Health and Fitness: Healthy Groceries on a College Budget

Are you living off campus or in the Village? Is your grocery bill outrageously high? Here are a few tips to cut your grocery bill, while also sticking to a healthy diet.

 
Oswego offers few grocery store options, but you can make the most of what it has by shopping around. Price Chopper tends to be pricier despite their name. Try ALDI for dairy products such as milk, eggs, cheese and yogurts. You can also find spring mix, romaine lettuce, and bagged spinach much cheaper at ALDI than Price Chopper. Meat such as pork, chicken, steaks and bacon (even turkey bacon) can be found at ALDI as well. Try ALDI’s Fit and Active products like protein bars, cereal bars, rice cakes, jam, salad dressings, pasta and even ice cream for healthier option. There are over 50 Fit and Active options.
 
For brand-name cereals, soups, snack options and juices, Wal-Mart is the best the option for saving money. Healthy cereal and snack options, such as Kashi, Special K, and Fiber One products are available.
 
As for fresh fruits and vegetables, ALDI offers some options, but Ontario Orchards has a larger selection. It is only a 5-minute drive from campus and you can do almost all of your fresh produce shopping there.  Find everything you need for a salad or fruit salad as well as bakery goods. Fresh bread, bagels and biscuits greet you at the door. If you want to treat yourself, they even have homemade pies, cookies, muffins and cakes.  You can easily stock up on veggies and fruits for under $20, just don’t get more then you know you will eat. Fresh produce with usually only last 1-2 weeks. You don’t want to waste your cash.
 
Four Quick Tips to Cut That Bill:
 
–          Write a grocery list.
–          Don’t go shopping with an empty stomach; you’ll only want to buy more.
–          At the store, stick to your list!
–          Don’t buy more than you need.