I remember the days of being a student all too well. The long days in class, coming home only to have assignments to complete, and then there’s trying to eat something decent on a student budget.

There are some great kitchen appliances that don’t take up a lot of space and can whip up a tasty and healthy meal all in one pot.

One good example is an instant pot pressure cooker. If you have one of these you literally can get by with just this appliance to cook meals if need be. University students seem to have the reputation of eating quick, easy and often not the most healthy meals, but with an instant pot, you can cook a pretty great tasting meal and cover all the food groups too.

What is an instant pot?

An instant pot is a pressure cooker style small appliance with so many cool features. It has a digital screen which makes it easy to see what kind of cooking you’re doing, and to keep track of your cooking time. Many of them also have built-in smart programs that allow you to choose the dish you are cooking with the simple push of a button, and the instant pot will make sure your meal turns out perfectly every time.

Some of the ways you can cook with an instant pot are a pressure cooker, saute/browning, sear, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and warmer. I also love that you can cook breakfast, lunch and dinner in an instant pot, so you can be sure to eat a well-balanced diet every day. Your parents will also worry less that you aren’t starving or eating too much junk food or take-out while away from home.

Why an instant pot can make student life better

How many times have you heard about students living off of ramen noodles or mac’n’cheese? Too many to count I’m sure, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

I think some reasons why students live off of convenience foods like ramen is because it’s easy to make, it cooks really fast and it’s convenient. With an instant pot, you can still make fast, easy and convenient meals but you can make them a lot healthier. You can also make larger meals that will last you for several days, so it’s as easy as reheating a meal when you get hungry.

Instant pots are also not very large in size and won’t take up a lot of precious room if you’re living space is limited. They can easily fit on a countertop or be tucked out of the way in a cupboard.

By far the best reason to pack an instant pot with you when you head off to school this September is because it’s a great way to cook a meal that will be healthy, and get you through your busy days of studying, doing homework and possibly working a job too.

You can learn about the instant pot from Shelly Wutke’s review, and when you’re making a list of what to pack with you as you head off to a new school year, be sure to add an instant pot to your list. Your student tummy and wallet will thank you.

Check out bestbuy.ca for some really amazing instant pots.

Lindsey Reed
I am a mom of two boys who loves reading and trail runs. I am passionate about health, fitness and food and write about these topics and more on my personal blog www.organicfitnesstips.net.