm: Portioning (15 minutes)

Divide into containers
Label if you’re organized
Stack in fridge/freezer

4pm: Kitchen cleanup

Wash dishes
Reset for roommates
Done for the week

Total Effort: 3 hours on Sunday = Easy dinners Monday-Friday

Storage & Containers

What You Need:

Basic Setup:

5-7 reusable containers (€10-15 at Carrefour)
Or use cleaned takeout containers (free)
Ziplock bags for freezing portions

Storage Times:

Fridge (3-5 days):

Most cooked meals
Make Sunday, eat through Thursday

Freezer (1-2 months):

Portion extra for backup meals
Label with date
Thaw in fridge overnight

Reality Check:
Your fridge is probably small and shared. Meal prep for 3-4 days max, not the full week.

Equipment You Actually Need

Essential (Buy Once):

1 large pot (€10-15)
1 large pan/skillet (€10-15)
1 cutting board (€5)
1 decent knife (€8-12)
Wooden spoon/spatula (€3-5)
Total: €40-60 one-time investment

Already in Your Kitchen:

Bowls
Plates
Measuring cups (or eyeball it)
Colander for pasta

Nice to Have (Not Essential):

Rice cooker (€20-30, worth it)
Small blender (€15-25)
Extra containers

Don’t Bother:

Fancy knife sets
Specialized gadgets
Anything that takes up space

The 10 Recipes: Let’s Actually Cook

Recipe #1: Spanish-Style Chickpea Stew (Potaje de Garbanzos)

Cost: €1.80 per serving
Servings: 6
Total Cost: ~€11
Time: 40 minutes

Why This Recipe:
Cheap, filling, packed with protein, tastes better the next day, very Spanish.

Ingredients (Mercadona Shopping List):

2 cans chickpeas (€0.60 each = €1.20)
1 can diced tomatoes (€0.60)
1 onion (€0.30)
3 garlic cloves (€0.15)
1 potato (€0.20)
1 carrot (€0.20)
200g spinach (fresh or frozen) (€1.00)
Olive oil (€0.50 for amount used)
1 bay leaf (€0.10)
1 tsp paprika (pimentón) (€0.20)
Salt, pepper
4 cups water or vegetable broth (€1.00 if using broth)

Step-by-Step:

Prep (10 min):

Dice onion, garlic, potato, carrot
Drain chickpeas (save liquid)
Have all ingredients ready

Cook (30 min):

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large pot
Add onion, cook until soft (5 min)
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Add potato and carrot, stir
Add tomatoes, chickpeas, water/broth, bay leaf, paprika
Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer
Cook 20 minutes until potatoes are tender
Add spinach in last 5 minutes
Season with salt and pepper

Done:

Remove bay leaf
Portion into 6 containers
Refrigerate

Student Tips:

Use canned chickpeas (not dried—too much work)
Frozen spinach works great (cheaper, lasts longer)
Add chorizo if you want meat (€2 extra)
Tastes even better day 2-3

Serving Suggestion:
Eat with crusty bread (€0.50) for complete meal = €2.30 total

Spanish Context:
This is real Madrid home cooking. Your Spanish friends’ abuelas make this.

Recipe #2: One-Pot Pasta Primavera

Cost: €2.20 per serving
Servings: 4
Total Cost: ~€9
Time: 25 minutes

Why This Recipe:
One pot = minimal cleanup, customizable with any vegetables, quick cooking.

Ingredients:

400g pasta (any shape) (€0.80)
1 zucchini (calabacín) (€0.80)
1 bell pepper (pimiento) (€0.90)
1 onion (€0.30)
3 garlic cloves (€0.15)
1 can diced tomatoes (€0.60)
100g frozen peas (€0.50)
Olive oil (€0.50)
Parmesan or any cheese (€2.00 for amount used)
Fresh basil if available (€1.00) or dried herbs (€0.20)
Salt, pepper

Step-by-Step:

Prep (10 min):

Chop all vegetables into bite-size pieces
Mince garlic

Cook (15 min):

Heat olive oil in large pot
Sauté onion until soft (3 min)
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Add zucchini and bell pepper, cook 5 min
Add pasta, tomatoes, peas
Add 3 cups water
Bring to boil, stir occasionally
Cook 10-12 minutes until pasta is done (water mostly absorbed)
Season with salt, pepper, herbs

Finish:

Grate cheese on top
Mix well
Portion into containers

Student Tips:

Use whatever vegetables are cheap/in season
Frozen vegetables work perfectly
Add canned tuna for protein (€1 extra)
Double the recipe if you have a big enough pot

Variations:

Add white beans for more protein
Use different pasta shapes (penne, fusilli)
Skip cheese to save money (still tasty)

Reheating:
Add splash of water when reheating (pasta absorbs liquid in fridge)

Recipe #3: Spanish Tortilla (Tortilla Española)

Cost: €1.50 per serving
Servings: 4
Total Cost: ~€6
Time: 30 minutes

Why This Recipe:
Peak Spanish food, cheap as hell, cold slices work for lunch, impressive but easy.

