Eating Healthy on a Budget
As a college student it is difficult to have a strict budget for food when there are so many different options. You can go to restaurants, fast food or the grocery store. Fast food would seem to be the cheapest option, but it also the least healthy. The healthiest option is going to the grocery store and making your own food. There are ways of eating healthy on a budget and still get good food that is healthy for you.
What is considered healthy food? All food can be broken down into protein, carbohydrates and fats. Protein is meat, eggs and soy and is used to strength muscle and bones. Carbohydrates “Carbs” are breads, oatmeal and pasta are an energy source for the body. Fats include nuts, avocado and dairy products. The key is to find the healthy versions of these foods. For proteins this means chicken, fish and eggs. For carbs this would be whole grain rice, whole grain pasta and oatmeal. For good fats, nuts and avocados are the best options. Fruits and vegetables will have essential nutrients and vitamins that help improve your healthiness as a person.
Cheaper options for some of these foods is to go to the frozen section of the grocery store. It is essentially the same products, but just frozen and it will not go bad if it stays frozen. Coupons are a good tool to find cheaper deals on food. A big difference in pricing would have to be named brand products with store brand. They are the same food but the logo or brand is different. Store brand food is much cheaper than signature brands. Planning ahead can also help you manage how much you spend. Make sure that you save left over foods for a later use by sealing them into containers or freezing them for leftovers so no food is wasted.
If you would like to learn more, Powercat Financial is hosting a free workshop call “Eating Healthy on a Budget” tonight, Monday October 9th, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Wildcat Chambers (formerly the Little Theatre) in the Student Union. Riley Co. Extension professional, Julia Lambert, will discuss creating a food budget including healthy options and helpful articles will be provided to help eat healthy on a budget. Healthy free food will be provided to the first 30 students to arrive so see you there!
Josh Zdeb, Peer Financial Counselor II
