How to "Survive" College While being a "Starving Student."

Natalie Jasmine
Feb 5, 2018
10 min read

The "Utopian" idea of entering college is so appealing. The hopes and dreams of gaining your education, becoming your own person and most of all being your own boss. For some, it may be nostalgia of a 2nd chance that they are looking for or coming back from a long separation like myself. When I first started out as that first year freshman, no one really sat me down and gave me the breakdown of all the daily struggles, emotional troubles, possible heartbreaks, learning to budget, and strife to get continuous meals everyday. As I learned rather quickly it was time to get serious. Time to figure out that, "Hey I need to get a job," on top of my studies. Even now to this day I'm still figuring how to plan out how to create good meals and I have a family of my own on top of that and a full time job. I'm here today to give you the low down on how you can "survive" through college and how possible it is to get a bite and eat healthy as a college student on low budget (NO FRESHMAN 30!).

First ask yourself, "What do I like to eat?". Simply question right? Then lets look at what foods within that group are actually good for you? Do any of the below look like they are in that list? Good and if not don't worry, there is always time to try something new. That's what college is all about right?

When it comes to healthy food groups, we can always look at the food pyramid for advice. Simply enough, lets take a look. Pick out the items you see yourself most often eating. Then pick out items you prefer to be eating. Remember, there are so many helpful websites that can make your meal ideas a reality. So don't worry, take your picks. Think healthy and you will become healthy. Think a variety of veggies, fruit, grains, and for some of you meats. I personally like and count on carrots, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, celery, apples, occasionally berries of different kinds with a choice of meat. guaranteed I've spent about 25 bucks out the door with these items give or take if i want everything at that times for what I'm in the mood for.

Next, lets review your monthly budget. What can be set aside for those meals. It is said that for families, the average spent is 5%-20% of there monthly budget. Let me tell you from personal experience you can work with $60 or even less for close to two weeks. Have no fear, you got this. Your literally spending as if you have a family, because books are not cheap and neither is your education. In my opinion they are close enough to each other when things add up. Look at it this way, plan for the month and shop for the week. You will do this as well with menu planning which will also be mentioned later.

Once you have your list of items to shop for, lets move on to gaining some tips on how you can achieve to get those items when you shop. Thinking of eating healthy doesn't have to seem like its an expensive shopping trip to the store.

Go to the farmers market if there is one near you: In doing this it's like cutting out the middle man and getting it directly from the producer. You could become surprised at how much more you can get than just going to your local grocer.
Buy Diverse and Purposeful Ingredients. This one is very important to remember because when it comes to shopping, buying a mixed variety is good because when it comes to crunch time to make whats left with what you have, you want to be able to have the thought of, "I know exactly what I can make with what is left over" (Not even kidding here). Especially if something is on sale, plan your meals around that item and try to match with what is left over in your pantry if possible.
Buy in bulk during sales. This may seem strange but it can be beneficial. Especially if it's for items that you use regularly. Aside from food, it can even be beneficial for household products like toilet paper. No need to over due it, or even think you need to do it very often. If you have club membership or have a friend/family member that has a club card, it doesn't hurt to take a trip together once in a while. You can get together to re-up or just to check out deals.
Choosing fresh doesn't have to be the only option: For some of you lucky ones who have a full size fridge in your dorm, frozen items like fruits and veggies are harvested at peak ripeness so they can help last longer. For those that don't have a freezer, can goods are another option. Stay away from super salty ones too (a.k.a. high in sodium).
I'm going to save number for later in the post because it correlates to what I'm going to explain to you in more detail. So look out for 5.

Cut your vegetables/fruit at home. Pre-cut produce cost more than whole vegetables and you get less. Even though there is convenience, avoid this. You get nearly double when you cut the veggies or fruit on your own.
Shop at discount grocery stores and get to know your neighborhood. When you can find what stores get you the most bang for your buck, it is the best feeling. I can honestly attest to this because I know what stores I like to buy my veggies from and what stores I like to get my meats from. It's so helpful in the long run when that extra cash you saved comes in handy, especially when you want to take yourself out for fun or dining out with friends. (Stores like: Kroger, Reams, Aldi, and your local rancho market are great examples. some stores have big coupon savings and some stores even have a free earn rewards programs. Check online for your local grocer or follow up with the local newspaper or mailers for helpful coupons or online like Ibotta).
Last but not least, Do Not Judge those store brand or cheaper value items. As an example milk can be found for about $2.50-$3 dollars, but the store brand/generic brand name items can be anywhere between $2 bucks. If there is a sale you can get it for about $1.50. Now that my friend, definitely has to have your attention.

I'm going to leave you 5 easy recipes that you yourself can make to help you get through the week!

Click the title's for recipe link

1. Guacamole Salad, Yum!

2. Potato Chip Shrimp Rolls! No Bake, No hassle!

3. Sirloin-Snap Pea Stir-Fry. For all my Ramen lovers out there, this is one for you. Yes Ramen is life for some but I never imagined how much you can achieve than just what comes with the package. (If you like what you see, go to the reference part of my page to get more delicious ramen recipes!)

4. Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps With Grapes And Pecans. For lunch or for dinner. Sign me up please!

5. Slow Cooker Beef Stew. Thanks to websites like Pinterest, a meal like this will really fill your belly and give you a hearty meal that could literally last you a week or just over! Plus, there's nothing like just throwing your ingredients into the slow-cooker, going off to your job or class and coming back to a hot meal from a grueling day. So much winning!