Ingredients:

6 eggs (€1.50)
4 medium potatoes (€1.00)
1 onion (€0.30)
Olive oil for frying (€1.00 for amount used)
Salt

Step-by-Step:

Prep (10 min):

Peel and thinly slice potatoes (2-3mm thick)
Slice onion thinly

Cook Potatoes (15 min):

Heat generous olive oil in pan (1/2 cup)
Add potatoes and onion
Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally
Cook until potatoes are tender but not crispy (15 min)
Drain oil (save it for future cooking)

Make Tortilla (10 min):

Beat eggs in large bowl with salt
Add cooked potatoes and onions to eggs
Mix gently
Heat 2 tbsp oil in same pan
Pour in egg mixture
Cook on medium-low heat 5-7 minutes
Put plate on top, flip tortilla onto plate
Slide back into pan (cooked side up)
Cook another 5 minutes

Done:

Slide onto plate
Let cool
Cut into 4 portions

Student Tips:

The flip is scary but doable (use a big plate)
If flip fails, scrambled eggs still taste good
Can be eaten hot or cold
Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated

Serving:

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
With bread for bocadillo
With salad for complete meal

Spanish Authenticity:
This is THE Spanish dish. Master this, impress everyone.

Recipe #4: Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Cost: €2.80 per serving
Servings: 5
Total Cost: ~€14
Time: 45 minutes

Why This Recipe:
Complete meal, high protein, bulk cooking, very satisfying.

Ingredients:

600g chicken thighs or breast (€4.50)
2 cups rice (€1.00)
1 onion (€0.30)
1 bell pepper (€0.90)
3 garlic cloves (€0.15)
1 can diced tomatoes (€0.60)
1 cup frozen peas (€0.60)
4 cups chicken broth or water (€1.50 if broth)
1 tsp paprika (pimentón) (€0.20)
1/2 tsp saffron or turmeric (€0.50) (optional but makes it yellow)
Olive oil (€0.50)
Salt, pepper

Step-by-Step:

Prep (10 min):

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces
Chop onion, bell pepper, garlic

Cook Chicken (10 min):

Heat oil in large pot/deep pan
Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika
Brown chicken pieces (5-7 min)
Remove chicken, set aside

Cook Rice (25 min):

In same pot, add more oil if needed
Sauté onion and bell pepper (5 min)
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Add rice, stir to coat (2 min)
Add tomatoes, broth, saffron/turmeric
Return chicken to pot
Bring to boil
Reduce heat, cover, simmer 20 minutes
Add peas in last 5 minutes
Turn off heat, let sit covered 5 minutes

Finish:

Fluff with fork
Portion into containers

Student Tips:

Chicken thighs are cheaper and more flavorful than breast
Skip saffron if too expensive (turmeric gives color)
This is basically paella without the special pan
Freezes very well

Make It Cheaper:

Use all vegetables, no chicken (€1.50 per serving)
Use leftover rotisserie chicken (€1 for whole chicken)

Recipe #5: Lentil Bolognese (Vegetarian)

Cost: €1.20 per serving
Servings: 6
Total Cost: ~€7
Time: 35 minutes

Why This Recipe:
Dirt cheap, high protein, vegetarian, tastes like meat sauce, very filling.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried lentils (lentejas) (€1.50)
2 cans diced tomatoes (€1.20)
1 large onion (€0.30)
2 carrots (€0.40)
3 garlic cloves (€0.15)
2 tbsp tomato paste (€0.50)
Olive oil (€0.50)
1 tsp dried oregano (€0.20)
1 tsp dried basil (€0.20)
Salt, pepper
Pasta for serving (€0.80)

Step-by-Step:

Prep (10 min):

Rinse lentils
Dice onion, carrots very small (almost minced)
Mince garlic

Cook (25 min):

Heat oil in large pot
Sauté onion and carrots until soft (7 min)
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Add tomato paste, stir (1 min)
Add lentils, diced tomatoes, herbs
Add 2 cups water
Bring to boil, reduce to simmer
Cook 25-30 minutes until lentils are tender
Mash some lentils with spoon (makes it thicker)
Season with salt and pepper

Serve:

Cook pasta separately
Top pasta with lentil sauce
Portion into containers

Student Tips:

Texture is like ground meat sauce
Non-vegetarians won’t realize there’s no meat
Cheaper than actual bolognese
Packed with protein and fiber
Freezes perfectly

Serving Variations:

Over pasta
Over rice
In tacos/burritos
With crusty bread

Recipe #6: Fried Rice (Arroz Frito)

