So, we’ve all heard of the Freshman Fifteen. Most of us even have experienced it. But let’s be frank: it’s your junior year and you’re still holding onto those extra few pounds. What’s your excuse? Many students say that they simply can’t afford to eat healthy while on a college student budget. But the truth: you can! Here are some tips that can help you achieve that Spring Break bod.

 Buy the basics. Unfortunately for you, ramen is not in any of the major food groups. Fruits, veggies, grains, protein and dairy are the essential food groups that you need to incorporate into your diet. It’s common knowledge that no single food contains all the needed nutrients for a healthy diet, so that’s why you need to eat a balanced diet! It is not necessary to achieve balance within each meal, but it is important to achieve balance within a day or week. 

Lists are cool. It’s crucial that you make a list of what you need before heading to the grocery store. Once inside the store, stick to the list to avoid buying items that you don’t need (namely, those few extra pints of mint chocolate chip ice-cream by the checkout.) Using a list at the store can help you stick to your budget and avoid impulse buys. 

Meal plan like mom. If your mom was anything like mine, she planned meals for the week (sometimes even the month). But don’t be intimated, meal planning is actually pretty easy! First, look through your cabinets, fridge and freezer to take into account what you already have. Brainstorm how you could utilize these items for the week. Second, write down the meals that you’d like to make using these items. Need help with recipes/meal ideas? There are tons of sites that are great for finding healthy, simple, easy-to-make meals (I use Pinterest and the Foodnetwork.com). Third, write on your shopping list the items that you’ll need to buy to make these meals. 

Have a snack! Grocery shopping while you’re hungry is one of the worst things you can do. If you’re starving, you’re more likely to succumb to impulse buys and junk food cravings. It’s easier to stay focused and stick to the list when you have a full tummy! 

This isn’t "Extreme Couponing". Be careful of falling for amazing sales or coupons. Stick to your list and don’t buy an item just because it’s on sale. Often times the off-brand item is less expensive than the name brand item with the coupon, so take a moment to compare the two to ensure that you’re getting the best price.

The “Nutrition Facts” label is there for a reason. You want peanut better, for example. There are over a dozen different kinds to choose from. Start with the lowest in price and compare the different brands, paying special attention to the “Total Fat”, “Cholesterol” and Sodium” sections on the nutrition label. 

“Dollar Menu” Deception. Everyone has done it. You’ve ordered off the Dollar Menu from McDonalds. Sure, Micky D’s is cheap, which fits the student budget, but it certainly isn’t good for you. Fast food is incredibly high in fat and salt. A January 2004 study commissioned by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute followed young adults who ate fast food over a period of 15 years. The participants who ate fast food over two times each week gained 10 more pounds and had higher insulin resistance than those who ate fast food less than one time per week. Need I say more? 

Storage containers? USE THEM. Immediately after you get home from the store, wash and cut up all the fruits and veggies you bought and put them in storage containers (preferably clear, so you can see it in the fridge). This does two things: when you’re hungry and scrounging through the fridge, seeing the container of ready-to-eat food will increase your chances of choosing that over something non-prep and unhealthy. Also, storage containers help you preserve your food longer! 

Shop for less, more often. If you can, hit the grocery store every week instead of twice a month. This will help you spend less and buy less. 

The freezer is your friend. Note: this does not include microwave meals! The freezer can help you keep perishable foods like fruit and meat for longer periods of time. This will cut down on the amount of food that you throw away (thus, more money saved!). For example, ever feel like you can’t eat fruit fast enough because it rots before you want to eat it? I like to freeze my fruit and make fruit smoothies as a yummy breakfast alternative!  



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