College can feel stressful and overwhelming at times which can make dining out or ordering food appealing and convenient; however, the cost can add up! Check out the cost of homecooked meals versus their counterparts at various restaurants for examples, along with tips and ideas for how to save money by making your own food.
With chicken, rice noodles, bean sprouts, carrots, and peanut sauce – Makes 4 servings
| Tai’s Asian Bistro | Home | |
| Cost per Recipe | $10.95 | $14.48 |
| Cost per Serving | $5.48 | $3.62 |
With breaded chicken, marina sauce, chickpeas, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, tomato, and parmesan cheese – Makes 5 servings
| Piada | Home | |
| Cost per Recipe | $9 | $14.13 |
| Cost per Serving | $4.50 | $3.68 |
Using frozen grilled chicken, canned black beans, mild salsa, cheese, fajita veggies, and guacamole – Makes 2 servings
| Chipotle | Home | |
| Cost per Recipe | $9.60 | $6.23 |
| Cost per Serving | $4.80 | $3.11 |
Using a crust mix, stewed tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, and oregano – Makes 4 servings
| Donatos | Home | |
| Cost per Recipe | $5.29 | $2.93 |
| Cost per Serving | $5.29 | $0.73 |
With white rice, soy-seasoned tofu, fried egg, kale, carrots, cucumber, green onions, chili garlic sauce, and kimchi – Makes 2 servings
| Bibibop | Home | |
| Cost per Recipe | $8.29 | $4.12 |
| Cost per Serving | $4.15 | $2.06 |
With salmon, edamame, avocado, carrots, onion, cucumbers, black sesame seeds, and yum yum sauce – Makes 4 servings
| Fusian | Home | |
| Cost per Recipe | $9.00 | $16.04 |
| Cost per Serving | $9.00 | $4.01 |
Tips for Cooking on a Budget
- Join a grocery store rewards program. Membership is often free and requires only a phone number or email address to join. Depending on the store, coupons may be automatically applied to your total as you shop.
- Download a budgeting app. Tracking your spending on groceries and other items may be easier with an app like Mint, PocketGuard, or Goodbudget.
- Find and bookmark affordable recipes. Cooking healthy meals does not have to be costly. For budget-friendly recipes, try BudgetBytes, $5 Dinners, and Frugal Nutrition.
- Depending on preference, try store brands instead of name brands. Many stores sell generic versions of foodstuffs which taste just as good. Saving a few cents here and there adds up and results in significant savings over time.
- Don’t fear the canned and frozen food aisles. Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are nutritious options when shopping on a budget. If you’re concerned about sodium or added sugars in canned foods, you can rinse off fruits, beans, and vegetables.
- Stock your cabinets, fridge, and freezer with staple foodstuffs which you plan to use often. Examples of foods to have on hand include cooking oil, frozen or canned vegetables, grains such as pasta, rice, and quinoa, condiments and sauces such as soy or mustard, spices such as salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
-Graduate Professional Student