Cost: €1.80 per serving
Servings: 4
Total Cost: ~€7
Time: 20 minutes

Why This Recipe:
Uses leftover rice, super quick, customizable, one-pan meal.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked rice (leftover or fresh) (€1.00)
3 eggs (€0.75)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (€0.70)
1 onion (€0.30)
3 garlic cloves (€0.15)
Soy sauce (€1.00 for bottle, lasts forever)
Vegetable oil (€0.50)
Optional: ham, chicken, shrimp (€2-3 extra)
Salt, pepper

Step-by-Step:

Prep (5 min):

If no leftover rice, cook rice and let cool (works better cold)
Dice onion
Mince garlic
Beat eggs

Cook (15 min):

Heat oil in large pan/wok over high heat
Scramble eggs, remove from pan
Add more oil
Sauté onion 2 minutes
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Add frozen vegetables, cook 3 minutes
Add rice, break up clumps
Stir-fry 5 minutes
Add soy sauce (2-3 tbsp)
Add scrambled eggs back
Mix everything
Season with salt, pepper

Done:

Portion into containers
Can be eaten hot or cold

Student Tips:

Day-old rice works better than fresh (less sticky)
Make extra rice when cooking, save for fried rice later
Add any protein you have (leftover chicken, ham, canned tuna)
Add more vegetables for health points
High heat is key for good texture

Asian Store Hack:
Madrid has Chinese supermarkets (Usera neighborhood). Soy sauce, rice, noodles are cheaper there.

Recipe #7: Spanish-Style Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil (Pasta Aglio e Olio)

Cost: €1.00 per serving
Servings: 4
Total Cost: ~€4
Time: 15 minutes

Why This Recipe:
Cheapest recipe on this list, surprisingly delicious, classic Spanish/Italian, impressive for how simple it is.

Ingredients:

400g pasta (spaghetti or linguine) (€0.80)
6 garlic cloves (€0.30)
1/2 cup olive oil (€1.50)
Red pepper flakes (optional) (€0.30)
Fresh parsley if available (€0.80) or dried (€0.20)
Parmesan cheese (optional) (€1.00)
Salt, pepper

Step-by-Step:

Cook Pasta (10 min):

Boil water with salt
Cook pasta until al dente
Save 1 cup pasta water before draining
Drain pasta

Make Sauce (5 min):

While pasta cooks, slice garlic thinly
Heat olive oil in large pan
Add garlic, cook on low heat 2-3 minutes (don’t burn!)
Add red pepper flakes if using
Add cooked pasta to pan
Add 1/2 cup pasta water
Toss everything together
Add parsley
Season with salt and pepper

Serve:

Grate cheese on top if using
Portion into containers

Student Tips:

Don’t burn the garlic (low heat!)
Pasta water helps sauce coat pasta
This is a late-night study meal
Add canned tuna for protein (€1 extra)
Add vegetables for nutrition
Keeps 3 days refrigerated

Spanish Connection:
Super common in Spain. Simple, cheap, delicious. Peak student food.

Recipe #8: Baked Chicken and Potatoes (If You Have an Oven)

Cost: €2.50 per serving
Servings: 4
Total Cost: ~€10
Time: 15 min prep + 45 min baking

Why This Recipe:
Hands-off cooking, minimal effort, complete meal, great for Sunday prep.

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs or drumsticks (€4.00)
6 potatoes (€1.50)
1 onion (€0.30)
1 bell pepper (€0.90)
4 garlic cloves (€0.20)
Olive oil (€0.50)
1 lemon (€0.40)
Fresh or dried rosemary/thyme (€0.50)
Salt, pepper

Step-by-Step:

Prep (15 min):

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F)
Cut potatoes into wedges
Cut onion and bell pepper into chunks
Crush garlic cloves
Season chicken with salt, pepper, herbs

Assemble:

Put potatoes, onion, pepper, garlic in baking dish
Drizzle with olive oil
Season with salt and pepper
Mix well
Place chicken on top
Drizzle more olive oil
Squeeze lemon over everything

Bake (45 min):

Bake 45 minutes until chicken is cooked and potatoes are golden
Check at 30 minutes, stir potatoes if needed

Done:

Let cool
Portion chicken and vegetables into containers

Student Tips:

Everything cooks together (minimal effort)
Use a baking dish or large pan
If no oven, can do stovetop version (more work)
Add any vegetables you have
Tastes great all week

No Oven Alternative:
Pan-fry chicken, then simmer with potatoes and vegetables on stovetop (45 min).

Recipe #9: White Bean and Vegetable Soup

Cost: €1.40 per serving
Servings: 6
Total Cost: ~€8.50
Time: 35 minutes

Why This Recipe:
Cheap, healthy, filling, freezes well, feels like home cooking.

