7 Tips for Saving Money and Eating Well as a College Student

Saving money and eating well are not opposite concepts. It’s truly possible to eat nutritionally balanced meals while saving money during college.

As a college student, it’s easy to get in the habit of eating whatever is convenient and inexpensive. For some college students, this means Raman noodles and other food that can be prepared with little effort. There is nothing wrong with eating these foods sometimes. However, the following tips should help you eat healthier and save money.

Eat Well, Save Better

• Look over the local ads before going grocery shopping. Ads will tell you where specific items are on sale. You can often find fruits, vegetables and other healthy items for less.
• Visit several local stores and compare prices on items you buy regularly. Then you will know the best place or places to shop. Knowing the prices on items you regularly buy will also be helpful when the weekly store ads come out. Then you will know if the sale price on an item is really a good price.
• If you have the space, buy common items in bulk. While most college apartments do not have a lot space for storing food, you can get creative with storage.
• Split the cost. This can be especially helpful when buying in bulk. Split the cost with one or more of your roommates to save money.
• Cook together. While you may not want to eat all your meals with your roommates, eating meals together once or twice a week allows you to combine food to create a quality meal.
• Cook and freeze. Often, college students eat whatever is convenient because they do not have the time to make a quality meal. Take a Saturday (maybe the Saturday before school starts) or another day to cook a bunch of food. Then freeze it and reheat it later, so you can have a nutritious meal. You could even have your roommates join in. Then you can combine supplies, allowing for everyone to have several good meals to eat throughout the semester.
• Enjoy the power of the slow cooker. You can put the food in it before classes, have it cook all day, and then enjoy a warm meal when you get home for the day.

Saving money and time while eating quality food is important for all college students. What have you found to be the best way to eat well without spending too much money? Let us know about you healthy eating experiences in the comment section below.