Tips for Student Foodies

When you’re a foodie or generally quite health conscious, it can be hard to continue your lifestyle on a tight budget. Unfortunately, we live in a world where unhealthier options are generally cheaper and far more readily available than their healthy counterparts. However, during my time at university, I learnt some valuable lessons about being a foodie on a budget!

Shop smart!

Remember you’re shopping for one person! It can be easy to grab a large bag of carrots, for example, just because they are 70p from major supermarkets. However, it is likely that they will go bad before you use them all up. Therefore, it makes more sense to purchase produce from the loose section, selecting as many as you think you will use. This often proves cheaper as well because supermarkets generally price their loose produce by kilogram rather than per individual item meaning that loose produce appears more expensive than a pre-packaged bag of produce.

Make a list before you do your food shop…

It may seem obvious but making a shopping list before you go out to do your food shop is a great way of ensuring you don’t buy any unnecessary items. Having an idea of what you intend to cook for the week ahead and writing this down helps you to focus your shop on what you actually need.

Eat before you do your food shop…

Food shopping on an empty stomach, particularly when you are trying to sustain a healthy diet, can be a grave mistake. When you’re hungry, you’re more inclined to shop excessively which can lead to picking up unnecessary and potentially unhealthy items.

Shop Around!

There are some items, such as spices and seasonings, that are worth shopping around for. Supermarkets tend to sell spices and seasonings for £1 each in small glass jars. However, small Indian shops tend to sell these in larger quantities for the same price.

Equally, buying fresh produce can often be cheaper in stores like this and you will often find that small Indian and African shops carry certain types of produce that major supermarkets don’t. This is great if you’re looking for new ingredients to cook with or if you’re making culturally specific dishes. Look out for farmer’s markets too – universities often have fruit and vegetable stalls set up weekly on campus, and there are often similar stalls in town centres that you can buy produce from cheaply.

Bulk buying and wastage…

Supermarkets often sell larger portions of meat for cheaper than if you were to buy multiple packs of smaller portions. As a result, it can be more worthwhile to buy larger packs and freeze what you cannot use within the sell by date. The same can be done with items such as pita breads and tortillas. Just be mindful of the fact that different items have different timespans in which they can be kept in the freezer.

NUS cards and UNiDAYs

At £12 a year, a NUS card is a great investment for students – and not just for the food related benefits. Not only do they grant you student discounts in certain retail stores, you are also entitled to 10% off at Co-Op, which could save you money on your food shop.

Both NUS and UNiDAYs, a free form of student discount that works online or via their app, offer student discounts at a range of restaurants too. There are other discount code websites such as Voucher Codes and o2 Priority for (o2 customers) that don't require you to be a student that you can use in certain restaurants. Just be sure to check the terms and conditions of these offers because you will often find that they are only applicable during certain days of the week.

Loyalty cards and student days

Some food and drink establishments offer loyalty schemes and, even if you don’t go frequently to places that offer these schemes, it is worthwhile becoming a member and keeping a hold of these cards in your purse or wallet because you’ll never know when they can save you some money!

Also, some establishments, particularly in student towns, have specific days where they offer student discounts. For instance, my local burrito place always offered 30% off on Wednesdays provided you had student ID. And don’t be afraid to ask if they offer student discounts wherever you go – you’re a student so exploit it and it may save you some money!