Ingredients:

2 cans white beans (alubias) (€1.40)
2 carrots (€0.40)
2 celery stalks (€0.60)
1 onion (€0.30)
3 garlic cloves (€0.15)
1 can diced tomatoes (€0.60)
6 cups vegetable broth or water (€2.00 if broth)
2 cups spinach or kale (€1.00)
1 bay leaf (€0.10)
1 tsp dried thyme (€0.20)
Olive oil (€0.50)
Salt, pepper

Step-by-Step:

Prep (10 min):

Chop all vegetables into bite-size pieces
Mince garlic
Drain and rinse beans

Cook (25 min):

Heat oil in large pot
Sauté onion, carrots, celery until soft (7 min)
Add garlic, cook 1 minute
Add tomatoes, beans, broth, bay leaf, thyme
Bring to boil, reduce to simmer
Cook 15 minutes
Add spinach/kale in last 5 minutes
Season with salt and pepper
Remove bay leaf

Optional:

Mash some beans to thicken soup
Or use blender for half the soup (creamy texture)

Portion:

Let cool
Portion into containers

Student Tips:

Use any vegetables you have
Add pasta or rice for heartier soup
Freezes perfectly
Great for cold Madrid winters
Serve with crusty bread

Variations:

Add chorizo for meat (€2 extra)
Use chickpeas instead of white beans
Add potatoes for more filling soup

Recipe #10: “Emergency” Rotisserie Chicken Meal Prep

Cost: €2.00-2.50 per serving
Servings: 4-5
Total Cost: ~€10
Time: 30 minutes total

Why This Recipe:
When you’re too tired/busy to cook from scratch, this is your salvation.

The Strategy:

Buy at Mercadona:

1 rotisserie chicken (€4.95)
Rice or pasta (€0.80)
Frozen vegetables (€1.50)
Salad greens (€1.00)
Total: ~€8.25

Method 1: Chicken and Rice Bowls

Pull chicken meat off bones (save bones for soup)
Cook rice or pasta
Cook frozen vegetables
Assemble bowls: rice + chicken + vegetables
Portion into 4 containers

Cost per serving: €2.06

Method 2: Chicken Salads

Pull chicken meat, chop into pieces
Make 4 salads with greens
Add chicken on top
Add any vegetables you have
Bring dressing separately (or use olive oil + vinegar)

Cost per serving: €2.25 (including salad)

Method 3: Chicken Sandwiches

Pull chicken meat
Buy bread rolls (€2 for 4)
Make chicken sandwiches
Add lettuce, tomato if you have

Cost per serving: €1.75 (with bread)

Method 4: Use in Other Recipes

Use rotisserie chicken in:

Fried rice (Recipe #6)
Pasta (Recipe #2)
Soup (Recipe #9)
Tacos (tortillas from Mercadona)

Student Reality:
Some weeks you won’t have time/energy for full cooking. Rotisserie chicken is your backup plan.

The Bones:
Don’t throw them away! Make chicken broth:

Put bones in pot with water, onion, carrot
Simmer 2 hours
Free chicken broth for other recipes

The Weekly Meal Prep Schedule

Option 1: Two Recipes Per Week

Sunday Prep:

Recipe #1: Chickpea Stew (6 servings)
Recipe #3: Spanish Tortilla (4 servings)
Total: 10 servings = 5 days of lunch + dinner

Shopping Cost: ~€17
Cost per meal: €1.70

Monday-Friday:

Lunch: Chickpea stew
Dinner: Tortilla with salad

Option 2: Three Recipes for Variety

Sunday Prep:

Recipe #4: Chicken and Rice (5 servings)
Recipe #5: Lentil Bolognese (6 servings)
Recipe #3: Tortilla for breakfasts (4 servings)

Shopping Cost: ~€27
Meals covered: 5 dinners + 5 lunches + 4 breakfasts

Cost per meal: ~€2.00

Option 3: Lazy Week

Sunday Prep:

Buy rotisserie chicken (Recipe #10)
Make fried rice (Recipe #6)
Pasta aglio e olio (Recipe #7) for backup

Shopping Cost: ~€15
Effort: Minimal
Cost per meal: ~€1.70

Shopping List Template

Staples to Always Have (Buy Every 2-3 Weeks)

Pantry:

Rice (€1.50 for 1kg)
Pasta (€0.80 per package)
Canned tomatoes (€0.60 each, buy 4-5)
Canned beans/chickpeas/lentils (€0.60-1.00 each)
Olive oil (€4 for decent quality, lasts 2+ weeks)
Soy sauce (€1.50, lasts months)
Salt, pepper, basic spices (€5 initial investment)

Fresh (Buy Weekly):

Onions (€1.50 for bag)
Garlic (€0.80 for bulb)
Potatoes (€2 for bag)
Carrots (€1 for bag)
Seasonal vegetables (€3-5)
Eggs (€1.50-2 for dozen)

