Low budget tips?

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TurtleTape
TurtleTape Posts: 254 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all. I'm a college student in the US. I don't have an income and live off of student loans during the semester and so I have to budget everything out to last the whole semester. I have given myself $25/week (supplemented by my campus meal plan, which I don't want to use more than I have to, as campus food isn't exactly healthy) for food. I have a ton of onions and quite a few pieces of chicken in the freezer along with a box of rice and some pasta to give you an idea of what I have to work with, and I ate a ton of squash and zucchini last week, so I'm tired of the squash, lol. If anyone could give me some tips on some cheap healthy foods, I would be grateful. I think when I go to the store tomorrow I'm going to get some eggs and ham to make those breakfast egg cups, but past that my shopping list is severely lacking.

Thanks for any advice ^.^

Replies

  • rachcamp88
    rachcamp88 Posts: 88 Member
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    Buying bigger bags of fruit and veg usually works out cheaper so my sister and i go shopping together and split everything between us and anything on buy one get one free too. This means you can buy a bigger variety of food and don't have to worry about it going off.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
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    Dried beans... 1 1lb bag will make a ton of beans, that you can make into side dishes, add to soups, etc. AWESOME nutrition for the value. I soak mine overnight before I cook them, and I think it's easier to digest. I also love lentils bc you don't have to pre-soak them.

    Steel cut oats, rolled oats, etc. from the bulk bin. Frozen fruits and veggies.

    Chunck cheese versus the pre-shredded pre-cut options. Just watch your serving sizes. All natural peanut butter, apples, whole grain crackers.

    Not low budget, but awesome to take to campus with you- LARA bars. awesome as a snack, healthy, better than a vending machine snack.

    My campus cafeteria had apples, bananas, other fruits out all the time, so I'd always grab a few, stash them in my backpack and eat throughout the day. If your campus doesn't have them, check a different cafeteria, or ask them to start stocking them.
  • liroez29
    liroez29 Posts: 221
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    Well, if you like fish, then Swai is a wonderful option! I just found it last year, it is very mild, white, and slightly sweet, and here is the best part, it is cheap!! You can bake it, bread it with some corn meal and put it in a skillet with some cooking spray, I have even made a fish soup with it. Also tuna, low cal, high protein! Tuna melts are cheap and easy, just a English muffin, tuna salad, and a slice of cheese, I like a slice of tomato on mine too. If you don't like fish....well, I guess I was of no help and I am sorry! Good luck!
  • TurtleTape
    TurtleTape Posts: 254 Member
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    @rach: I don't have anyone to split with, which is a pain. If I get anything perishable in bulk it'll go bad before I have the chance to eat it.

    @maddy: I can't go to the cafeteria as I don't have the correct meal plan for it, so I'm left with the quick serve options and the little marts they have, though the marts do sell fruit so that is a possibility. I had considered getting the blocks of cheese in the past, I may start doing that, a block is sure to last a while. I'll also look into the bars, definitely need something to stash in my bag for between classes on my long days. For the beans and oats, I need to learn how to cook those, ha! Then I'm sure those would be great options.

    @liroez: I do like fish! Tuna is easy to get burned out on, but fillets are always good, I'm simply unsure how to go about cooking them. Perhaps I should look up some recipes and see if there are any I'm close to having all the ingredients for. I suppose some healthyish breading would be a good thing to invest in.

    Thank you guys! I will certainly have to look into these when I head out tomorrow. I imagine if I were better at cooking it wouldn't be such an issue, lol.
  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
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    What about frozen veggies? They can be just as good as fresh but you can stock up especially when on sale. I really like the Steamfresh veggies. They cook in the microwave right in the bag and actually taste more like fresh than regular frozen veggies. How about canned beans? Black beans are very good for you. Just make sure to rinse them to get off the goo and extra sodium. Low sodium chicken broth is good too for making quick soups. Dried lentils are great for soups. In fact dried beans are cheaper than canned, but less convenient since you have to soak and cook them for a while. Get some brown rice since that's healthier than white. That's all I can think about for now. Good luck!
  • TurtleTape
    TurtleTape Posts: 254 Member
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    @idauria: Frozen veggies are great, yes, however I'm sharing a very small freezer with a male roomie that tends to fill it up, ha. I could stock up a couple of bags, though. Chicken broth and beans are both now on my list for tomorrow, along with some frozen veggies (amount pending as of now).
  • liroez29
    liroez29 Posts: 221
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    @liroez: I do like fish! Tuna is easy to get burned out on, but fillets are always good, I'm simply unsure how to go about cooking them. Perhaps I should look up some recipes and see if there are any I'm close to having all the ingredients for. I suppose some healthyish breading would be a good thing to invest in.

