Saving $ while shopping at Trader Joe's...

**kork13** · 11-20-2010, 05:07 PM

What is your weekend schedule like? If you were to spend one afternoon per week cooking, you could pre-cook an entire week's worth of meals and have them ready for you anytime. Sure, it would essentially be like having leftovers every day of the week, but then I've never known a college student (myself included) who was terribly opposed to this... Also, by cooking all of your own meals, they would almost assuredly be far, FAR more healthy for you than whatever you may be getting from the fast food restaurants, and you would spend much less money on feeding yourself as well.

I'm about 2.5 years out of college myself, but in many ways still live very much like a college student. I currently spend about $200/mo on groceries for myself. While I was living in Oklahoma (much lower cost of living) for about 9 months, it was closer to $150/mo.

I would recommend doing most of your cooking on one weekend afternoon. Cook enough for 5-6 dinners (maybe 2 different meals, enough for 3 servings each), and refrigerate what you don't eat that night. Then during the week, you'll have a meal ready for you when you finish classes. Plus, keep a small stock of foods that are quick to make (pasta, soup, rice, frozen pizza, etc.) that can supplement your pre-made meals. And if eating out is often a social event in your group of friends, you don't have to entirely cut out restaurants. But doing it this way can make the rest of your dinners simpler, cheaper, and healthier.

**fiscallyprudent** · 11-20-2010, 11:59 PM

Mar_Mar, that's a great question and I can somewhat relate to you. I got out of college in 2005 and vividly remember the busy schedules, having to work, go to class and set aside time to study. I also ate out more than I can remember.

I don't know what your living arrangements are - whether you're in a house or apartment, living by yourself or with roommates, but these can have a lot to do with how you plan your spending on food.

I'd start by buying a small grill, if you don't have one. You may be able to find one on Craigslist for $25. Most meats cook fairly quickly. Cooking vegatables on the grill would complement your choice of meat and be a very healthy choice. Also I'd recommend learning how to make some salads. Costco or Sam's club sell whole rotisserie chickens for $5.00. Once a week, grab one of those.

I do understand your desire to shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes and these are great places to stop by and grab few things, but if you plan to cook at home and do your weekly shopping at such stores, you may realize that you need a second job. Meats, especially are priced a lot higher at both WF and TJ.

My recommendation would be to identify the larger, more conventional grocery stores in your area and shop once a week. Plan your grocery store visit by checking out the weekly sales of each (on the web) and grab only the items that are priced competitively. If you have to stop at 2-3 stores to get your weekly supply of food, I'd recommend that as well.

I hope these ideas help.

**Jeff78703** · 11-23-2010, 09:12 AM

Big Dishes

I think you can eat healthy and affordable by just making really big dishes that last for a while. While in college I would spend $10-$20 on dishes like the ones below that would be nutrition and healthy:

- White bean & kale soup
- Chili
- Anything with lentils - lentils cook quickly, are high in protein and with the right spices you can make a huge variety
- Split pea soup - high in protein and fiber

By focusing on big dishes like that you can save time and have your money go further. As for lunch, try just buying a bunch of lettuce, carrots, some nuts (they are expensive) and eggs and making your own salads for lunch. You can incorporate other ingredients as well...

Saving $ while shopping at Trader Joe's...