Protein (Buy Weekly):

Chicken (€4-6)
Or canned tuna (€1 each, buy 4-5)
Or more beans/lentils

Total Weekly Shopping: €25-35

The €25 Shopping List (Bare Minimum)

For Recipes #1, #3, #7:

2 cans chickpeas (€1.20)
1 can tomatoes (€0.60)
Spinach (€1.00)
12 eggs (€2.00)
6 potatoes (€1.50)
3 onions (€0.90)
1 garlic bulb (€0.80)
1 carrot (€0.20)
2 packages pasta (€1.60)
Olive oil (already have or €4)
Bread (€1.50 for 3 loaves)
Cheese (€2)
Spices (€2 if needed)

Total: ~€19 (€23 if buying oil and spices)

Meals: 15+ servings = €1.27 per meal

Cooking in Shared Kitchens: Survival Tips

The Roommate Dance

Kitchen Schedule:

Peak Times (Avoid):

2-4pm (lunch time)
8-10pm (dinner time)

Best Times:

11am-1pm (Sunday morning)
4-6pm (afternoon gap)
After 10pm (if you’re a night owl)

Meal Prep Advantage:
Cook once on off-peak time, avoid kitchen fights all week.

Shared Fridge Politics

Your Space:

Label your containers (name + date)
Use one shelf/section consistently
Don’t spread out
Stack efficiently

Food Theft Prevention:

Label everything
Keep expensive items in your room if needed
Don’t leave food unmarked
Generally trust roommates but protect yourself

Minimal Dishes Strategy

One-Pot Cooking:

Less to wash
Less to store
Faster cleanup

Wash As You Go:

While water boils, wash prep dishes
Clean up immediately after eating
Don’t leave dishes for “later”

The Golden Rule:
Leave kitchen cleaner than you found it. Roommate harmony matters.

Making Leftovers Not Boring

Transformation Tricks

Chickpea Stew (Recipe #1) Can Become:

Wrap filling (add tortilla)
Over rice for different texture
Mashed and spread on toast
Added to pasta

Chicken and Rice (Recipe #4) Can Become:

Fried rice (add egg, soy sauce)
Burrito filling (add tortilla, salsa)
Soup (add broth and vegetables)
Salad topping (serve cold)

Lentil Bolognese (Recipe #5) Can Become:

Sloppy joe filling (with bread)
Stuffed peppers (hollow out peppers, fill, bake)
Soup (add more liquid)
Nachos topping (with cheese)

The Trick:
Change the format, not the food. Same ingredients, different presentation = feels like new meal.

The Sauce Solution

Keep These in Your Fridge:

Soy sauce (Asian flavors)
Hot sauce (adds kick)
Tomato sauce (Italian vibes)
Yogurt (makes things creamy)
Salsa (Mexican transformation)

Same Food + Different Sauce = Different Meal

Budget Breakdowns: The Math

Eating Out vs. Meal Prep

Eating Out Every Meal:

Breakfast: €3-5 (café con leche + tostada)
Lunch: €10-15 (menú del día)
Dinner: €8-12 (cheap restaurant or takeout)
Daily total: €21-32
Weekly: €147-224
Monthly: €630-960

Meal Prep + Some Eating Out:

Groceries: €120-140/month
Eating out 4-5 times: €50-60/month
Coffee at cafés: €20-30/month
Monthly total: €190-230
Savings: €400-730/month

That €400-730 Can Buy:

Weekend trip to Barcelona
Nightlife budget for the month
Shopping at El Rastro
Emergency fund
More tapas with friends

Cost Per Meal Breakdown

These 10 Recipes:

Recipe #1 (Chickpea Stew): €1.80/serving
Recipe #2 (Pasta Primavera): €2.20/serving
Recipe #3 (Tortilla): €1.50/serving
Recipe #4 (Chicken & Rice): €2.80/serving
Recipe #5 (Lentil Bolognese): €1.20/serving
Recipe #6 (Fried Rice): €1.80/serving
Recipe #7 (Pasta Aglio e Olio): €1.00/serving
Recipe #8 (Baked Chicken): €2.50/serving
Recipe #9 (White Bean Soup): €1.40/serving
Recipe #10 (Rotisserie Chicken): €2.00/serving

Average: €1.82 per meal

Reality:
Even with breakfast (€0.50-1) and occasional eating out, you’re spending €8-12/day instead of €21-32.

Common Meal Prep Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Mistake #1: Making Too Much Food

The Problem:
Cook huge batches, get sick of same food by day 3, throw away half.

Solution:

Max 4-5 servings of same meal
Make 2-3 different recipes per week
Freeze portions if making large batch
Accept you’ll eat out occasionally

Mistake #2: Making Food You Don’t Actually Like

The Problem:
Follow “healthy” recipes that taste like cardboard. Never eat them. Waste money.

