In college, you gain a sense of independence, which can be both empowering and challenging. Living on your own means you get to make your own choices and set your schedule. However, this can also be dangerous. If you can’t prioritize and plan effectively, this freedom can make it hard to balance everything.
For students, a part of this independence involves figuring out how to eat on a budget. Students usually start off on meal plans, but as they move from dorms to off-campus housing or on-campus apartments, they start cooking their own food. Students off-campus usually have three complaints about eating on a budget: they don’t know how to cook, they don’t have time to cook or they don’t know what to make. Students also complain that grocery shopping every week is expensive, and takes up time.
When I was going off to college, I was terrified about the prospect of eventually making my own food. My cooking skills were mediocre at best and I didn’t trust myself to cook when I had to live in an apartment. This fear is something most college students go through.
First of all, my favorite place to shop, Trader Joe’s, has plenty of frozen options for students who struggle to cook. Trader Joe’s is also extremely affordable and has endless options. Beyond frozen items, Trader Joe’s has cheaper staples. For breakfast: overnight oats and yogurt, which are relatively inexpensive. They also have sourdough bread, butter, peanut butter and jam. For lunch and dinner, you can purchase sandwich ingredients, pasta ingredients or anything else. For snacks, they have a huge selection of unique options. I think Trader Joe’s is easily one of the best places a college student can go grocery shopping since it has many unique options. Personally, I get bored of eating the same foods over and over and appreciate the variety and cheap prices.
Trader Joe’s is only one of the many places that have frozen food options. Target has good frozen food options, and if you have a car, Costco is a great option for shopping in bulk. These frozen food options make it easier to eat.
Beyond that, there are also a lot of easy recipes you can find on the internet, like pasta and sandwiches, that require minimum preparation. When I had an apartment, it took me 15 minutes to make dinner most days. It was that easy. I barely had to cook to make food.
Recently, meal-prepping has also become a huge fad. You block out a period of time in the beginning of the week and prep food, and then you use that food throughout the week. This makes the meal preparation easier, and it cuts down the amount of time you have to use each day. You can’t use being “too busy” as an excuse, because you have to block out one to two hours at most. My suitemates and I also take turns making meals, which makes it easier for us too.
Lastly, not knowing what to make is no excuse. We all have favorite foods, and usually, frozen versions of these foods exist. It’s easy to buy these, and these are often cheaper options.
Eating on a budget takes time and patience, but it’s well worth it. In college, you have many expenses beyond food. Learning to prioritize is extremely important.