#5 Tip: Make soups and stews with lots of veggies in large batches when applicable to your schedule or craving. Freezing individual serving sized containers can lead to a quick and healthy meal or something special for a rainy day. Especially when you get sick and crave something close to moms cooking. Plus side: save/freeze your leftover chopped up pieces to make a homemade vegetable stock on a later day.

Ok, Ok, I hear ya. This is all fine and dandy but what resources do you really have as a college student? Well let's begin shall we :)

Utensils and kitchen appliances on a student budget, is that really possible? Yes girl it is.

How you ask? Online resources like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Utah's KSL classified's and in the student hallways, ad's posted is where you can likely find a senior or another student who needs to get rid of items they no longer need because they are moving back home or there school venture is over. It gives you the opportunity to even bargain for those items. Below is a picture of some great finds I found off of Facebook Marketplace. Follow this link for some other great items.

By the way, this coffee maker like the one pictured, is going to save you money on those unnecessary $5 dollar coffee's and you can double it as a pot to boil those spaghetti noodles for pasta night! Who would of thought right?

What/Who can help you to "Survive"?

Family: For the one's out there that have huge families or someone just as close they can count on, family can definitely make the difference in helping you get the items you need to prepare for school or even help you in one way or another during your journey in college. Just like I mentioned early about the club card savings, If your roomie doesn't have one, guaranteed mom, dad or even aunt Judie could have a membership for the hook up.

Roommates: Why are roommates so great for this cause? Because not only are they your friends but when it comes to the bills & groceries, they can help chip in, alleviating some of that burden of worrying about your next meal.

School Events/Clubs/Friendships:

This is what it is all about. Getting to know activities that are going on at school, being a part of a team/clubs, or just gaining new friendships can lead to new experiences and possibly making even more friends. For those of you who are out of state students, likely you'll make friends with a local student. How nice and highly possible it is to end up getting invited to there family's house for dinner or a fun gathering (It's totally possible).
I once checked out the Polynesian club once upon a time ago in my young, first beginning's into freshman year. The people were so kind and nice, and they were even having a bbq. They shared there food for everyone who came. It was awesome and honestly, it was probably the only decent meal I had that day. I was forever grateful to them for that and it was a great memory to be in there company. I looked forward to all there events that year and for the other clubs I got to be with. Even when the school had gatherings, meals were either free or super cheap. How fun right? Well it was.
I love that SLCC has student pantry which is partnered with the Utah Food Bank. Schools actually care for the well being of there students and offer resources for them. I know that other schools like Utah Valley University also offer a student pantry and healthy cooking classes. That's pretty awesome.

Does your job benefit you in any way to get meals? Discounts off food, free food, company parties? If you work in a restaurant, likely you get a discount or free food items when they are available. My favorite is company parties during the holidays. I can truly remember a time when I was just down and out, and the potluck literally lifted my spirits and generously fed me enough to last through the day and even some left over to take home.

Student Discounts (My Favorite!):

Say What???

Yes ladies and gentlemen it is so real. For those of you who are looking for student discounts, you can always go online to your local college website or student newspaper and see what they have to offer. You can find things online for traveling discounts, Student Groupon buys, Amazon Student, etc. Also, asking some of your fellow class-man or from students from year before to give you the low down on where the best discounts are. Not just shopping but even for the local hot spot to have some fun or where the best pizza spot is. Below is an image of SLCC's own discount places where we can get a nice bite to eat at a discount price.

So now that you know all the details, it's time to review your schedule. Optimally, you want at least one solid hour out of your week to prepare your meals. So again I ask you, what time can you actually set aside to make those things happen. Between classes, your job, trying to get your workout in, going to a social event, studying, doing your homework and trying to eat everyday and in-between, where is that window of opportunity? acknowledging your busy schedule is a start.

Create a routine. It will make life easier when something pops up and you automatically know whether it will tip your jar over or not.
Next is being realistic about it and understand you can't do everything. Everything takes time and practice. Your learning balance as you go, give yourself a head start to make this work for you.
Plan for those busy days/nights. During the school year often times the "To Go" items just seem so easy to pick up. Especially when you have finals and you need to do an all nighter to make sure that mid-term paper gets turned in. But instead, when you take the time to look at your schedule, get those necessary ingredients, make your meals, life really can be enjoyable and hassle free.
If you get a meal plan from your school, be realistic about what's available to you and how much of it you actually like. It's so easy to just go down to the cafeteria and get pizza but really pizza everyday is not the answer. Survival tip: Have no shame in taking that gallon jug to fill up your milk or Orange juice. You paid for it anyway right? I've seen this done with my own eyes. It was great.
Lastly, referring back to when I mentioned about having your roommates chip in. Gather the team around and talk about each others like's and dislikes. This can go a long way in the success of meal prep and team support. Plan meals for everyones tastes. Like I'm a taco Tuesday lover without a doubt. But, if my roomie Sarah loves pasta, I'm down to set a day for Spaghetti night Thursday's if that's how it pans out.

I really hope that you have liked my page. It's a lot to take in but it is so worth it in knowing what a lot of people don't tell you about. Now you know you can "survive" from being the considered "starving student" and that it is very possible to eat healthy on a low budget. With these essential tips I've listed, you'll be able to conquer anything with school or even afterwards and beyond. I wish you all the best of luck and so much more. Now go out there and make some memories!

Thanks For Stopping By!

Sincerely,