Solution:

Make food you actually enjoy
Season properly (salt, pepper, spices)
Don’t force yourself to eat sad food
Balance nutrition and taste

Mistake #3: Not Seasoning Enough

The Problem:
Bland food. You’d rather eat out than eat your meal prep.

Solution:

Salt and pepper are essential (not optional)
Buy basic spices (paprika, oregano, garlic powder)
Taste as you cook, adjust seasoning
Add acid (lemon juice, vinegar) to brighten flavors

Mistake #4: Improper Storage

The Problem:
Food goes bad quickly, tastes weird, unsafe to eat.

Solution:

Let food cool before refrigerating (but don’t leave out more than 2 hours)
Use airtight containers
Label with dates
Eat within 3-4 days (freeze beyond that)
Trust your nose (if it smells bad, throw it out)

Mistake #5: No Backup Plan

The Problem:
Meal prep fails, nothing else in kitchen, forced to eat out expensive meal.

Solution:

Always have “emergency” ingredients:
Pasta + jarred sauce
Rice + eggs
Canned beans + tomatoes
Bread + cheese
Frozen pizza for true emergencies (€2-3)
Rotisserie chicken as backup (Recipe #10)

Mistake #6: Trying Too Hard Week 1

The Problem:
Make 5 different recipes, exhaust yourself, never meal prep again.

Solution:

Start with ONE recipe first week
Add second recipe when comfortable
Build up slowly
It’s okay if first attempts aren’t perfect

Adapting to Madrid Ingredients

Spanish Products That Confused You

Milk in Boxes:
UHT milk sits on shelves unrefrigerated. It’s fine. Use it. Learn to love it.

Different Pasta Shapes:
Spanish pasta is same as anywhere. Just different brand names. All work the same.

No Peanut Butter:
Rare and expensive. Accept this. Embrace jamón instead. (Or buy one jar for €6 and ration it.)

Spanish Cheese:
Forget cheddar. Buy Manchego (€3-5), or cheap Spanish cheese. It’s different but good.

Canned Tomatoes:
“Tomate triturado” = crushed tomatoes (what you want for most recipes)
“Tomate entero” = whole tomatoes (need to crush yourself)

Beans:

Alubias = white beans
Garbanzos = chickpeas
Lentejas = lentils
All work in these recipes.

Spanish Paprika (Pimentón):
Buy it. €1.50. Game-changer for Spanish recipes. Comes sweet (dulce) or spicy (picante).

Products That Don’t Exist (Adapt)

Ranch Dressing:
Make your own: yogurt + garlic + herbs + salt

Taco Seasoning:
Use paprika, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder

Brown Sugar:
White sugar works fine in savory recipes

Cream of Whatever Soup:
Just don’t use recipes that require this. Not available here.

Mac and Cheese Boxes:
Make it from scratch: pasta + cheese + milk = done

Where to Find “International” Ingredients

Asian Ingredients:

Usera neighborhood (Chinese supermarkets)
Cheaper rice, noodles, soy sauce

Latin American:

Lavapiés neighborhood
Mexican products, beans, spices

Middle Eastern:

Lavapiés also
Spices, tahini, chickpeas in bulk

But Honestly:
Stick to Spanish ingredients. Cheaper, fresher, more available. Adapt recipes, don’t fight the system.

Advanced Tips for Serious Meal Preppers

Batch Cooking Strategies

Double Everything:
Making pasta? Make 2 boxes instead of 1. Same effort, twice the food.

Use Your Freezer:

Cooked rice freezes well (portion into bags)
Cooked beans freeze well
Soups and stews freeze perfectly
Sauces freeze great

Cook Once, Eat Twice:
Make big batch Sunday. Portion half for this week, freeze half for next week.

Ingredient Multiplication

Buy These in Bulk:

Rice (5kg bag = €4-5, lasts months)
Pasta (buy 5 boxes when on sale)
Canned tomatoes (buy 10 cans, store them)
Olive oil (buy large bottle)
Beans/chickpeas (canned or dried in bulk)

Don’t Buy in Bulk:

Fresh vegetables (go bad)
Bread (stale quickly, unless you freeze)
Meat/fish (unless freezing immediately)

Repurposing Strategies

Leftover Rice → Multiple Meals:

Day 1: Plain rice with main dish
Day 2: Fried rice (Recipe #6)
Day 3: Rice soup (add broth and vegetables)
Day 4: Rice salad (cold, with vegetables)

Leftover Chicken → Multiple Forms:

Day 1: Roasted chicken and vegetables
Day 2: Chicken sandwiches
Day 3: Chicken fried rice
Day 4: Chicken soup (with bones)
Day 5: Chicken quesadillas (if you have tortillas)

One Ingredient, Five Ways:
Chickpeas can be:

