It’s that time of year again- students are back in class, and as college students, we don’t exactly have an endless fountain of cash. Whether you are living in a dorm or an apartment, here are a few tips to grocery shop in a health-conscious manner, without breaking the bank.
1. Cheaper is not always better: stay away from the junk food aisle
While Rice Krispies, donuts, and candy bars are enticing and cheap, they will not help you in the long run. Read the signs above each aisle, and avoid the items that will contribute to the Freshman 15, or bring back a sense of nostalgia in regards to the Freshman 15 (if you are an upperclassmen).
2. Clip Coupons
Coupons are for everyone, and thrifty shoppers are smart shoppers. Invest in a few coupon books for local grocery stores, or look for e-coupons before you embark on your next grocery trip. If you’re at the store and forgot to take your coupons with you and you have a smartphone, you can definitely find some coupons online, or download a coupon app like SnipSnap.
3. Sales, sales, sales
For most major supermarkets, discounts on numerous products are advertised in their weekly ads. Scour the advertisements for sales on some of your favorite items and you’ll save a bundle.
4. Cut down on eating out
We all eat out when we get sick of dining hall food, or cooking for ourselves. If you have a budget set aside for eating out, then take some of that money, and put it toward groceries. If you don’t have a set budget, then replace one or two meals a week that you would typically eat out, and eat at home instead.
5. Dining dollars are your best friend
You’re paying for your meal plan, and dining dollars exist for a reason. Don’t relegate yourself to repetitive dining hall cuisine, and use some of those dining dollars for grocery shopping. Fellow Huskies-take a look at the vendors list for dining dollars. Multiple grocery stores are listed, with one of the most popular being Whole Foods.
6. Use all of your meal swipes
Outtakes is a great outlet for those of us who have meal swipes left at the end of the week- instead of going to the grocery store to buy everything, stop by Outtakes and get some granola bars or pasta for your dorm/apartment, whenever you’re hungry.
For those living in a dorm:
- You don’t need to have a large sum of money set aside for groceries, especially if you don’t have a mini-fridge or microwave-fridge.
- Stock up on the necessities- fruit, salad, and coffee (or hot chocolate.)
- Ramen noodles are tempting and are considered to be an essential to every college student’s diet, but they are a fast track to unwanted weight gain. Be aware.
For those living in an apartment:
- If you have a meal plan, you can still make use of your dining dollars, as stated above. Use them at local grocery stores, before you take any money out of your bank account for groceries.
- Buy versatile items that can make multiple dishes, without getting boring (such as potatoes, vegetables, and pasta.)
- Look for products that can be bought in bulk in certain stores if you believe that you will eat them constantly.