Ramen is no longer college students’ only option for food

Another school year begins at Fairfield and with it comes a new set of issues for each student to tackle. For me, one issue has come to the forefront and it’s not roommates (love my girls) or housing (what could be better than living at the beach?). My issue this year is food and trying not to blow all my money on it. During my first few weeks back at school I’ve come up with a few ways to keep a food budget and hopefully some of these tips will be helpful to my fellow off-campus students. After all, you can’t live off Ramen and McDonald’s alone.

• $Check your Stagbucks. I was surprised to find out I had $40 left on my card from sophomore year. That should get me at least two sandwiches at the Stag, and possibly a bag of chips.
• $Think ahead. If you decide when you wake up that you’re going to want chicken for dinner, take it out of the freezer. That saves you from coming home at 7:00 p.m. after four classes and having no other option than take-out.
• $Ah, take-out. Friday has been unofficially declared “take-out night” at my house. The key is limiting it. Getting Joe’s or La Salsa one or two nights a week is a treat; five or more nights a week is just lazy.
• $Buy in bulk. Costco can be a God-send. I have enough Cheerios and Gatorade to feed a small army.
• $Learn to cook! I was set against cooking for the first 20 years of my life. However, now that I don’t have Mommy or the cafeteria to cook for me anymore, I’m slowly bringing cooking into my life. I may have only mastered quesadillas and stir-fry, but anything is a start.
• $Don’t always cook alone. Making one dinner for five people is cheaper than making five individual meals. You’ve got housemates, so share the burden.
• $Learn the wonder of the generic brands. I’ve gone from shopping at butchers for prepared food to buying Stop ‘ Shop pasta and steak. Stop ‘ Shop brand may not be gourmet, but it’s more than edible.
• $For those of us who are 21 and older, you have to budget alcohol as well. When my heart says Michelob and my wallet says Nattie Light, I buy Bud Light… although I’m sure I’ll be buying Stones soon enough.

So there it is. I’m not saying that you’re going to save loads of money, because, after all, college students still have to eat. But there are ways to eat cheap and eat well. If anyone comes up with any more tips let me know, because that summer income only goes so far.