Advice for the penniless health nut
Students can often be found picking their way through aisles of food in any Boulder grocery store in search of low price items that are typically also low in nutritional value. However, there are ways to save money and still eat well.
In his book, “The Man Who Ate Everything,” Jeffrey Steingarten spends an entire chapter retelling his attempts to survive on the most inexpensive food possible. He readily adopts the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan, which is a set of guidelines and recipes that the government issues to assist disadvantaged families in nutritious cooking. With these guidelines, a family of four can survive on no more than $82.50 a week and still maintain healthy eating habits.
College students can also save money without sacrificing nutritional food with a little determination, smart shopping and the willingness to cook. When considering thrifty food practices, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
You won’t be able to dine out.
This is because when you purchase each meal separately, you are not just paying for the food. The price you pay includes the labor involved in preparation, the roof over your head while you eat and the profit the establishment must make. Dining out should be reserved only for special occasions.
You don’t have to eat Ramen.
Yes, it’s cheap. Unfortunately, it’s also packed to the brim with sodium and other things your body won’t like. So approach your pantry with confidence and make vow to your ramen that you will not be consuming it anytime in the near future.
Brown rice is your new best friend.
At Safeway, a bag of brown rice is 91 cents and will last for a few weeks. It’s tasty, it’s filling and its brown color indicates a higher nutrient content. Mix it with beans to make a complete protein (just as complete as meat) or add vegetables to up the health factor. Brown rice will become a staple in your subsidence diet.
Come to terms with vegetarianism.
Vegetarianism does not mean forgoing all meat- it is just about moderation. Meat is pricey, and if you decrease your meat expenditures by buying cheap meat, you’ll end up with chemical-packed, substance-injected meat-like substance. So please, by all means enjoy eating meat. Just keep it in check by paying more for less.
Cook with bacon.
Bacon makes everything taste good, and it’s roughly 30 cents per ounce. It’s hard to argue with an offer like that.
Add vegetables to every meal you prepare.
Vegetables don’t cost much, and they are a surefire way to incorporate vital nutrients into your diet. Here are some tasty ways to prepare them:
1) Saute them! Heat a frying pan and drizzle olive oil inside. Then season veggies with salt and pepper, toss them into the oil and sauté them until they are brown.
2) Roast them! Toss veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper and then place them on a baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees until they’re fragrant and soft.
3) Steam them! Use a steamer if you have it, or just put vegetables in a covered glass bowl with a bit of water and microwave them for a few minutes until the water is absorbed and the veggies are soft.
The longer food cooks, the more nutrients it loses, which is something to consider with all of the above methods. Some vegetables, such as tomatoes, do not need to be cooked at all and can be enjoyed raw with a simple dressing of oil and vinegar.
Buy in bulk.
The Safeway on 28th & Iris is a wonderful place to purchase groceries. Their selections are vast, their organic options are plentiful and they have an entire wall of the store dedicated to bulk foods. Never again will you buy an entire package of ten dollar granola only to toss half of it when it goes stale. Buying in bulk is a good thing for many reasons, namely because you have complete control over the quantity.
Bring a lunch to school
Buying lunch on the Hill or on campus is a good way to spend your entire day’s budget (or more) on one meal. Think of it this way: let’s say an average meal out is $6. If you buy lunch Mon. through Fri. that’s $30/week and $120/month. There are plenty of places that money can go instead.
Lunches are not hard to make. Add five minutes to your morning routine and slap together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, put some baby carrots in a Ziploc and throw an apple in your bag. Add a few chocolates to sweeten things up and you’re on your way to thrifty-ville. You can sit in class all day imagining the ways you’ll put your $120 to good use.
However, sometimes a packed lunch just doesn’t cut it and eating out sounds great. Allow this for yourself. Don’t cut yourself off, or your life will be stressful. Perhaps go out once a week to satisfy the urge or set a goal of only ordering items under $5.
Consider your shopping habits.
It is important to look at where you do your shopping. If it’s Whole Foods, it is best to reconsider. Kudos to you for being healthy, but chances are you’re overspending. Safeway (especially the one on 28th & Iris) has healthy and organic options as well as unbeatable sales. Be a sleuth and search for coupons to make your checkout a little more pleasant. Hook yourself up with a Safeway Club Card and you’ll be wondering where all the extra money came from.
Everyone who’s been tight for money knows that being thrifty is more work. Everyone can be frugal; it just depends on the amount of effort you put into it.
Cooking at home takes more work, especially if nutrition is your goal. But if you’re out to decrease those dollars, you must be willing to endure. And when you’ve succeeded, you’ll be able to enjoy good health and financial stability.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Lauren Duncan at lauren.duncan@colorado.edu.
