Stretch Your Food Dollar: Back to School Bonanza
It’s back to school in many parts of the country. That means the disbursement of financial aid and that big spending spree that’s typical of the beginning of a new school year. Don’t go blowing your wad all in one fell swoop, or you’ll be eating ramen noodles all semester.
The first step to making your financial aid check last is to set a monthly budget for yourself. To figure out how much money you need to allocate for food, check out this helpful worksheet from the USDA. The next step is to stock your dorm room or apartment with healthy pantry staples, like dried pastas, beans, rice, and canned vegetables. You don’t have to have a lot of space to be able to keep a month’s worth of groceries on hand. Just be creative about where you stash things – like under the bed or in a cute trunk that you can decorate.
If you don’t have a lot of experience shopping and cooking for yourself, I recommend the book Everyday Pasta by Food Network’s Giada Di Laurentiis. The recipes are simple and delicious, and she has lots of great advice for keeping your pantry stocked with healthy, everyday items. You’ll probably be able to find a copy at your local library. Just be sure to cut the recipes in half if you’re only cooking for one or for two, because most of the recipes feed 4-6 people.
Food storage containers are are really good investment at the beginning of the school year. The ones they sell at Target or the grocery store usually come in a multi-pack, and they make storing leftovers really convenient. You can split things up into individual portions and then stick one or two in the freezer if you don’t want to eat the same thing multiple nights in a row.
A crock pot is another great investment, because you can put on a pot of beans, stew, or a casserole before you head out to class. There are entire cookbooks devoted to crock pot cooking – so look for them at your local library.
I also like cooking with my Foreman grill, because it doesn’t heat up the kitchen the way that the oven does. I’ve made stir fried veggies on the Foreman by cutting up vegetables like peppers, onions, and mushrooms in one-inch slices, marinating them in the terriyaki sauce that you can get at most grocery stores, and then cooking them on the grill until they are nice and tender. You could add some tofu or chicken for protein and serve this with rice. It’s such a simple thing to make – and you don’t even need a stove if you have a rice cooker.
The key to stretching your food dollar is to cook for yourself and plan ahead. Make a weekly meal plan, then do your shopping around the meal plan. Take into account your class schedule, when you work, and when you have a big assignment due or a test to take. By planning ahead, you can avoid that late night rush to the Taco Bell because you don’t feel like cooking. Pop one of your leftover containers in the microwave and you’re ready to eat.
Best of luck making your financial aid dollar last until the end of December, and good luck with all of your courses this semester!
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Small appliances do come in handy.
A $10 2 quart Crockpot from Wal-Mart with the removable liner….fill it the night before and put in the fridge then in the morning when you are in a hurry for class all you have to do is pull it out and drop in the base…just remember to plug it in..LOL!!
Though pricier than those you get in the store a Panasonic SR3NA model Rice Cooker $40 is best I’ve found usually nearer $60-$80 but well worth it. It cooks either 2 or 3 cups of rice…thats 2 or 3 cups cooked finished rice…enough for one person. And at roughly 6x8x6 inches in size very easy to store.
Another trick for it also is instead of rice you can hardboil 3 or 4 eggs in it..you just have to keep an eye on it as it won’t shut off automatically.
And if you go to an Oriental Restaurant Supply house you can pick up a small stack of those little stainless steel steamer trays they use to cook Dim Sum (don’t forget a lid) that will sit on top of the rice cooker insert. Fill insert with water…Instant mini steamer for veggies or whatever…again keep an eye on it as it won’t automatically shut off and you don’t want to burn it up.
Don’t forget a percolator….good for hot water or coffee making and of course a toaster oven…makes toast and can cook lots of things…biscuits, tater tots, pot pies…they even have one that will hold a small size pizza.
Though if you really think you can get away with it a portable induction cooktop…expensive but should meet fire codes for the dorms as they don’t heat up…only the pot on them does. Plugs into a regular outlet and they are around 12x15x2 inches in size.