Stew (Recipe #1)
Roasted and seasoned (snack)
Mashed for sandwich spread
Added to salads
Blended into hummus (if you have tahini)

Meal Prep and Social Life Balance

When Friends Want to Cook Together

Make It Social:

Host meal prep Sundays
Everyone makes one recipe
Share results
Cook 2x as much food in same time

Potluck Style:

Each person makes different recipe
Exchange portions
Everyone gets variety without extra work

Learning Together:

New students who don’t know how to cook
Teach each other
Share costs
Build friendships

Going Out vs. Staying In

The Balance:

Meal prep isn’t prison
Go out for social experiences
Cheap eats with friends is important
Having home food means you can afford to go out sometimes

Strategic Eating Out:

Save eating out for social events
Menú del día when you do eat out (best value)
Meal prep = more money for experiences

Bringing Meal Prep to Campus

The University Lunch:

Bring meal prep in container
Microwave at university (most have them)
Eat with friends
Save €10 vs. buying lunch

Container Tips:

Microwave-safe containers essential
Bring fork/spoon (or get at university)
Some dishes are good cold (tortilla, pasta salad)

Cooking Spanish Like a Local

What Spanish Students Actually Eat

Real Spanish Student Meals:

Tortilla (Recipe #3) – THE student food
Pasta with tomato and tuna
Bocadillos (sandwiches)
Rice with whatever’s in the fridge
Lentils (Recipe #5 adapted)
Rotisserie chicken magic (Recipe #10)

Not Very Spanish:

Elaborate recipes with 20 ingredients
Fancy presentation
Expensive ingredients
Time-intensive cooking

The Spanish Way:
Simple food, fresh ingredients, don’t overthink it.

Adopting Spanish Eating Times

Spanish Meal Schedule:

Breakfast: 8-9am (light)
Lunch: 2-4pm (MAIN meal)
Dinner: 9-11pm (lighter)

Meal Prep Adaptation:

Make Lunch Your Big Meal:

Warm up hearty meal prep at home around 2-3pm
Spanish classes often break for lunch
Aligns with Spanish culture

Lighter Dinner:

Tortilla (Recipe #3)
Salad with protein
Bocadillo (sandwich)
Leftovers from lunch

Why This Works:

Aligns with Spanish schedule
You’re home for lunch anyway
Dinner is casual (possibly out with friends)

Spanish Kitchen Wisdom

From Spanish Abuelas:

“Use what you have” (don’t waste)
Season properly
Cook with olive oil (not butter)
Bread with everything
Leftovers are a meal, not sad food

The Spirit:
Spanish home cooking is simple, practical, and delicious. These recipes embrace that.

The Mental Game of Meal Prep

Staying Motivated

Week 1: Exciting! New skills! Healthy!
Week 2: Still good. Proud of yourself.
Week 3: Getting tired of same food.
Week 4: Really want to eat out.
Week 5: Find your rhythm or quit.

How to Sustain:

Change recipes every 2-3 weeks
Allow flexibility (eat out when you want)
Don’t be perfectionist
Remember the money you’re saving
Celebrate small wins

When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

It Will Happen:
Sundays when you’re tired, hungover from going out, or just don’t want to cook.

Backup Plans:

Recipe #10 (rotisserie chicken – minimal effort)
Recipe #7 (pasta in 15 minutes)
Buy prepared food at Mercadona (still cheaper than restaurant)
Order takeout guilt-free (you earned it)

Permission:
You don’t have to meal prep every week. Some weeks you’ll coast. That’s okay.

Forgiving Yourself for “Failure”

Common “Failures”:

Burnt food
Bland food
Food went bad
Didn’t meal prep this week
Ate out instead of eating meal prep

The Truth:
None of these are actual failures. You’re learning. Every attempt is progress.

What Matters:
Trying again next week. Not being perfect.

Special Considerations

Vegetarian/Vegan Adaptations

Already Vegetarian:

Recipe #1 (Chickpea Stew)
Recipe #2 (Pasta Primavera)
Recipe #5 (Lentil Bolognese)
Recipe #7 (Pasta Aglio e Olio)
Recipe #9 (White Bean Soup)

Make Vegan:

Skip cheese
Use oil instead of butter
Recipe #3 (Tortilla) won’t work (eggs)

Protein Sources:

Beans, lentils, chickpeas (cheap, available)
Tofu (harder to find, more expensive)
Eggs if vegetarian (not vegan)

Allergies and Restrictions

Gluten-Free:

Use gluten-free pasta (€2-3, available at Carrefour)
Rice-based meals work great
Potatoes instead of pasta
Check labels on canned goods

Lactose-Intolerant:

Skip cheese or use lactose-free
Most recipes don’t require dairy
“Sin lactosa” products available

Nut Allergies:

None of these recipes use nuts
Spanish cooking doesn’t use nuts as much as other cuisines

Cooking for Dietary Goals

High Protein:

Focus on Recipe #4 (Chicken & Rice)
Add eggs to everything
Canned tuna in pasta (€1 per can)
Greek yogurt with meals

Low Carb:

Focus on Recipe #4 (skip rice, double vegetables)
Recipe #1 (Chickpea Stew)
Salads with protein
Harder and more expensive as a student

Healthy Eating:
All these recipes are reasonably healthy:

Whole ingredients
Vegetables included
Reasonable portions
Not processed
Better than eating out constantly.

