Photo Credit: Ohio University

Courtesy of Dr. Thomas Stevenson, Professor of Human and Consumer Sciences at Ohio University in The Gladys W. & David H. Patton College of Education

These tips are designed for college students looking to find affordable ways to cook meals. The goal is to encourage confidence, budgeting and flexibility through adapting common recipes and cooking practices for the busy college student. 

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​Smart Grocery Shopping Tips ​

• Plan 3-5 simple meals before shopping 
• ​Set a grocery budget before entering the store 
• ​Shop with a list and avoid impulse purchases
• Choose store brands when possible 
• ​Use frozen fruits and vegetables to save money and reduce waste 
• Compare unit prices (per ounce or pound) 
• Avoid shopping while hungry 
• Use leftovers creatively 

Common Budget-Friendly Substitutions 

• Frozen vegetables over fresh vegetables 
• Chicken thighs or drumsticks over chicken breast
• ​Ground turkey or beans/lentils over ground beef 
• Dried herbs over fresh herbs 
• ​Milk and a small amount of butter over heavy cream 
• Whole produce over pre-cut produce 
• Bouillon cubes or powder over boxed broth 

Budget-Friendly Substitutions by Recipe

Pasta with Sauce 

• Store- brand pasta over name-brand
• Basic marinara and spices over jarred specialty sauce
• ​Dried Italian seasoning over fresh herbs

Stir-Fry 

• Frozen stir-fry vegetable mix over fresh vegetables 
• Chicken thighs or tofu over beef or shrimp 
• Soy sauce, garlic and oil over bottled stir-fry sauce 

Tacos/Burrito Bowls 

• Ground turkey or seasonal beans over ground beef 
• Block cheese, self shredded over pre-shredded cheese
• Dry rice cooked at home over packaged rice 

Breakfast Scramble 

• Eggs and potatoes over breakfast sausage
• Frozen peppers and onions over fresh vegetables
• Large tub of yogurt over individual yogurt cups   

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Soup or Chili 

• Bouillon cubes and water over boxed broth
• Beans or lentils over multiple meats  
• Frozen or canned vegetables over fresh vegetables