Managing classes, homework, and trying to make home cooked meals in college is already hard enough. However, grocery shopping doesn’t always have to be a pain in the butt. Here are a few tips to manage your big trip to the store and how to save money while eating well:
stick to your grocery list
As much fun as impulse decisions can be, the price definitely adds up, especially with food. Sticking to your grocery list is going to be key to budgeting. Make a list in advance so you don’t get sidetracked roaming down the aisle. Oftentimes, grocery shopping can get overwhelming, even more when you have a lot to get. So, instead of trying to remember what you’re buying as you go, get in and out without buying anything extra by sticking to your original list.
plan ahead
Before you even get to the store, plan your meals for the week. Whether this means just planning out snacks, or getting every single small ingredient for an entire meal. Look at what you already have and what you might be running low on. This way, you don’t have to guess and hope that you got the right ingredients.
home cooked meals
Even though treating yourself and going out to eat can be fun and delicious every now and then, you don’t know exactly the ingredients they are using. Cooking at home can not only benefit your budget, but it can benefit your health. This way you know exactly what is going into your body: different nutrients, oils used, or how the food is prepared.
“clean ingredients”
One of the biggest things to cooking healthy food is buying the right ingredients. Instead of getting pre packed food and meals, buy the ingredients and make it from scratch. A lot of prepackaged meals have different chemicals and harmful ingredients that keep them lasting for so long. Even though it might just be more convenient to prepare, clean meals come from clean ingredients. Consider cutting out the highly processed foods and replacing them with nutrient-rich ingredients.
As important as eating clean is, it’s also important to fuel your cravings and have a sweet treat! Listen to what your body is trying to tell you! There is nothing “bad” that you can eat, everything just comes in moderation. Feed your soul 🙂