If you’re a student looking for simple ways to stay on budget while grocery shopping you have come to the right place. Here is a list of budget-friendly shopping tips for students!
1. Meal plan & make a list
By planning meals, you can plan to have leftovers for lunch the next day or freeze leftovers for an easy and quick meal on another day. One benefit of meal planning is streamlining your shopping trip so you are sticking to only what is on your list to stay within budget. By planning your meals you are ensuring that all your food is going to be used and in turn, this will decrease food waste.
As a student I often find myself walking home from class at 5:30 feeling the stress of deciding what to make for dinner. By meal planning, I already know what I will be having to eat that day and I can ensure that all ingredients are in my pantry or fridge. Overall, meal planning helps prevent decision fatigue.
2. Package your own treats and snacks. Buy the large package of snacks and a box of baggies and make your own individually wrapped packages to grab on the run.
By grabbing snacks from home you can save money, you can choose what you want to eat, and ensure you are staying satisfied in between meals.
3. Use coupons and shop for what’s on sale!
Before going shopping you should take some time to look at the weekly flyers. This can benefit you by adding on-sale items to your meal plan or stocking up on your favourite items when they are on sale! I personally do this when my proteins are on sale. I individually bag chicken breasts and freeze them for easy access on a daily basis.
4. Shop seasonally.
When you buy fruits and veggies during their peak seasons, not only do they taste better, they are also cheaper! Who doesn’t love fresh strawberries and apples! To add, it is important you are storing your fruits and vegetables properly so they last longer, and you can limit the amount of waste.
5. Shop on student discount days.
Many grocery stores offer discounts for students on certain days by showing your student card! This is an easy way to save money and the money you are saving will add up quickly
6. Shop local.
A great option for produce is purchasing it at local markets. This always have very fresh inventory and often at a cheaper price than grocery stores. You can also feel good about supporting your local community!
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