I'm So Broke, Eating Right on a College Student's Budget
One of the first things people seem to think about healthy eating is that it must be really expensive. I totally understand why you might think this, but I promise it doesn’t have to be pricey. I’ve been eating this way for the last few years and I spend less now than I did before I changed my diet – it all just depends on what you buy. So to help you out, I’ve shared my top tips for eating well on a budget:
Don’t Panic Over Your First Shop
When you first change the way you eat, it may seem a bit daunting and your initial shop will probably be pretty expensive as you’ll need to stock up on your new pantry staples – tahini, almond butter, tamari, quinoa etc. However, once you’ve done this you’ll be good to go for ages and if that’s too much you can slowly build your cupboards over time rather than doing it all in one go.
Buy in Bulk
Buying ingredients in bulk may take up more space but it can save you a lot of money. There are lots of sites online that sell kilo bags of nuts, seeds, grains etc at much better prices than you’d get in a shop. Places like Amazon and wholefoodsonline are great places to get started.
Don’t Get Distracted in Health Food Shops!
If you’re anything like me you may find that you get a little overexcited in your health food store and want to buy absolutely everything you see. Of course if you pick up every raw chocolate bar or bag of kale chips in the place it will be pretty pricey! So if you want to stick to your budget it can be easier to make a shopping list beforehand and be strict with yourself – only buy what’s on the list, or make it even easier and buy it online where there’s less distraction!
Be Prepared
A little planning does wonders for saving money. As I’m always cooking and recipe testing it’s impossible for me to stick to a meal plan, however, if you know your routine then this can be a great way to reduce your food bill as you won’t buy new ingredients every day.
Don’t Waste Anything
Cooking larger quantities is an effective way of saving money, especially when it comes to using fresh food. If a recipe calls for half a bag of carrots but you know you won’t use the rest of the carrots in another recipe, then make double the recipe and freeze the other half. I do this all the time and it’s amazing – you save time, food and money, plus you have a freezer full of goodness to enjoy when you don’t feel like cooking.