Equipment Upgrades (When You Have Extra Money)

Worth Buying

Rice Cooker (€20-30):

Set it and forget it
Perfect rice every time
Frees up stove burner
Can cook other things in it

Good Knife (€15-25):

Makes chopping faster and safer
One good knife > five bad ones
Will last entire time in Madrid

Extra Containers (€15-20):

More meal prep capacity
Don’t run out mid-week
Some in fridge, some in freezer

Small Blender (€20-30):

Smoothies
Soups
Sauces
Nice to have, not essential

Not Worth It

Fancy Gadgets:
Spiralizer, avocado slicer, garlic press, etc. Skip them.

Too Many Pots and Pans:
You need one large pot, one large pan. That’s it.

Expensive Ingredients:
Truffle oil, specialty spices, gourmet products. Save money.

Cookbooks:
Internet has all recipes. Use your phone/computer.

The Bottom Line: Why This Matters

What You Gain:

Money:
€400-700/month saved vs. eating out constantly

Health:
Actual vegetables. Balanced meals. Not living on kebab shops and churros.

Skills:
Cooking ability for life. Independence. Not helpless in a kitchen.

Time:
Sunday = 3 hours cooking. Rest of week = 5 minutes reheating. Net time saved vs. going out.

Flexibility:
Having food means you can study late, skip grocery store, say yes to spontaneous plans.

What You Sacrifice:

Convenience:
Can’t just order takeout every night.

Variety:
Eating same meals multiple days.

Spontaneity:
Sunday cooking time is non-negotiable.

The Trade-Off:
Worth it? For most students, absolutely yes.

Quick Start: Your First Week

This Sunday (3 hours):

10am: Grocery shopping

Recipe #3 (Tortilla) ingredients: €6
Recipe #5 (Lentil Bolognese) ingredients: €7
Breakfast items: bread, eggs (€3)
Total: €16

12pm: Cook

Make tortilla (30 min)
Make lentil bolognese (35 min)
Cook pasta for bolognese (10 min)
Total: 1 hour 15 min

1:30pm: Portion & Clean

Tortilla: 4 servings
Lentil bolognese: 6 servings
Total meals: 10

2pm: Done
You have breakfast and lunch/dinner for 5 days.

Cost: €16 = €1.60 per meal

Monday-Friday:

Breakfast: Tortilla
Lunch/Dinner: Lentil bolognese over pasta
Reheat, eat, done in 5 minutes

Reality Check:
First time will be messy. That’s normal. Second week is easier. Third week becomes routine.

Your Meal Prep Journey

Week 1: One recipe. Get comfortable.
Week 2: Two recipes. Build confidence.
Week 3: Add variation. Try new recipes.
Week 4: Find your rhythm. Know what works.
Month 2+: Sustainable system. Part of routine.

Six Months Later:

Cooking feels natural
Saving €300-400/month
Better health
More money for experiencing Madrid
Skills for life

That’s the Como Local promise.

Resources & Next Steps

Recipe Sources:

Spanish blogs (in Spanish, practice your language)
YouTube: “cocina española fácil”
Your Spanish friends’ moms (ask for recipes)

Shopping Apps:

Mercadona app for shopping list
Bring! app for shared grocery lists with roommates

Storage Tips:

Instagram: @mealprepsunday for inspiration
Reddit: r/MealPrepSunday

Cooking Questions:

Ask in language exchange groups
Spanish friends love giving cooking advice
University cooking clubs

Final Encouragement

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect:

Burnt food happens
Recipes fail
Some weeks you won’t meal prep
That’s all okay

What Matters:

Trying
Learning
Saving money
Taking care of yourself

The Truth:
Learning to cook in Madrid makes you more independent, saves serious money, and gives you skills that last beyond your time here.

Plus, Spanish food is delicious. Learning to cook it means you can recreate it when you’re back home, missing Madrid.

Start small. Start this Sunday. You’ve got this.

Ready to start meal prepping in Madrid? Pick one recipe, buy the ingredients, and cook this Sunday. Tag Como Local with your meal prep attempts—burnt food and all. We’re all learning together.

Share your favorite cheap recipes and meal prep tips with other students. What works in your tiny Madrid kitchen?

Como Local – Because eating well shouldn’t cost your entire budget. 🍲