It’s the beginning of the school year again and with rent and tuition payments coming up, everyone’s watching their bank accounts drop a little lower. At the same time, it’s the beginning of the school year and with a whole new crop of students and new people in your classes, you want to be looking your best.
It’s important for us to eat healthy foods, but between classes it might be easier to swing by the MSC and pick up something cheap from one of the tempting fast food places. But these few helpful tips for eating healthy while on a budget might dissuade you from swinging by Chick-Fil-A.
1. Prepare your own food.
This one is simple. Once you invest in a couple staple tupperware pieces, you’ll be able to bring your lunch with you whether you’re headed to class, to work, or to a study group. By bringing your own food you know exactly how it is cooked and prepared, which can ensure healthy choices.
2. Prepare your food in advance.
The most tempting reason to call and order delivery pizza is because you just don’t have time to cook for yourself. Instead, set one night a week aside for cooking. Make a bunch of food that you’re able to eat throughout the rest of the week. The amount of food that can be frozen to reheat as leftovers again is astonishing. Whether you make rice, pasta, chili, or whatever fancies your taste buds, leftovers will be your saving grace later in the week.
3. Purchase store brand food.
Store brand food is always cheaper, sometimes significantly and other times only by a little bit – but it all adds up. Store brand food tastes almost the same as whichever brand you prefer, and while some items (like cereal) taste noticeably different, it might be worth the extra change to adjust your taste buds. Along this notion, brand shop. Some items, like nutella, might not have a store brand. But there are other brands that have released similar products that might be cheaper than the original.
4. Use coupons.
Coupons can be found everywhere. The local newspaper, on coupon websites, etc. However, there’s an easier way to use coupons. Several stores have mobile coupons that can be sent directly to your phone. Other stores have apps. Target has the Cartwheel app that allows for you to search through hundreds of discounts and compile them all in one barcode that is easily scanned at checkout. Putting in a little bit of time looking for coupons can truly be worth the money saved.
5. Buy what you can eat.
One of the worst things is having to throw out food you never got around to eating. While it will inevitably happen at some point, reducing food waste is good for your wallet. When grocery shopping, purchase limited fresh foods, and opt for foods that can be stored for a longer period of time.
6. Plan your meals.
By planning out your meals BEFORE going to the store, you’ll reduce the likelihood of wasting food. When you plan your meals out, make a list and stick to it. This will prevent you from throwing items into your cart as you walk by. Grocery shopping after you’ve eaten and aren’t hungry will also prevent you from purchasing excess food you may or may not eat.
7. Take advantage of sales.
Grocery stores will run promotions that will allow for you to stock up on certain types of food. If you show a little flexibility to adjust your eating towards what is on sale, you might end up saving a lot of money. And possibly eating a lot of the same food, but it will encourage creative cooking.
8. Opt for frozen vegetables.
Frozen vegetables are one of the best healthy foods you can purchase. They are cheaper than fresh vegetables, but frozen directly at peak freshness so they contain all the nutrients found in fresh veggies and lost in canned veggies. Frozen vegetables also come with the advantage that it will take a long time for them to go bad.
9. Choose whole wheat or whole grain options.
Whole grain pasta costs the same as white pasta, but is significantly better for you. Making simple transitions to whole wheat bread and pasta will be easy for you and your wallet to adjust to. Eating whole wheat options won’t seem like a large sacrifice.
10. Purchase fruits that are in season.
Fruit is the perfect breakfast and snack item. But fresh fruit can also be expensive. Fresh fruit will be more expensive if you try to purchase it out of season. It’s better to stick eating watermelon in the summer and apples in the fall. If you’re not sure what fruits are in season when, it’s easy to educate yourself by visiting a local farmer’s market and seeing what they have available. Local and in season fruit will always be healthier and more delicious!
With these tips, you’ll be saving money on food for sure! Remember, it’s all up to you to make healthy choices! Not sure how to do that? Check out how to make some Healthy Summer Food Fun!
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