Healthy Eating on a Sickly Budget

My eating habits are fairly miserable. I eat chips like another potato famine is coming, I love the fattiest, creamiest pastas, and if it wouldn’t kill me, I could live on fast food forever.

Needless to say, I could stand to lose a few pounds. But more than that, I want to feel better about myself and the food choices I make. I can live with an extra pound or two, but I’d rather not have the diabetes or high blood pressure that runs in my family.

The problem is, I’m in college, and my budget is always tight. Running from class to work to home, sometimes all I can do is grab something fast and it has seemed as though there was almost nothing out there quick, cheap, and healthy.

It’s true that eating and cooking at its healthiest is not a cheap feat nor is it necessarily quick, but it’s absolutely doable on a college student budget. Here are some quick tips to stretch your wallet without stretching your stomach.

Stop eating out. At least as much as you can. Not only do even the cheapest meals add up money-wise, they are most often fairly bad for you. When you cook at home, you have more control over portion, and what you use to cook with.

Eat and plan your meals before you go shopping. So you won’t be tempted to buy something on impulse and you can have an idea of how much each item you need is going to cost, thereby fitting it better into your budget. Also, look at mailouts and try to plan your meals around sales. This website has some good recipe ideas

Replace soda and sugary fruit juices with water and skim milk.

And stop buying bottled water. It’s bad for the environment and tap water is actually more regulated that bottled, so its better for you. Sometimes bottled water is just water from a local municipal supply, anyway.

Buy produce from a farmer’s market, if you have access to one

Start making your lunch and bringing it with you to school/work.

Buy in bulk, especially meat that you can freeze.

Stock up on cheap, basic items like pasta and rice that will last for a relatively long time and can be paired with a meat or veggie to make a quick meal.

Here are some websites with more tips:

Eating to Thrive

Eating Healthy on an Unhealthy Budget

The Diet Channel

[Any other healthy / cheap food ideas? Do share!!]