    Thank you guys! I will certainly have to look into these when I head out tomorrow. I imagine if I were better at cooking it wouldn't be such an issue, lol.
    [/quote]

    Swai is really easy, just spray the pan, put the fillet in the pan, add, some garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, simple and yummy! That with some veggies, and a slice of whole wheat bread, with some light butter or even some butter spray. I have been eating this fish for 7 months now and I would honestly eat it every night, if it were not for Mercury levels! Good luck to you!
  • jfluchere
    jfluchere Posts: 346 Member
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    Tuna & eggs for protein, regular oatmeal in bulk
  • KrystalLight03
    KrystalLight03 Posts: 119
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    I'm in college as well, and grocery shopping was particularly hard when I was living off my parents before I got a job. I'm very thankful that my grocery store (Marsh) does a 10% student discount on Saturdays, which is super helpful in saving money. You might want to look around and see if a grocery store near you does a similar program. I agree that the Birdseye Steamfresh bags are great, they're typically on sale, and you can always find a coupon online for them. I also like to buy Silk or Coconut Dream milk because it doesn't expire for about a month, which is about how long it takes me to go through a gallon. I typically just try to plan out what I want to eat, then figure out when I can buy the ingredients and how long they'll last me until I need to repurchase.
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
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    Just gave this tip to someone else, buttt when you buy chicken. Try to find bone in and skin on chicken breast. You get the whole breast, which you can then cut in half, length wise for the correct portion, and it's cheaper to take the bone out and skin off yourself than paying for someone else to have done it already.
  • marthabg
    marthabg Posts: 4
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    I eat veggies and I can really relate to getting tired of the same thing. Of course I don't know where you live but I would recommend looking for a discount supermarket in your area such as an Aldi. They have a brand called fit and active that is really not too bad. You can get quite a few veggies there, cut them up and throw them together in snack size baggies. They also have bags of string cheese that are not too expensive either. I have lost 20 pounds since September with diet and exercise and eating 6 times per day on a limited budget. Cottage cheese is something to eat late at night, and just a serving or half a serving as it helps with insulin resistance, and that is something that is not too expensive usually either. Good Work!
  • TurtleTape
    TurtleTape Posts: 254 Member
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    Thanks guys, I'll keep all of it in mind when I head out tomorrow, too bad nowhere around here gives student discounts except for Bojangles >.>

    @martha: I love Aldi, but the closest one to where I am is roughly an hour away, I could go there perhaps once a month.
  • flash2009
    flash2009 Posts: 12 Member
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    I was a financially strapped university student for ages and lost the majority of my weight (~75 lbs) during that time. Almonds aren't cheap, but they're a great snack on the run. I found them cheapest at Sam's Club and Whole Foods (from the bins). The best though are those ones dusted with cocoa. Yum. Up until I moved overseas, I still lived off of $25 a week for groceries eating mostly beans, eggs, old fashioned oats, fruit (that was on sale), and frozen veg. If you're keen on soup, I'd say that's the most filling and cheapest way to eat. I have loads of soup recipes if you're interested, but really the beauty of soup is it almost never goes wrong. I make my own bread now, which is a cost saver, but when I was at uni I always checked out those reduced price bread racks at the grocery and Big Lots.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    walmart tends to sell the good low calorie soups for half the price of the super markets
  • myah5000
    myah5000 Posts: 16
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    Biggest budget-eating tip I know is to invest in some good bowls.
    So you can carry all you need and don't have to buy-ready-made. :P

    Maddy was right about the beans: pre-soak overnight and then cook! Soaking them for at least 8 hours reduces the acid content so they're easier on your stomach- and easier to digest. I'll message you a great recipe you can use with almost any type of peas/ beans.

    Soup is also your best friend. But don't take the easy way out: make your own! Comes out cheaper, AND you tend to get more for your buck.

    Make your own bread. If you need help with that I can share a great whole wheat recipe as well. And plus, kneading dough is a great workout for your arms- believe me!

    Watch what you drink, if you haven't fruit juices entirely out of your diet. Making juice with fresh fruits beats the ready-to-drink quick ones anytime.

    Brittany's tip about not going for the boneless chicken is spot on. Take it one step further: buy a whole chicken. Sure, it's more expensive. But do that and once it's cleaned and chopped up, you won't have to buy chicken again for a while. :D
  • japruzze
    japruzze Posts: 453 Member
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    Go down to the dining hall and ask to speak to one of the mangers. Ask them if they have an Advisory Board and if they don't talk about starting one. If they do, ask how to get on it or who to contact with suggestions. You aren't the only one on campus who wants to eat healthy or lose weight. I haven't had anyone I suggested this too not get some action. Become an advocate for yourself and others! I did this over 30 years ago when I was in college (yes, I'm old :happy: ) and got fresh salads served in the dining hall. Suggest that they grill chicken breast not just burgers. Add a stir fry station. Serve grilled meats and veggies. Add sugar-free dessert options. You'd be surprised what they will do if you are willing to work with them. Then you can take your $25 and spend it on something else (new clothes?)!
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    Biggest budget-eating tip I know is to invest in some good bowls.
    So you can carry all you need and don't have to buy-ready-made. :P

    Maddy was right about the beans: pre-soak overnight and then cook! Soaking them for at least 8 hours reduces the acid content so they're easier on your stomach- and easier to digest. I'll message you a great recipe you can use with almost any type of peas/ beans.

    Soup is also your best friend. But don't take the easy way out: make your own! Comes out cheaper, AND you tend to get more for your buck.

    Make your own bread. If you need help with that I can share a great whole wheat recipe as well. And plus, kneading dough is a great workout for your arms- believe me!

    Watch what you drink, if you haven't fruit juices entirely out of your diet. Making juice with fresh fruits beats the ready-to-drink quick ones anytime.

    Brittany's tip about not going for the boneless chicken is spot on. Take it one step further: buy a whole chicken. Sure, it's more expensive. But do that and once it's cleaned and chopped up, you won't have to buy chicken again for a while. :D


    I would love a bread recipe

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