We’ve all been there: your parents dropped you off at college and you’re ready to start this exciting new chapter of freedom and independence. However, after one too many frozen dinners, late-night drive-thrus, and packs of ramen, reality hits and you start to crave delicious home-cooked meals again (a phone call to Mom or Dad might occur at this point). This may be the first time in your life you have to start grocery shopping on your own, and although the long and temptation-filled grocery aisles may seem daunting, fear not! In true adulting style, here is a little guide on how to stick to a weekly grocery budget to avoid breaking the bank along with some yummy, healthy, meal-prep-friendly ideas to go along with it.
So, grab your reusable bags as we go on a trip to Trader Joe’s and navigate this culinary adventure together!
1. Setting a Budget
Setting a budget is essential to a successful grocery trip. Not only will it help you avoid tempting marketing traps and overpriced snacks, but especially as a college student, it will help you save money in the long run. Each person’s budget might vary depending on several factors such as food preferences, personal diets, or grocery stores, but for the purposes of this guide, we will stick to $60 per week. I have found this budget lasts me a whole week’s worth of meals. While at the store, you can take out your phone calculator and add up the prices of items as you place them in your cart to make sure you’re on track.
Buying certain foods in bulk on a monthly/semesterly basis could also help you save some money and prevent groceries from going bad constantly, such as frozen fruits and veggies, rice, or canned beans.
2. Make a Grocery List
Going into the store with a list of things in mind will save you so much time and prevent a kitchen filled with foods that may have sounded good in the moment, but may not be convenient to make meals out of. Jotting down items in your notes app as you run out of them at home will be super helpful to avoid buying doubles of the same item, or remind you of what you are missing.
I recommend structuring your list around 3-4 proteins, 4-5 vegetables, 2-3 fruits, and the additional dairy, grains, and legumes. The types of food you buy in each category can be rotated every week so you are able to try new things and keep your meals exciting. For example, if I bought strawberries, bananas, and oranges last week, then this week I would buy blueberries, apples, and pineapple. This way you can still switch things up without affecting your budget significantly.
For reference, here is a sample grocery list that I stick to on a weekly basis:
- Eggs (12) – $2.49
- Bread – $2.49
- Rice/ quinoa/ couscous – (buy biweekly [$1.99/week])
- Bag of sweet potatoes – $2.29
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt – $5.49
- Hummus – $2.99
- Lean ground turkey (1) – $4.49
- Chicken breast/ fish ~$7.60
- Chicken sausage – $3.99
- Arugula – $2.29
- Tomatoes – $2.99
- Onion – $1.19
- Avocados (bag of 6 tiny ones)- $3.99
- Bell peppers – $3.49
- Broccoli – $2.99
- Mushrooms – $2.49
- Bananas (4) – $0.92
- Berries of choice/ alt. fruit ~$3.00
- Pasta – $1.99
- Jar of pasta sauce ~$2.00
- Canned black beans (1) – $0.89
- Canned skipjack tuna (1) – $1.79
*note that if there is a backslash, these are items that are alternated weekly
Below I have also included some delicious meal ideas that utilize all of these ingredients!
Breakfast
Eggs with Chicken Sausage and Sweet Potato Home Fries
This cozy recipe is one of my favorite breakfasts to get into the fall mood. Chop up one small sweet potato into cubes and season to taste. I recommend salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. Toss the cubes with some olive oil and place in the air fryer at 350 F for 10-12 minutes or until crispy and golden. While that is going, cook your eggs (any style) and chicken sausage in a pan.
Greek Yogurt Parfait
Perhaps one of THE most easily customizable breakfasts! Yogurt parfaits are a perfect protein-packed breakfast for a rushed morning since you can throw all the ingredients in a Tupperware and eat on the go. Grab some Greek yogurt and any fruit you have on hand (I usually add bananas and berries). It is so delicious with chia seed pudding and a drizzle of honey (some cheeky dark chocolate chips also never hurt nobody).
Lunch
Turkey Patties, Rice & Beans, Salad (Meal Prep Friendly)
Simply chop up some onions and bell peppers, season the ground turkey, and form them into little balls. Cook them in a pan with a little oil and press down to form patties. 1 lb of ground turkey usually makes around 6 patties, which are easy to store and warm up for any meal. Rice and beans are perfect for meal prepping because you can make a large amount at once and they will keep well in the fridge throughout the week.
Tuna Avocado Salad
This light and refreshing tuna avocado salad is perfect on a hot Gainesville day. It is so quick to make because it only involves chopping up some veggies. Start by draining your can of tuna and chickpeas. Then chop up some tomatoes, bell peppers, red onion, and avocado. You can toss it with arugula then drizzle some olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and enjoy!
Dinner
Mushroom & Chicken Sausage Pasta (Meal Prep Friendly)
Another meal which will last well throughout the week is this quick and easy pasta. Boil the pasta and sauté the mushrooms and chicken sausage in a pan. Combine them and add your favorite pasta sauce for a hearty and cozy dinner.
Chicken & Roasted Veggies (Meal Prep Friendly)
Chicken and roasted veggies are the pairing as old as time. It is a classic for a reason, due to the infinite ways to customize this dish. Whether that means changing up the veggies or salad to fit the season or trying different spices and sauces to cook your chicken in, the possibilities are endless! I tend to prepare my sliced chicken breasts in a hot oiled pan with onions, garlic, and spices until they are fully cooked through. The veggies of your choice (e.g. broccoli, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, etc.) can be thrown in the air fryer (my holy grail!) at 350 F for 5-6 minutes to roast as you clean up. If you have some rice and beans left over, now is the perfect time to use them for some starchy sides.
Snacks
Avocado Toast
This icon of the brunch menu needs no introduction. You know and love her: the classic avocado toast. There are a million ways to zhuzh it up: you can add cottage cheese, pickled onions, hot sauce, eggs, smoked salmon, etc. For a simple avo toast, you can’t go wrong with toasting a slice of bread and mashing up one avocado with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Bell Peppers & Hummus
This no-prep snack is healthy, crunchy, and nutritious. Dip some bell peppers in hummus and you have a satisfying snack to have in between classes.
Happy grocery shopping!
Hopefully, this list can help guide you during your next grocery run and give you some inspo for healthy meals as a college student on the go! As an architecture student who loves to cook but basically lives at the architecture studio, trust me when I say you don’t have to sacrifice delicious eating if you spend a little time meal-prepping and planning out your grocery lists. Happy budgeting!