How to Eat Healthy and Balanced on a Student’s Budget?
Eating a healthy and balanced diet is extremely important for college students. However, many students don’t have a great allowance or tuition to work with – this can lead to dietary issues. According to published research, 48% of college students experience food insecurity or the insecurity of when their next meal will come around.
Over 10% of college students go an entire day without eating, some for dietary, but others for budgetary reasons. Instead of losing weight and being chronically tired, here’s what you can do to eat a healthy and balanced diet on a student’s budget.
Plan Your Spending Ahead of Time
Whatever budget you have available for the month will have to help you eat well. To accomplish that, you’ll need to cut back on some expenses, such as parties or brand-new clothing you wanted to buy. There are plenty of great ways for you to spend as little as possible while still eating well.
Find the local farmer’s market in your area and organize your weekly budget around it. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables and start making small energy bowls, salads, and snacks. You can pack these with you to class or have a late-night snack without being worried about excessive calorie intake while also feeling filled up.
Avoid Takeout – Start Cooking
Cooking indoors can help you save a lot of money. You can cook meals for a day or two in advance as well, making it easier for you to focus on your writing assignments and lectures. When you’re too busy preparing food for the week to write essays, use Trusted Essay Reviews to get your papers written by a reliable professional. Avoid takeout not only because it’s more expensive but also because it’s less healthy than a home-cooked meal.
Keep Some Healthy Snacks Close By
There is a variety of healthy, affordable snacks which you can buy in bulk and then separate into smaller bite-sized treats. These will keep you energized during long study sessions or prolonged lectures, especially if you pull an all-nighter and end up hungry in the meantime. Here are only a few of the snacks you can try out:
- Nuts like almonds, peanuts, and sunflower seeds
- Fruit mixed with peanut butter
- Greek yogurt varieties
- Vegetables mixed with hummus
- Chia pudding
Check Out the University’s Cafeteria
Universities often come equipped with cafeterias where students can have a home-cooked meal. Depending on where you live, you may be able to get by with a student’s cafeteria in a very affordable way.
Make sure to inquire about your cafeteria options before spending too much money on cooking personally. You’ll not only live a healthy lifestyle and eat well but you’ll also meet new friends who can help you study or give you student survival tips from their own experiences.
Eating Well on a Student’s Budget
Trying to follow a healthy lifestyle on top of keeping track of your projects, exams, and papers can be daunting. Many students make ends meet by visiting their parents during weekends and taking some cooked meals back to the dorm.
If that’s not an option for you, don’t stress about it. You can create a balanced diet plan on a budget and still get all the energy you need to get things done on time as a college student.
Bio: Carl Hill is a professional content writer, email marketer, and lover of all things related to personal development. He is keen on learning more about writing for both general audiences and academic publications through his essays, case studies, and research papers. Carl spends his free time researching how we can improve his writing and up his game with every project he works on.
