The Rebel Chick

  • Food
  • Recipe Index
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • About
  • Home
  • Parenting
  • Shopping
  • Style
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Beauty
  • Entertainment
  • Shopping
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipe Index
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Entertainment
    • Shopping
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • 5 $35 And Under Mother's Day Wellness Gift Ideas
      5 $35 And Under Mother's Day Wellness Gift Ideas
    • sedona rockface
      Where to Travel in May 2025
    • Educational Travel Destinations for Families
      Educational Travel Destinations for Families
    • 10 Favorite Red White and Blue Recipes for Summer
      10 Favorite Red White and Blue Recipes for Summer
    • Barbecue Chicken Flatbread
      Barbecue Chicken Flatbread
    • 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
      3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
    • Zucchini Ground Beef Casserole topped with melted cheese
      Zucchini Ground Beef Casserole
    • Mediterranean Flatbread
      Mediterranean Flatbread
    • The Best Gifts for Pet Lovers for National Pet Parents Day
    • two hikers throwing their walking sticks into the air in front of mountains
      Why Hiking Is the Perfect Stress Relief Getaway
    • Organic Body Care being used on hands
      5 Everyday Rituals Made Better with Organic Body Care
    • What Healthy People Do Differently and How to Make It Work for You
    Home » Parenting

    Grocery Tips for College Students

    Published: May 22, 2023 · Modified: May 22, 2023 by Jennifer · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    It is not uncommon for students to head off to college without knowing very much about how to cook or even how to effectively shop for groceries, so check out these Grocery Tips for College Students.

    young woman holding a bag of groceries

    Grocery Tips for College Students

    If you are on the campus meal plan, you are set. However, if you are living off campus and feeding yourself, or even if you like to keep a little food in the dorm for snacks, there are a few tips that can make all of this go much more smoothly.

    Make a Budget for Groceries and Stick to it

    Do you have a budget? If not, you should. A budget is critical for knowing how much money you can spend each week or so on groceries and on anything else. You can find plenty of information online about how to make a budget, but you need to figure out how much money you have for the semester and divide that by the number of months or weeks it needs to last.

    Account for fixed expenses like rent, and this lets you know how much you have left to spend on things like grocery money. If you get a credit card, you'll give yourself a little more wiggle room although you should strive to pay off your balance each month or at least as quickly as possible.

    A credit card can be a great way to start building a credit record. It can also be helpful in emergencies. You can read more about how to choose the right credit card for yourself.

    Know Your Eating Habits and Plan Accordingly

    Be realistic about what you eat. In other words, you might be basing your grocery list on what your family had around or what you imagine that you might eat. But if you fill your fridge with salad ingredients that go bad before you ever get around to making a salad and end up buying a lot of fast food instead, you are just wasting money.

    college student kitchen table filled with homework and cereal and an orange

    Think about what kinds of things you normally eat, maybe it's things like sandwiches, cereal, and fruit. For now, don't worry about what you can and can't cook. Just make a list of some of the most common foods and meals that you enjoy eating.

    Learn a Few Recipes

    Look over the list you've made. Chances are, there are some things on there that involve actual cooking. If you can teach yourself two or three recipes, you're making great progress. If you can learn to make spaghetti sauce, burgers, and chili, you've already got a week of dinners as long as you make some extras.

    What is important here is understanding that learning to cook doesn't mean you have to begin with the intricate foundations that a professional chef would need. Getting two or three basic recipes under your belt can feed you and others for a long time.

    college student dorm room desk

    Learn to Make a Few Really Simple Meals

    Outside of the handful of recipes that you start out with, there's a lot of variation in what you can eat. Frozen fruit and vegetables retain most of their nutrient, so don't feel like you're slacking if you fall back on these.

    Baked potatoes require just enough expertise to turn on the oven. If you do not want to do even that much, fill your fridge with fruit, vegetables, dips, nuts, and sandwich material.

    Check out these EASY dinner ideas for a few recipes to get you started!

    • Broccoli Rice and Cheese Chicken Casserole
      Broccoli Rice and Cheese Chicken Casserole
    • Taco Ring Crescent Roll
      Taco Ring Crescent Roll
    • Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
      Family Dinner Favorite Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
    • Chicken Stuffed Peppers
      Chicken Stuffed Peppers

    More Parenting

    • Peg Perego Primo Viaggio All in One Car Seat
      We love the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio All in One Car Seat
    • What Features Should You Look for in a Comfortable Maternity Pillow
      Features Should You Look for in a Comfortable Maternity Pillow
    • Snuggle Up with Shnuggle’s Baby Must-Haves Baby Products
      Snuggle Up with Shnuggle’s Baby Must-Haves Baby Products
    • The Best Sustainable Safe Gifts For Babies And Toddlers
      The Best Sustainable Safe Gifts For Babies And Toddlers

    About Jennifer

    Jennifer, AKA "The Rebel Chick," is a 40-something Gen Xer who strives to help her readers live their best lives possible with easy recipes, travel inspiration and lifestyle tips!

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Hi, I'm Jennifer! I'm a Miami native and I love sharing easy dinner recipes, baking recipes, travel ideas and general Miami Lifestyle fun! Follow along for inspiration on how to make the most of your life!

    More about me →

    Recent Popular Recipes

    • Applesauce Coffee Cake
    • close up of Carrot and Zucchini Muffins in a white bowl
    • Easter Cheese Ball
    • White Chocolate Easter Bark

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Media Kit

    The Rebel Chick is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Share-a-Sale, Commission Junction, Rakuten and LinkShare; affiliate advertising programs designed to allow me to earn advertising fees by advertising these affiliate links.