Whether you live in a residence hall or off-campus, eating healthy and on a budget can get tricky at times. We all get so caught up in our busy schedules that we often make unhealthy and costly diet choices simply because it’s unfortunately very convenient. But listen up chicas: your diet does not have to suffer from your poor-college-kid-financial status! Here are some tips that one can apply to their life on a daily and weekly basis to simultaneously save money and eat right!
Utilize Your Meal Plan: For those of you who live on campus, sticking to Miami’s meal plan is a practical way to save money. Look at it as money already spent and try buying as much of your food at dining halls and markets on campus that accept your swipe! Log on to MyMiami and visit Dining to see nutritional info of all your favorite items at any dining hall.
Plan Snacks Throughout Your Day: If you plan and pack snacks at the beginning of a long day on campus, you will be less likely to spend money on unhealthy items while you’re out and about!
Celebrate The Season: Fruits and veggies that are in season are easy to get and are usually less expensive. The local farmer’s market uptown is a great place to snatch up some produce at a very reasonable price, and a way to support local businesses. Taking this approach, you’ll for sure find peace of mind knowing where your food came from!
Bottle = BFF: Carry a reusable water bottle or thermos around with you at all times. Get in a routine of filling it up throughout the day instead of buying drinks between classes.
Buy Small Amounts Often: We keep ourselves busy with academics, extracurricular activities, and chaotic social lives. For some of us, it’s quite common to have a seven or eight hour day where we don’t have time to come home and eat. So when buying fruits and veggies vital to staying healthy, it is essential to not buy too many fresh items at once. When buying produce, one must buy only what they have time for! Don’t try to save yourself a trip to the store by buying larger quantities. Instead, buy small amounts often to ensure that you can eat all your fresh food before it goes bad!
Plan Ahead And Repurpose: Save serious time and money by preparing and freezing dishes in advance. Utilize awesome search engines like SUPERCOOK that create recipes based off of ingredients that you currently have in your fridge!
Don’t Shop When You’re Hungry: Grocery shopping after eating will make it exponentially easier to pass up on tempting snack foods that you really don’t need. It is easier to stick to your list and save money when your stomach isn’t empty!
Coupon Cutting Isn’t Just A Mom’s Sport: Get familiar with your local newspaper and check for coupons and specials frequently to cut down your food costs. If you don’t have access to your area’s newspaper, check places online like Kroger’s Digital Coupons, or at the store for weekly savings.
Store Brands To The Rescue: Now we all have those certain items we just refuse to budge on when it’s a matter of buying name brand over generic. But opting for the store brand is one of the easiest ways to save money. Also, always remember to see if your favorite grocery store has a membership card. Sign up and save every time you visit!