Being a student isn’t always a walk in the park. You have to dedicate time to studying, socializing, and working.

So, you might be on a tight schedule that makes you eat takeouts or whatever they sell at the canteen. Nevertheless, these types of food can be unhealthy and expensive.

In this article, you’ll find ten clever tips to eat healthy when being a student.

1.   Start Cooking

You might think that cooking is hard and that it requires too much skill. Nonetheless, it saves funds, and it helps you stay healthy.

You don’t have to be Gordon Ramsey to bake some vegetables, put together a breakfast bowl, or make pasta. However, if you don’t know how to do that, you can look for youtube tutorials.

There are billions of recipes on the web, and once you start cooking, you can experiment and try new and unique plates.

If you choose to cook at home, you’ll save funds on the expensive fast foods, the waiter tips, and more. And you’ll finally be in control of the food you eat and pick healthier alternatives.

2.   Stick to a Budget

When you’re in a rush, it’s so easy to spend money on whatever tasty food is available.

One day, it’s food delivery for lunch. The next day is dinner at a restaurant or breakfast at a cafe. Then, you wonder why you never have money for other expenses and goods.

You can save many dollars by sticking to a budget. The first step is to be financially organized, so you know your income and expenses. Then, you can understand how much you can afford to spend on food and set a weekly budget.

Remember that eating at home and buying your groceries saves a lot of funds. However, this doesn’t mean that when you go food shopping, you can get anything you please.

Try to keep under your budget as best as you can. Buy the essential foods first, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and rice. Lastly, you can buy one or two chocolate bars, but only if you haven’t surpassed your limit.

3.   Prepare Your Meals Ahead

When you don’t know what to eat, you’re more tempted to order something unhealthy or fast food. On the other hand, even if you cook at home already, but you don’t have set meals, you may waste a lot of your food.

So, a great way to prevent buying too much food or rushing to a fast food is meal prep for the week.

Figure out what you’d like to eat on Monday for lunch and dinner. Then, do the same for Tuesday and so on. This way, you know what you’re eating and what ingredients you need.

For example, let’s say that you eat oatmeal every morning with a cup of almond milk and a banana. Oats and milk don’t go bad after a week, but bananas do. So, when you get to the store, buy just seven bananas. This way, you won’t waste money on something you won’t even eat.

4.   Make a Good Grocery List

After you figured out what you want to eat all week, you can make a list of stuff to buy. Each ingredient you need should also have the quantity next to it, as mentioned before. Next, when you go shopping, stick to the list 100%.

This way, you buy what you need, and you don’t forget anything. Also, if you’re shopping for a whole week, you don’t have to waste money on gas by going multiple times. Just one trip every seven days.

5.   Don’t Shop While Hungry

This is a crucial tip. When you’re hungry, you may feel like everything looks delicious. Additionally, you may forget about your budget and health guidelines.

The result is a bunch of junk food and a wasted weekly budget.

Also, when you’re hungry and shopping, you might get irritable, or you might get low blood sugar.

6.   Buy Bulk Items When You Can

We talked about oatmeal and milk in a previous example. They are two foods that don’t go bad after a week, and, just like them, many other foods have a great expiration date.

Here are the items that expire after a long time, if kept in good conditions (room temperature or cool, in a dry area, and sealed):

• Whole grains;
• Rice;
• Oil;
• Syrups;
• Dry seasoning;
• Pasta;
• Canned food;
• Frozen food;
• Vegetable and regular milk.

Bulk shops offer great prices if you buy a large quantity of one item. So, consider going to one of those shops.

This way, you can waste less time grocery shopping and lower your weekly food expenses because you have enough rice and pasta to last you a whole month.

7.   Look for Sales and Bonuses

You’d be surprised how many products are discounted even if they’re still in excellent condition. Instead of buying the most beautiful apples in the store, look for the ones that are on sale. The chances are that they’re still perfect for eating even if they don’t look like in the store brochure.

Moreso, you can look for coupons that can save you a lot of funds.

Lastly, you can try to buy groceries online. Some farmer’s markets have apps that help you order fresh produce that’s delivered to you.

You can apply discount codes, or the produce is reduced because you’re buying an entire basket. So, you save money on groceries and gas because you don’t have to drive there.

8.   Select Stores Carefully

Some shops are more expensive than others. Don’t choose the more expensive one just because it’s two more minutes away from your home.

Since you are a student with little free time, you can exercise by walking or biking to the more distant one. This way, you save gas and money because the store is cheaper than others, and you get a workout.

Also, you might get a better deal while shopping online, as mentioned before. Many apps can help you track your money, find coupons, and notify you about items on sale.

So, if you work for a social media platform, Bestessay.com, or a travel agency, you can focus on work instead of wasting time grocery shopping.

9.   Have a Health Partner

Keeping a clean diet and lifestyle can become more manageable if we have someone to talk to. So, consider pairing up with someone when you cook or go shopping to keep you motivated and on track with healthy habits.

A health partner can be excellent moral support when you need to remember your goals and health principles.

10.                 Keep a Clean Pantry

Sometimes you can get cravings while studying, when you’re working at assignment help Australia, or when you have a movie night. 

That’s why it’s quintessential to have a clean pantry with healthy snacks.

Get rid of foods high in fats and sugars like regular chips and sweets. Substitute them with corn triangles or protein bars. Also, instead of popcorn, you can have boiled corn that’s freshly cooked and much healthier. Pumpkin or sunflower seeds are also a good alternative.

Conclusion

If you want to eat healthier as a student, try cooking, setting a budget, and making a detailed meal prep list. Look for coupons, discounts, or switch for healthier online services. Lastly, have a clean pantry and a health partner to keep you on track.