The
phrase “starving college student” is often thrown around as a joke, but with
the cost of living these days being a starving college student has become a
reality for many. It’s easy to use a
limited budget as an excuse to eat unhealthy foods because they are cheaper,
but there are many alternatives and avenues one can take in order to eat
healthy food on a budget. Here are some
tips!
Buy one or two
extra
canned or dry food items every time you shop.
This will help to build your pantry, and will prove to be helpful when
money becomes extra tight. It’s a safe
way to plan for the future, and will allow you slightly more freedom to buy
quality foods when your pantry is stocked.
Be aware of the
dirty dozen. Buying organic fruits and vegetables can be a
huge drain on your wallet, but should be balanced with the understanding that
the pesticides that reside on fruits and vegetables we eat can be harmful! Here is a link to a website that lets you
know which fruits and vegetables to only buy organic (the dirty dozen), and
which ones don’t matter as much.
Grow some of
your own.
Seeds are cheap and easy to buy, and growing lettuce or basil on a windowsill
takes little skill and a lot of patience.
It’s worth it to save the few extra dollars that you will once your
small garden takes root. In addition to
this, check out the local farmers markets.
There is the student led Organic Vegetable Project that has a station on
the Chico State campus every Wednesday afternoon, and the Chico farmer’s market
is every Saturday morning.
Pack a lunch! Carrying snacks around with you all day helps
to keep you accountable to buying meals, drinks, or snacks while on the
go. Plan on having at least one smaller
meal per day, as this will help save you money as well.
Bad
health is more expensive than good food in the long run. Do what you can with the resources you have,
and stick with it!
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