Starting a new semester and going back to uni means you’ll need to start thinking about cooking for yourself again. This can be quite a change, especially if you’re a first-year student who’s been living at home so far.
In today’s world we lead busy lifestyles, often multitasking and managing our diaries can take ultimate life admin skills. Whilst we are running from one item to another on our to-do list it can be easy to reach for cheap, unhealthy snacks when hungry, which can add to fatigue after a long day or week. Healthy eating not only helps your body but it also impacts your wellbeing. Here are the top five tips on how you can eat healthy easily and on a budget.
Plan ahead
That old phrase ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ is 100% true of healthy eating. Creating a healthy meal can be easy but if it involves last minute decisions and buying specific ingredients for a dish, you are more likely to grab an easy ready meal. Best plan is to create a weekly menu and then buy ingredients in a weekly shop. This way saves both time and money, as you won’t be tempted by additional items which can easily happen when you are shopping when hungry.
Do batch cooking
The ultimate healthy eating life hack. A couple of hours invested one day will make your life easier throughout the week. Make sure you store your cooking in microwavable containers and dish them up into right sized portions. This way you’ll be ready to roll for the week. A massive trend on social media, with whole accounts dedicated to batch cooking, it’s officially cool to be organised. Healthy meals in minutes, you can’t ask for more than that!
Be careful of famous brands
Whilst we may love our brands, they can be a killer for a shopping budget. Luckily there are a lot of supermarkets’ own brands which provide quality goods for a lower cost. With cupboard items such as sauces, pasta and cereals supermarkets’ own brands can taste very similar without the higher price tag. So think about which items in your cupboard you can swap next time you stock up on the basics.
Every discount helps
A love-hate relationship, we love discounts but hate the paper vouchers and keeping track of when they run out. Luckily there are now apps where you can input all your store loyalty card details, which means you can get savings at the tap of a button. Stick with it, and if you use them well, vouchers and discounts can end up saving you a small fortune over the year.
Seasonal shopping
This one may sound simple but can be a game-changer, especially for fresh fruit and vegetables. Supermarkets and local greengrocers will often price in-season items at a lower cost. Plus, it’s worth noting local market days in your local area as there may be greengrocer stalls which have one-day offers for in-season items.
So there you go, some helpful tips on how to eat healthy food without spending all your money. Within a month you will start to see the benefits of healthy eating, saving time and money, and leading a healthier lifestyle.
Whether you like to cook by yourself in a studio apartment or with flatmates in shared accommodation, you can find a student home that’s suitable for you right here on Student.com. Just check out our great student accommodation listings!
