When I began college, I no longer had the luxury of receiving free lunch from school - and spending money on food on campus began adding up. This gave me no choice but to pack my own meals. Through trial and error, I learned how to shop and pack my food so that it would last me a long time. Hopefully these tips will also help you save money!
Make sure you plan
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Planning will be your best friend, do not just wing it when it comes to shopping for your food because you will either run out or spend money on food you do not need. It will also allow the cooking and prepping to go smoother if you know what you are looking for from the start.
Have an idea of the meals you want to eat for the week
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Shopping will be a lot easier if you know what meals you want to eat for the week/weeks. Make sure to look up ingredients beforehand and write out a shopping list so that you can stay on track.
Incorporate snacks
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Snacks are just as important as meals because they keep your stomach tame throughout the day. Rather than eating your dinner earlier than you planned to because you are starving, snacks allow you to hold on a little longer. I recommend fruits, healthy chips, granola bars and crackers.
Buildup a pantry
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Building up a pantry allows you to purchase less food when you shop and therefore save money. Having basic spices and carbohydrates such as rice and pasta in stock will make shopping cheaper and creating meals each week easier.
Create a budget
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Creating a budget allows you to not overspend and even allows you to have days when you can eat out without feeling so guilty.
There you have it!
