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How to Eat Healthy on a Budget While in College

Written by CB Community

We know that as high school graduates are getting ready to leave for college, there are many questions that come to mind. From figuring out what the social scene is going to be like to taking the right courses, there are so many details.

However, one of the most important things is to budget everything right, because once you are in college, things can easily get out of hand.

Plus, it’s also important to eat right because, caught between classes and going out with new friends, you will definitely be tempted to order food or go for unhealthy choices, as they are usually faster.

Yet, given that you need to keep up with everything that the college experience has to offer, you should keep yourself in top shape as well.

With this being said, let’s take a look at how you can plan your budget and still make healthy choices when it comes to your meals.

Of course, you can also think about enjoying some treats, but you can make them yourself with a few ingredients and devices such as an electric one for crepes that you can enjoy with your morning coffee.

Make a Plan and a Budget

The first thing you need to do is figure out your budget and make all the plans accordingly.

Of course, there are ways to make extra money while in college as well, but this is something that won’t happen from the first day. In the meantime, you need to have everything planned according to the existing budget.

If you are not familiar with making and sticking to a budget, then this will also be a great learning experience, and you’ll see that things are going to get easier as you practice.

Next, figure out how much you want to allocate for food and groceries, in order to determine what the shopping list should include.

Since we’ve mentioned the shopping list, it’s a good moment to point out that it’s very important to have one. If you are going to go to the local store every day for just a few items, the chances of buying something else are high, so you’ll end up spending more money than you should.

On the other hand, if you make a weekly meal plan and you stick to it, things are going to be easier.

Of course, you should budget extra for going out, since this is an important part of the whole college experience. Avoid eating out or ordering food, if you can prepare cheaper and healthier alternatives on your own.

Choosing the Right Shop

In your first days in college, you want to assess your options in terms of stores and markets, in order to see which ones offer the best value for the money.

You may end up shopping in a couple of places to get better prices and the right selection of products.

You should also keep in mind that buying in bulk usually means that you will actually save money, so think about the essential products that you will need to use throughout an entire month and try getting them in larger quantities.

For instance, oatmeal, paper towels, flour, or olive oil can easily go on such a list.

Keep an eye on sales as well, as they can many times be a lifesaver, and remember that you can adapt recipes as well. If you are making something that includes red bell peppers, but you notice that green peppers are actually on sale on that day, don’t hesitate to adapt.

You’ll save a couple of bucks, and you can also test the same recipe in more ways.

About the author

CB Community

Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.