Healthy Tips for Fast and Budget-Friendly Eating

College students are always busy, and life always seems to throw up a lot of roadblocks to eating healthily. We all have classes, work, extracurriculars, and countless other distractions facing us. So, if you’re struggling to figure out how to eat healthily, I hear you. That’s why I’m going to let you in on some tips and tricks for making tasty, healthy, and cheap food in your dorm room.

As a college student, you’re probably living on a budget and healthy foods have a reputation for being expensive, but that isn’t always true. My first tip is to buy simple foods and try to prepare them ahead of time, if possible. Prepping your own meals is an easy way to cut costs and avoid eating the fast grab and go food that is usually unhealthy. Some ideas for quick and healthy foods can be microwavable rice, eggs to make microwavable omelets, whole grain bread, peanut butter, and whole wheat pasta. Another way you can save money is by shopping in bulk. By shopping in bulk, you can save on the cost of packaging. Most of the items in bulk won’t perish fast since they’re dry goods and can make good snacks like granola, trail mix, oatmeal, and dried fruit.

Another trick to feel prepared for the week ahead is to make sure you have some meal prep kitchen tools. The most helpful kitchen essentials I found for prepping in college are an instant pot, a slow cooker, meal prep containers, mason jars, and a ninja blender. You don’t need to go out and buy all of these, but if you get a ninja or a mason jar you could prep a smoothie, make overnight oats, and even energy balls. It may sound like a lot of work but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it’s fun!

As college students transitioning from home to university life, nutrition becomes more important since food options change and dietary challenges arise. Eating fresh, whole, and healthy ingredients as much as you can is so beneficial, but don’t let it make you miss out on fun nights or events with friends. It’s all about balance! I hope these tips and tricks will help inspire you to incorporate healthy eating on a daily basis.