We’ve created a grocery list for college students so it’s one less thing for you to worry about.
If you're headed to college, it could be the first time you have to fend for yourself. Studying is one thing – but making your own meals? Where do you even start? It's a big step into the real world.
When you're trying to balance assignments, finals and socializing, it's easy for your healthy eating habits to slip to one side. And that's without thinking about how much it all costs. Education Data states that the average monthly cost of groceries for a college student is $250. And when you're trying to stay somewhat healthy, it can be even more of a stretch to your budget.
Something as essential as grocery shopping shouldn’t be stressing you out, so we’ve created a college grocery list so you’re able to shop without impulsive spending and headaches.
- College grocery listProteinCanned goodsFreshDairy & AlternativesCondiments & Pantry EssentialsFrozen
- Protein
- Canned goods
- Dairy & Alternatives
- Condiments & Pantry Essentials
- Frozen
- How to grocery shop on a budget
College grocery list
To start your grocery list, just write down everything you usually buy. Then, group those items logically — it'll make your trips through the store aisles way faster.
A super helpful tip is to keep a running list on your phone so you can immediately add anything that runs out during the week. That way, you won't forget it!
Here are the main categories you should think about for organizing your stuff and examples of what you should buy.
Don’t forget to sign up to Student Beans to unlock hundreds of food and drink student discounts to make college life that bit more affordable.
Protein is a really essential nutrient for focus and to keep you on the right track when you're studying.
Meat is often the most expensive item on your shopping list, but with so many fantastic meat alternatives available today, you can easily make plant-based options the highlight of your meal — even if you’re not a vegetarian or vegan!
If you're trying to keep costs down, try and keep your meat consumption to one or two meals a week instead of every day.
Some protein essentials to add to your college grocery list include:
We're not talking survivalist, end-of-the-world kind of shopping — but don't sleep on the canned goods section of the grocery store.
Canned food equals less food waste; they won't go bad sitting in your cupboard. Plus you can get a range of food that is both healthy and delicious to add to your meals.
Add these canned goods to your college grocery list:
Fresh
Buying fresh produce is likely where you'll find most food waste, as food can go bad sitting on your counter or in the refrigerator.
But a good way to reduce waste is buying in-season products or ones with a longer shelf life. You can also buy a lot of frozen fruit and vegetables too, so that's always an option if you don't want to risk it.
Someone once said that you never know luxury until you've had to buy cheese. That someone was me.
Dairy can be expensive, but luckily you don't have to buy cheese every day.
These are the things that you probably use every day when you're cooking and don't even realise. They can be expensive to buy upfront but the good news is that they'll last a long time.
- Olive oil
- Salt/pepper/spices
- Pasta sauces
- Dried pasta
- Frozen fruit and vegetables
- French fries, pizza, quick snacks
- Chopped onion/garlic
1. Choose store brand over name brand
Starting with the obvious choice, if you buy a name brand, you'll probably pay a premium for it. Store brands are often a FRACTION of the cost, with little to no difference in the quality of what you're buying. So check to make sure you're buying store brand items, as even if it's a few dollars difference, it'll soon add up.
2. Write a list
You have no excuse now with our sample grocery list we've shared above. Writing a list (and sticking to it) means you'll be able to go into the grocery store with purpose and direction. No more pacing the aisles – you've got this.
3. Don't shop when you're hungry
It's amazing how delicious everything looks when your belly is growling. Make sure you have a meal before you head out to the grocery store. This way you won't be tempted by your stomach talking to you.
4. Bulk meal prep
A lot of meat can be cheaper if you buy a larger cut. So why not make a portion to serve 6 or 8 – then you can either eat it throughout the week or freeze individual portions. As a bonus, this also takes some of the legwork out of deciding what to make for dinner.
5. Look for in season produce
Most grocery stores will have cheaper prices for fruit and vegetables when they're in season. So when you're making a meal plan, it's worth having a look at somewhere like this in-season produce checker. You can enter in your state and it'll tell you what's in season near you.
6. Buy in bulk
You'll find this for grains in particular, but buying in bulk can really help you save money. Look for pasta, rice and oats in large bags. The upfront cost will be more but you'll be able to spread it over a longer period of time.
Now that you’ve nailed your college grocery shopping list, check out the ultimate college shopping list to know what to bring to campus.
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