Secrets to Grocery Shopping In College

Ellice Ellis ‘20 

Do you live to eat? Are you not yourself when you’re hungry? Or, maybe you’re just a college student who just moved off campus.

Either way you look at it, you are going to have to go grocery shopping to cure your ‘hanger’. Eating out, ordering UberEats, or bumming food off of your friends all the time can become expensive and pretty annoying.

Cooking for yourself is the best way to save money and it is a great life skill. Before you do that, however, there is one important step that must be done: grocery shopping.

Before you start grocery shopping, you must make a list, look up some potential recipes, and set a budget. Start to think about meals you plan to prepare and whether you can utilize similar ingredients across meals. Next, take the ingredients you need to make your meals and write them in a list - it’s that simple.

Meal planning and making a grocery list go hand-in-hand. This way you minimize food waste and get the most bang for your buck.

Make this magical list on a piece of paper or in the Notes app on your iPhone and stick to it. Without this you will wander through Trader Joe’s in the Village, buying on impulse and spending a ridiculous amount of money.

You have your list and budget, but before you go: make sure you’re shopping on a full stomach. Never, ever, go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. You’ll end up with a basket of junk and you’ll be extremely impulsive when walking through the aisles. A full stomach will ensure you’re buying only what you need and making rational decisions.

Now you’ve arrived with your list and full stomach. Start to scan the aisles to get a feel for the store, this will help you if you ever need to make a quick run to Ralphs at 11pm.

Compare prices of everything you buy. Look at different varieties of meats, fruits, etc., and compare various brands (i.e. store brand versus others). Many times seasonal fruits are cheapest, and the store brand of tomato sauce is no different ingredient-wise than Preggos or Newman’s Own.

Something that always helped me was to call my parents and ask which brands they get at home. My mom knows all my eating habits and pet peeves and is great at helping me make informed shopping decisions.

When shopping on a budget, don’t be afraid to go frozen. There is a big push to buy fresh rather than frozen. Fresh food is healthier and more nutritious, but as college students, we have to be realistic. After my three-hour lecture at 6pm, I do not have the patience to cook for an hour, so I always throw in some some frozen meals and staples. Frozen rice and pre-seasoned veggies are great staples to make a quick fried rice. I also buy two packs of veggie chicken nuggets for a quick lunch between classes.

When you go down the frozen food aisle, you’ll see there is a lot of variety. From pastas and stir-fries to burgers and fries, there is enough there that you’ll never get bored.

Now you’ve finished shopping and are ready to check out. Rescan your cart to make sure you have everything you need. If you bought items to put in the oven or cook on the stovetop, you might need cooking oil, cooking spray, or aluminum foil. Make sure you have all of the necessary utensils at the time of purchase, so you’re not wasting food because you can’t prepare it correctly.

Don’t neglect seasonings either. You don’t want to become the laughing stock of your friends because you serve dry chicken and plain pasta.

So it’s been a few weeks, you’ve made some great meals, and saved money on eating out. Remember to keep your pantry and fridge relatively organized. Try to keep stuff you use often near the edges of the shelves for easy access. Also, go through your fridge and pantry often for new ideas on what to cook and to make sure you’re not buying things you already have.

These are just a few tips to help college grocery shopping. #Adulting can seem stressful and scary but in actuality it can be relatively easy if you have good planning skills.

Once you grocery shop a few times, you will learn what your favorite meals are and you’ll familiarize yourself with the store. Learning to shop for groceries is a great life skill to start practicing now so you’ll have it when you’re in the ‘real world.’

Good luck!

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