Buying groceries may be fun at first until you get to the checkout lane. As prices increase for eggs, milk and the like it may be hard to keep to a student budget and even harder to eat good-for-you foods. If you have opted out of the meal plan, then this has become a gross reality, but we at Savvy Student want to turn your frown upside down by providing some tips to help save you money.
1. Buy Local
Not only does it feel good to support local farmers - it can also save you money. Although the farmer's market in Waltham is done for the season, that doesn't mean that buying local isn't possible. Boston still has farmer's markets through November! There are markets near city hall and by south station. Cambridge also has markets going on during the week and weekend.
For more information, including a list of vendors and specific dates and times, check out http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org
2. Buy Big
Those individual serving-size packages may seem nice, simple, and easy, but they can cost you big time in the long run. Instead, buy larger packages (a good example is applesauce: cup versus large jar), invest in some reusable containers (20pk Ziploc at Costco for $10), and portion yourself out a serving whenever you need to bring your lunch. If you're afraid you're buying too much, buddy up and share with a friend! It will cut costs for both of you.
3. Don't Over-buy Perishables
Unless you have room in your freezer, don't buy more fresh food items than you could normally use in a week. While some vegetables may last a bit longer, you should be especially careful with meats, dairy products (other than cheese), humus, tofu, etc. If you're unsure how long a product can last in your fridge, check the package or do some good Google-searching.
4. Cook Your Own
Generally, preparing your own home-cooked meals will be much cheaper than buying pre-made items. Chicken for example, can become rather expensive when you buy bags of pre-breaded and baked strips. Instead, you should buy a large freezer-bag of chicken breasts, and find different ways to prepare them for yourself. This will give you the freedom to add more variety to your diet sparing you the boredom of a routine meal.
5. Communal Eating
Many of these suggestions become easier when made into group activities. If you and your roommates have very similar eating habits, or at least consume many of the same items, you can go grocery shopping together. This way you can share the responsibility, cost, and can buy fresh items in bulk without worrying about waste. You can also share the task of preparing food, which is especially nice if you consider cooking to be a chore. This can save time, encourage group time even during midterms, and add more variety to your pallet with the different cooking styles of your group.
6. Simplify and Stretch
Make the recipe your own, a lovely college-student budget version. Eliminate any garnishes, make sure the number of servings is appropriate (allrecipes.com will automatically calculate the recipe to the number of servings you want), and trim the rest of the recipe down to the main flavors. If your apple-squash recipe calls for walnuts, you can skip them if they break your budget. You can change various fruits and vegetables (if you already know how they taste) to work in cheaper and in-season ones. Slim down on the amount of seasoning, oil, butter, etc you use to cut costs and calories. If you're nervous, just keep an eye on the consistency, etc as you prepare the meal and adjust the ingredients as you go. If you're big on the boxed meals, stretch them. For example, you can add an extra cup of pasta and a cup of water to your hamburger helper for additional servings. If you can, always add cheap "filler foods." You have your entire life after graduating, paying off loans, and beginning a career to make yourself into a more "gourmet" cook.
7. Nutrition
To cut down on the amount you consume in a week, fill your diet with items that keep you full. Usually this means they have a lot of fiber. You can take a multi-vitamin, and make small changes to your diet. Instead of drinking a few gallons of juice, stick to the actual fruit. The juice is often full of sugar and missing many essential nutrients that the fruits themselves contain, including fiber. This is especially true for orange and apple juice. The longer you stay full, the less you eat, the less you have to buy.
8. Experiment
Use what you have. Did you know you can make delicious peanut butter cookies with just a cup of sugar, a cup of peanut butter, and an egg? There is a great website that will give you recipes for whatever food you have on hand- it's fun to experiment and it's practical for those days when you don't think you have options. Check it out here: www.cuisine.co.nz
9. Clip Coupons and Shop Generic
If you have access to a grocery store cheaper than Hannaford's, take advantage. If you can find coupons online or in the paper for your favorite items and grocery stores, don't forget them. It may help to clip in advance and pin them to the fridge. If your brand isn't on sale, get over that mental barrier and finally admit that a bag of Toasty Oats tastes exactly the same as a yellow box of Cheerios.
Check out these links: http://print.coupons.com/, www.couponmom.com and www.couponcabin.com
Happy eating!
Savvy Student
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