As a university student, you may struggle to balance a healthy lifestyle with the fast-paced and low-budget lifestyle you live. Many students believe that it is impossible to shop healthy while on a budget and even if healthy shopping is possible, many feel that healthy food is too time-consuming to prepare.
This assumption is not true; with a bit of education and little extra effort, anyone can develop healthier eating habits. The following are several tips and tricks you can use to start implementing healthy eating into your student lifestyle without breaking the bank.
You Don’t Need Avocados to Be Healthy
As much as avocado toast makes a great breakfast, having this meal as your morning ‘go-to’ is not budget-friendly. There are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are consistently budget-friendly in grocery stores. Here are some great ones to choose from:
Fruit: Apples, Banana, Pears, Oranges, Frozen Fruit
Vegetables: Broccoli, Onion, Spinach, Canned Tomato, Garlic, Carrots
Protein: Eggs, Canned Beans, Chicken Breast, Tofu
Carbs: Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Oats, Rice, Pasta
The aforementioned are just a couple of suggestions, and most don’t go bad right away. The bottom line is that fresh fruit and vegetables are generally very affordable, especially when they are in season and grown locally.
Another misconception is that protein can be very expensive. This can be true, but as long as you’re looking at the prices and buying the right products, it can be very affordable.
In terms of carbs, as long as you are purchasing grains/starches in their basic form, they are very affordable and are a great way to fill your stomach!
Meal Prepping Will Save Your Life
Although there are plenty of healthy meals you can make in no time at all, sometimes it’s nice to just pull something out of the fridge and pop it in the microwave. Meal prepping is the best way to do this if you’re trying to eat healthy, home-cooked meals.
While researching online, the whole concept of meal prepping can be intimidating and can seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. A simple way for students to meal prep is to bulk-cook meals. For example, if you are making stir-fry one night for dinner, make 3-5 extra servings so you can have that meal for lunch or dinner for the next week. This way, you save a lot of time in the kitchen so you can focus on studying!
Don’t Tempt Yourself
Suppose you are a snacker and would much rather enjoy a bag of chips over veggie sticks. Or if you know you can be lazy and always choose Kraft Dinner over a healthy home-cooked meal, don’t tempt yourself! Set yourself up for success by not purchasing food items that you know will lead you astray from your goals. Of course, it’s nice to have a treat every once and a while; just don’t stock up on foods you know will tempt you all the time.
Well, there you have it! Hopefully, you have learned some tips and tricks to eat a little bit healthier during this semester. Just remember, a little bit of effort can go a long way!