Watching Your Wallet (and your weight)

Published on the Utah Statesman website on February 17, 2010.

Growing up, my mom rarely came home from the grocery store with things like Oreos or Wheat Thins. Wait, let me rephrase that. My mom never came home from the grocery store with such delicious prepared treats. Our after-school snacks were chips and fresh salsa, fresh fruit and vegetables, toast on hearty wheat bread and, occasionally, the homemade treat or cookie. My mom is very thrifty so I always thought it was because she was just being cheap, but I didn't realize until I moved out and began buying food for myself that often those healthy things are actually more expensive than the cheap, prepackaged (unhealthy) stuff.

For example, a Totino's Party Pizza (um, DELICIOUS) is about $1.50 and weighs in at a whopping 770 calories, 40 grams of total fat and zero nutrients. I don't know about you, but I know I'm not the only person who can eat one of those in a short sitting. Compare that to a healthier dinner of baked chicken (about 250 calories), rice (about 200 calories) and fresh broccoli (about 40 calories), which totals at more like $3-5 per serving. That meal is much healthier than the Totino (about 500 calories vs. 770) but takes much longer to prepare and is more expensive, especially if you're only cooking for one. What about a quick snack? A bag of potato chips (about 75 cents) is much cheaper and easier than a big apple (up to $1.50 depending on your preference). As a general rule, fresh fruit and vegetables are usually a bit more expensive than easier and unhealthier, prepackaged snacks. And thus, as poor and cheap college students, we find ourselves in a pickle. We need to be eating healthy, but the pressure from lack of time and funds finds us turning those calorie and fat-packed frozen burritos and pizzas, TV dinners and dollar menus. What are we to do? Here's some tips on eating healthier and saving a few bucks:

1. Buy Whole

Fruits and vegetables can be pricey, but if you buy them whole, instead of precut or prewashed, you can save big time. Buy heads of lettuce instead of the bagged (heads last much longer) and whole pineapples or carrots instead of precut.

2. Buy in season and check the freezer aisle

Find out when fruits and vegetables are in season and buy accordingly. You'll spend a lot more on produce if you buy out of season. In the summer and fall, check out the farmers market at Merlin Olsen Park for good deals on fresh local produce. Frozen fruits and vegetables are also a great option. They're inexpensive and easy to prepare.

3. Buy in bulk when you can

When buying for one, you really can't shop at Costco like your mom (plus your roommates will hate you for using up all the freezer space), but buy things like meat, soup or snacks (granola bars, etc) in bulk. Not only will you save money but you'll have healthy food more accessible and ready to grab on the go or when you're wanting to cook.

4. Plan ahead

You're going to spend lots of money if you are consistently giving in to spontaneous buys at the Quickstop, Hub, vending machines or on your way to work. Going to be studying around lunchtime? Pack a sandwich and an apple or granola bar. Cramming late at the library and know you're going to need a snack to keep you going? Bring something along so you don't get stuck paying $2 for a stale (and unhealthy) cookie at the Quadside Cafe. Also consider planning your meals at the beginning of the week and go grocery shopping on a set day each week. Examine your cupboards and see what healthy meals you can prepare with what you already have. I've always been amazed at the people who restock the first row of their cupboards every week but completely forget about the food they have a little deeper on their shelves. Use the food you have to avoid wasting.

5. Water

Save money by drinking water. Out of the tap. Invest in a reusable water bottle and use it so you won't catch yourself spending $1.50 for a bottle of Dasani out of a vending machine. Steer clear of soda, which adds empty calories and sugar and drains your wallet (we've all seen the figures and heard the news flashes – if you spend a buck every day on a Coke, that adds up to, yep, $365 at the end of the year).

6. Store Brands

Kroger. Great Value. Western Family. Go with the cheap store brand rather than the name brand. For some reason, some people think their food is going to taste like cardboard or they're going to get a food-borne disease if they buy one of these cheap store brands. I am here and alive as a testament to these cheap brands. I still find great satisfaction in my food and I don't think I've ever got a disease from the cheap stuff. Give them a try and you'll be amazed at what you'll save and how similar they really are to the more expensive stuff.

7. Take the time

Eating right takes time. It will take time to broil chicken, cook rice and steam broccoli instead of popping a Totino's in the microwave for a few minutes. But if you can commit yourself to spending a little time on preparing real food you'll spend a lot less money and eat much healthier. There's tons of ways to prepare real food without spending lots of time doing so. Last week I made homemade pizza rolls and then froze all the leftovers (lots of them). I've defrosted them in the microwave and had them for lunch and dinner a few times over the last week. Throw chicken, potatoes or ingredients for soup in a Crock Pot in the morning and you'll have a warm, delicious meal when you get home from school. Take the time to eat right.

8. Sharing is caring

I've found the number one difficulty in eating healthy and spending less on food in college is that we're usually only cooking for one. It's really, really difficult to make a casserole or pasta dish for one person- recipes just aren't made that way, and most people don't want to have leftovers for weeks at a time. So, most students tend to take the easier route with microwave one-serving meals. Work it out to share food with your roommates- either by going in together on groceries or by taking turns cooking meals. This can be difficult to work out and takes time and commitment, but it's a great way to eat healthy, real meals and save money.

Give these tips a try or submit some of your own below. If you're used to having premade microwavable dinners and buying soda and Corndogs from the Quickstop everyday don't expect to switch straight to broccoli and water in a day or two (and I would hope no one ever would – moderation, my friends, moderation). However, try out a few things and see what works for you – hopefully it will help you eat a little healthier and spend a little less.