Labor Day weekend came and went, and now we can officially bid farewell to summer vacation and welcome the fall season ahead. While sure, the summer season isn’t necessarily over quite yet, most of us have wrapped up our final family vacations and summer getaways, will soon store away the grill and welcome sweater weather and all things fall decor.
For a lot of us, we’re also welcoming back to school. I think we can all agree last year’s fall semester was a bit of a drag because well, it didn’t really exist! At least, not in the way we all know and love. This fall, most schools are safely re-opening with new protocols in place, and while things may look a little different – school is back in session and the familiarity and normalcy of it all feels SO refreshing.
A huge milestone for some involves moving away for the first time, taking on newfound independence and beginning life as a college student! There are so many unknowns and exciting challenges that come with attending college – with lessons and experiences of growth kept, stored and used for a lifetime.
College comes with so many firsts – the first time having to really grocery shop, cook, live with a complete stranger or even share a bathroom (yikes!) But in all seriousness, it’s these moments that help shape the college experience and teach us about stepping out of our comfort zones, taking risks, inviting new challenges, relationships and learning about accountability and discipline.
One of my favorite aspects of college was the opportunity to actually PICK what I wanted to eat, grocery shop all by myself, meal plan for the week and be in complete control of what, when and how I wanted to eat my food. Before college, it was always mom’s menu (which, luckily, she was a great cook!) But college allowed me to use the notes I had been taking when I was younger in my childhood kitchen, and help apply them in my own life (thanks, mom!) I loved selecting my own produce, planning grocery shopping dates with my girl friends, inviting friends over for dinner or simply choosing when and where we wanted to go out – the ultimate freedom!
One thing I learned, or at least had to learn quickly – was grocery shopping on a budget (because well..college student bank accounts look a little bleak). That said, I knew I had to get creative and only buy what I needed – that means no extra, interesting snacks or splurging at speciality stores. So long are those days! I began meal planning every week all the way from breakfast, to lunch, dessert and even snacks in between. I had to get savvy about planning ahead, and learned how to save, store and freeze things that I just didn’t get around to eating when last minute plans popped up. This really helped eliminate food waste, and also kept my dollars spent from going to waste too! I started looking at grocery shopping as a game to search for the best deals, coupons, and BOGO options.
I also prioritized scanning the parameter of the grocery store and always started off with my produce items – these items are NOT expensive or scary like folks tell you, trust me – and you can mix and match so many different items in a variety of ways. For instance, I’d purchase a whole bag of Starr Ranch Growers apples and stretch them as far as I could – in my morning breakfast bowls, to an apple and PB snack, all the way to chicken apple tacos – nothing goes to waste when you’re in college and purchasing food is now totally up to YOU. I built my weekly menus around fresh options because I knew color on my plate meant less room for the junior-year pounds later – ha! But to be fair, eating fresh always made me feel better – and that is what matters most.
What I would say to today’s college students is to plan ahead, make lists, only grab what’s ON the list (tempting, I know), keep your eyes peeled for deals, and turn grocery shopping into a game. Your wallet will thank you, and so will your stomach – and who knows, you may even have some fun in the process!
For the next 7 days we are Celebrating the Fall Semester with new recipes, hacks, tips, and a BIG back to school prize for one lucky winner we’ll announce next Wednesday 9/15 via Instagram stories. Head on over to our Instagram and be sure to interact with us on every #B2S post – good luck, happy back to school and happy grocery shopping!