Being a student and living off no money can be a proper pain in the ass, especially after the Christmas sales. Even though eating cheap and healthy can be hard, we've got the best tips of how to eat when you're broke.
1) Check out the reduced section
Most stores, even the posh ones, will have a reduced section at some point during the day. If you can get great discounts in a more fancy supermarket, then find out what time they start reducing at. It's good to get the best quality food for the lowest price, then just reduced cheap food.
2) Cook in bulk
Great idea for making dinners that can be turned into lunches. You will also get more out of your ingredients if you add more pasta or rice for example. Try and bulk up your meals as healthily as possible, with grains and different types of protein.
3) Frozen Food
An absolute God send. If you pick the right day at the reduced aisle, then you will be able to freeze a lot of the discount food you buy to ensure that it doesn't go off. This means you can buy for future meals on the cheap!
4) Find cheaper protein
Instead of paying for lots of red meat, try and cut the amount you eat and substitute it for lentils and pulses. Yes it may sound horribly healthy, but you'll be getting the same amount of protein, saving money and decreasing the amount of fat in your diet. A win all round.
5) Portion control
If you eat less, then you won't need to buy as much food. Pretty simple, but if you have a healthy appetite, bulk up meals with vegetables and a few potatoes to keep you full and you'll be fine.
6) Buy in bulk
Usually if you buy more of a particular product, you're more likely to pay less than if you bought a smaller packet. So if you have the space to buy in bulk, it will save you loads of money, especially if you can find a COSTCO.
7) Shop wisely
It's very easy to spend €20 on a bunch of snacks that you and your friends could devour in one sitting. So when you go to the supermarket, buy less snacks and sugary foods and more ingredients to make proper meals. They'll keep you fuller for longer as well.
8) Eating Out
Going out is so much fun, especially for a meal with your friends. To cut the cost of going out, but still being sociable, look out for restaurant deals or BYOB places, so that you don't have to pay for overpriced alcohol. This way you can still go out, but you won't break the bank at the same time.
9) Stick to your shopping list
It's very easy once you get into the supermarket to deviate from your initial plans and get enticed into buying everything that's on offer. While this could save you money, you might end up buying things that you can't store or will eat in one evening. Writing a list will avoid this and help you buy shit that you won't waste.
