Buying healthy and cheap food can be really difficult. Especially during college when you have very little time, and probably a very tiny refrigerator.

We’ve all heard of the terrible Freshman Fifteen, and while we try to avoid it, we just can’t figure out how to make it work with our space and schedules.  I fell into this trap, and ended up gaining a total of about 40 lbs during my 4 years of college.  Luckily,  I’ve managed to lose all of that weight in the past year.  It’s definitely best if you never let yourself get in a situation like that.  The good news?

It’s possible to eat healthy and still be frugal.

These foods are all pretty fast, cheap, and easy:

• Tuna – It has a lot of protein, it’s fairly cheap, and all you need is a can opener.  If you don’t like it by itself, try mixing in some mustard or a little salad dressing.
• Eggs – During college I discovered that you can make scrambled eggs in the microwave.  It’s very easy and very fast.  They’ll cook in about 1 min, just be careful not to cook them for too long!  Hard boiled eggs are also easy, and make for fast breakfasts.  Just make a bunch and keep them in your fridge.
• Vegetables – I prefer fresh vegetables, but if you don’t have space in your refrigerator you can always go with frozen or canned.  All are fairly inexpensive.
• Potatoes, Rice, and Bread –It’s a good idea to go for brown rice and whole grain breads when buying these things.  Otherwise a bag of potatoes is really cheap, and you can easily microwave it for a quick baked potato.  Just don’t forget to poke it with a fork or knife first or it could explode.
•  Oatmeal- If you like oatmeal, then you’re in luck.  A large tub of plain quick cooking oats is really cheap, and super easy to make.  Add some fruit for better flavor.
• Bananas and Oranges – Both of these fruits are fairly cheap, and you can easily just bring them to class with you.
• Dairy Products – While dairy products aren’t that cheap, they are good for you, and they are affordable in moderation.  I always keep skim milk on hand, and occasionally some yogurt.
• Cereal – Cereal can be fairly cheap, and is pretty healthy as long as you don’t get the really sugary stuff.

What else can you do to save?

• Stop drinking soda. Water is the healthiest and cheapest way to go. Buy yourself a water bottle that you can refill.
• Stop eating out.  Not only is it bad for your waistline, but for your wallet too.  When it comes to getting fast food or delivery, just say no!
  
• Learn to cook.  Once you get out of dorms and get more space, this will be a huge money saver!  Keep an eye out for some good healthy recipes from yours truly.
• Be an example.  Help reinforce good habits for your friends.  Don’t give in when they want to go spend money.  This brings up an important point…

Dealing with the peer pressure of spending is probably the most difficult thing to deal with in college.

My friends were always shopping.  If not that, then they were going out or ordering delivery.  This is a bad habit to get into.  Don’t let yourself fall into it.  I am definitely going to write on the peer pressures of spending for later.  I think it deserves an entire post!

So, back on topic now.  What do you do to eat healthy?  If you have a favorite recipe or idea for cheap and healthy meals, share it with us!

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Photo credit: Gullig