Inexpensice Eats at Full Flavor to the Studnet

Inexpensive Eats at Full Flavor to the Student

Words by: Meg Grice

It’s that time of the night again. You just finished a long day on campus and now the hunger pains are starting to kick in. The problem? Payday isn’t for another week! You already paid rent and “Exactly! Think of utilities this month, hurtled money at the UBILL, took too many trips to Tea Time and asked grandma for money. Another problem - the vending machines that only foods left in your apartment are a bottle of ketchup, a package of ramen noodles, a freezer burnt pizza and a half-gallon of milk. Sound somewhat familiar? charge upwards of a dollar or more for one candy bar. For that same Dr. Ruth Litchfield, Iowa State Nutrition Extension State Specialist, says food insecurity is far more common than meets the eye for price, you could be getting Ames residents. Litchfield teaches a community and nutrition class for food and nutrition majors. As a part of her coursework, she sends four pounds of bananas.” out a nutrition survey to students asking if they themselves have experienced food insecurity. Each year, she notices a skewed portion of students who claim to struggle with food instability. “The numbers tend to be higher among college students at 15%, while the rest of the community sees around 10%. This is often due to the economic realities and instabilities of our students,” Litchfield said. Litchfield also challenges her class to eat on a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which adds up to just over $3 a day for one person. The dollar amount threatens variety, proving the vulnerability of many households nationwide.

In cases like these, Litchfield says eating right begins with investment, “You pay for convenience. The thing that’s been lost to us is food preparation, and healthy eating is not expensive. How much does a pound of bananas cost?” Litchfield asked. “About 50 cents a pound,” I said. “Ok. And then how many bananas are in a bunch? “Around five to seven bananas.”

“So if you do the math, that adds up to around 75 cents for a bunch. How much does that leave you per banana? “Around 10 cents?”

“Exactly! Think of vending machines that charge upwards of a dollar or more for one candy bar. For that same price, you could be getting four pounds of bananas.”

for students. This class teaches participants how to make an assortment of snacks and meals, from salsa to grilled cheese. Bootcampers journey to grocery stores in a later class to learn about the in and outs of smart grocery shopping. Free for all, Culinary Bootcamp lends out tasty knowledge for four weeks, two hours each Monday night.

For electronic support systems, she said students can turn to “Spend Smart. Eat Smart,” through Iowa State Extension and Outreach. Their website features a variety of recipes, most taking an average of 20 minutes to prepare. Beyond meal preparation, Spend Smart. Eat Smart. offers shopping advice, food planning, home workouts and more resources for healthy living. To begin, it may be necessary to track food expenses to find areas of weakness. Whether it is spoiled food or too many pop tarts, finding improvements for a personalized meal plan starts a new lifestyle off right.

Food at First, run by First Christian Church, runs a “Free Market” Monday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. According to their website, perishable items are available for anyone in need. Items for pick up include produce, baked goods, meats and dairy products.

As an additional means of assistance for food-insecure students, The SHOP Food Pantry is open Monday through Friday to help Iowa Staters in need. Students and staff can anonymously pick up free food in Food Science Hall, Fredrickson Court Community Center and Schlitter University Village. For more information, visit theshop.stuorg.iastate.edu.

For students plagued by too much month and not enough money for food, solutions are possible. When thinking about the week, or even month ahead, here are some ti to help you save money while keeping you healthy all semester long:

Meal Planning: Meal planning involves scheduling out your week is ways beyond what is on the dinner table. Think to yourself, “What activities do I have going on this week? What days should I pack lunch or dinner? Will I have time in the morning to prep a crockpot dinner for tonight?” Simple questions like these can liberate more than time and money. Proactivity means you can focus on what’s important and stress less about mealtime. Meal Prepping: Now that you know what your stomach is craving, what do you have on hand? Before going out to buy the ingredients for your latest dish, take inventory of what to use up. This might include foods ready to expire, spices shoved to the back of the cupboard or pantry items in need of attention. This also may mean vying for the healthy route rather than the quick route. For example, try a homemade pizza instead of buying frozen. Shopping: The fun part, but buyers beware. Try your best not to get sucked in by impulse purchases. These decisions are costly, particularly for those on a thin budget. See a good deal? Check it out and remember to monitor prices for items you buy frequently. And don’t forget reusable bags to save even more! photo by: Katelyn Cooking and beyond: The stovetop is on and the smells are mouthwatering! Keep Nelson in mind that cooking for two or three days can save you an extra hour later on. Freezers are your friend to store ready-to-eat meals for a late dinner or quick lunch.

Other bits of advice • Have roommates? Slash the prices of ingredients by shopping together! • Buying in bulk is great, but only if you use what you buy. • Try new things for variety-especially if you find a good deal. • Generic items cut costs, so don’t be afraid to buy them.