Inexpensive Foods for a College Budget

As soon as you start college, you’ll soon begin to realize that cooking and planning your meals is a huge part of your college living experience. Although it may sound like a tedious topic from the outside, once you get into the flow of buying groceries and planning your college meals, you’ll start to enjoy the independence you start to have. It’s important to be aware of the options available to you when you’re living on a college budget, so that you know what to look out for when you’re doing your weekly grocery shopping.

In order to get the most out of your college life, you also need to stay healthy and nourished, which means eating wholesome meals and foods as often as possible. With that being said, it can be tough to find healthy and affordable groceries. This is why college students should pay particularly close attention to the foods and advice given below. The ideas mentioned here will not only give you a ton of inspiration for your college meals in the coming year, but they will also help you to stay within your budget without going hungry!

Rice

Rice is so simple and delicious to cook, it has to be one of the first items on your grocery list when you become a college student. Rice can become the base of any meal or it can be served as a side dish with fish, chicken, or beef. Adding a variety of rainbow-colored vegetables to your rice is also a quick and simple idea if you’re looking for an nutritious dish you can rely on after a busy day of learning!

Beans

Beans are a healthy and affordable addition to your diet as a college student and you can add them to pretty much any dish. Canned beans work well with a variety of different dinners, and they’re a cheaper alternative to meat when making curry, chili, or other meat-based meals. As well as adding extra protein to your meals, the addition of beans will also add fiber and provide you with additional energy as you go about college life!

Pizza

Although not always the healthiest option, pizza is a social and enjoyable food to share with your roommates after a busy week. Ordering in a pizza on a Friday night is a classic college student move and for a very good reason. Not only is it a well deserved treat for you and your friends to enjoy together, but it’s also fairly cheap and very convenient too!

Lunch Meat

Stocking your fridge with various lunch meats will always be a good idea if you’re looking for convenient, affordable, and versatile foods to enjoy during your college experience. Whether you’re making salami and mayonnaise sandwiches to power your late night study sessions or you’re looking to boost your protein intake after an extra active day playing on a sports team, there is so much you can do with cold cuts like ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni, and chicken.

Pasta

Pasta is one of the cheapest and most versatile ingredients you can work with when it comes to your college budget cooking. Whether you’re cooking with whole wheat or white pasta, there are so many different options to prepare, so that you don’t get tired of eating the same thing over and over again. Pasta is also a brilliant source of carbohydrates, which will provide you with the energy you need to play sports and study hard during your college life. Whether you’re making a classic spaghetti with bolognese sauce or you’re whipping up a cheap and cheerful penne with green pesto, there are so many possibilities when it comes to pasta. Also in the same category as pasta is the classic college student staple: Instant ramen. It’s very affordable, quick and super simple to make if you need to fix your hunger right away.

Use Your Freezer Space

Wasting food as a college student can cost you, so you need to make the most of your freezer space and invest in the right kitchen essentials to make your food go further. For example, if you’re buying fresh fruit or vegetables for your regular dishes, it can be very difficult to get through them all if you’re just cooking for one person. Chopping up your fruits and vegetables and storing them in labeled freezer bags gives you a handy go-to ingredient the next time you’re making a meal. This means that your budget is spreading further and you aren’t wasting food unnecessarily.

Batch Cook Your Meals

It goes without saying that cooking your meals in bulk will help save you precious time as a busy college student, as well as making your money go further. Cooking “family style” meals such as soup, lasagna, curries, stews, stroganoffs, or anything that is suitable to be portioned out and saved for later can be your saving grace during your college life. There are so many useful batch cooking websites and cookbooks that will help to guide you through the process if you’ve never done it before, but it's super easy once you get started, and you’ll really enjoy it too!

Enjoy Cooking in Your College Living Environment

Where you live during your college years can have a direct impact on your entire lifestyle, which includes cooking and eating good meals. When you choose to begin your college journey living at NorthPoint, you will have all of the facilities and amenities you need in your college apartment to cook with your roommates and enjoy wholesome meals together. There is a lot of enjoyment to be had when it comes to cooking at college; it can bond people together and help to build lifelong friendships. Choosing a high-quality, modern living space will enhance your college life immeasurably and give you all of the tools you need for a wholesome college experience. Contact our professional and knowledgeable team today to explore your options, apply for an apartment, and find your ideal place to live.