How To Shop Smart At Uni

With a little creativity and effort, you could be feasting like a king at uni. Alright, maybe not a king. But at least you won’t have to fall prey to the cliché of baked beans on toast.

Here’s how to shop smart as a student.

Keep it simple

No, this doesn’t mean stock up on beans and pot noodles. Keep it simple but nutritious. Buy basic, staple, ingredients that will work out cheaper and healthier than packaged or processed foods.

Shopping by food groups will help ensure you’re stocked up on the good stuff. E.g. fruits, vegetables, breads and grains, meat and protein.

Shop around

Don’t just go to one supermarket and buy everything in one go because it’s easier. Compare prices and have a good nosy at what other options you have. You may find fresh fruit, vegetables and fish etc. are cheaper in the market, whereas tinned food is cheaper in store.

Make a list and stick to it

Whenever you pop out for your weekly shop, ensure you’ve got a list and don’t stray from it. Only go down aisles that have food on your list. Avoid getting into spending traps where you come out with a bag of sweets, variety pack of crisps and some muffins just because they were on offer.

Check out the reduced isle

Probably every supermarket has this isle now and it’s pretty awesome. You can find plenty of ingredients here and for a much cheaper price. Don’t be put off by the sell-by date as you can always cook your food and freeze it.

Which leads us onto the next point of…

Meal prep

Cook all your dinners for the week on a Sunday, stick them in containers and freeze. Making batches this way will help ensure you’re keeping a healthy diet. You’ll also save money as you won’t be tempted to order a take-away when you’ve got food ready to go in the freezer.

Shopping solo and learning to cook for yourself is all part of the great uni adventure. Embrace it and use this time to get shopping savvy.

Haleema Khokhar also known as Kimi (a college nickname that stayed) is a journalism graduate working in the world of marketing and freelance writing. She loves animals, dance and a strong cup of tea. Check out her website and Twitter at @MyImpression_ you can also check out her personal Twitter at @KimiKhokhar 

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