Almost every college student runs into money problems at some point in their college career. Spending money on food could be an area where you can find ways to save, so you can spend  more money on other fun activities or clothes! If you've got a meal plan that's just not cutting it for you, you might think about adjusting your eating and grocery shopping habits with these helpful tips!

1. Plan your meals. 

If you're running on a tight budget, and have any hope of sticking to it, you need to plan ahead. Plan what you're going to eat every week ahead of time, not on-the-spot when you're more like to impulse-buy unneeded food. One thing you could do is download and print a meal planner template. They're everywhere online and more often than not free! This is just one site that has a cute meal planner printable! : http://www.athriftymrs.com/2013/06/free-meal-plan-...

2. Eat and cook what's in season. 

On the track of planning your meals, plan them with ingredients that are in season. Don't try to buy berries in winter, when they're at their most expensive! 

Here's a link that will help you figure out what's in season and cheapest:

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/what-fr...  

3. Buy in bulk. 

I'm not just talking about a Costco card, though that would definitely come in handy if you've got one. If you know you eat a lot of rice for example, go for the bulk containers at the grocery store. Personally, I eat a lot of quinoa, and it's much, much cheaper to buy them from the bulk bins than the tiny little boxes of pre-washed brands, which also add to the expense (on that note, pre-washed produce like spinach is often more expensive--don't be lazy! Wash it yourself and save money, it all adds up!). 

4. Use coupons and/or buy what's on sale. 

No one wants to be that person who goes to the store with a million paper coupons, but hey, if you're dedicated, desperate, or reeeally running low on funds, this could make the difference for you! Note: don't buy things you don't need or won't eat just because it's on sale. It will just sit around, take up space, go bad, and waste your money! 

5. Know what the cheapest meals are. 

Don't expect to be eating exotic homemade wonders every day if you're hurting for cash. Think about what's cheapest to eat and find ways to make it more interesting. Some examples: 

• Oatmeal. Super cheap, easily available in bulk, easy to customize and make different every time you have it. You can make oatmeal with raisins, nuts, sugar, maple syrup, chocolate, peanut butter, or any fruit. Also, you can make oatmeal for dinner if you chose--just make with water and add vegetables and seasonings like you would rice!
• Grains + vegetables. These are two cheap things you can combine to make numerous inexpensive meals. With a handful of basic seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, etc.) you can try many variations. Some examples of grains are white rice, brown rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, wheat berry, or quinoa.
• Pasta. Not exactly the healthiest option, but cheap, easy, and also something you can vary without getting too tired of.
• Salads and sandwiches. Pretty self-explanatory, but one note: freezing your bread makes it last longer, if you are afraid you don't eat sandwiches enough before the bread goes bad!

6. Create a budget and stick to it. 

This means actually picking a number, committing to it, and tracking everything you spend. Whether that means printing out a budget planning sheet and carrying it with you or sticking it in your preexisting planner (if you have one and actually use it), or using an app on your phone or computer, make sure you deduct every dime you spend on food from this budget and keep it updated! Personally, I use Evernote, and whenever I go to the store, look at my receipts and deduct that amount from my running budget on a note that syncs with all my devices. It's easy, quick, and makes it so that I know I'm know where I'm at with my spending! 

Living cheaply in college doesn't have to be difficult. These are just a few ways in which you can save money. There are countless articles out there that help you to save money, and not just in grocery shopping, but in shopping for clothes, textbooks, makeup and much more. If you prefer to spend more money on shoes than food, you do you--but make sure you have a game plan before you hit the stores!