“DON’T eat your overdraft. EFTPOS and takeaways can put you straight into debt, and poor health,” says Maria Goncalves-Rorke, a student financial advisor at Victoria University.
Student budgets are strict, and healthy eating can be a challenge.
“Essential living costs take up most students’ money – rent, power and transportation,” says Goncalves-Rorke. How much for food? It’s no mystery there are healthy, cheap eats in Wellington. “All it takes is a little effort and know-how.”
Students are back at university, where a balanced diet is normally the first to go when under stress and time-constraints. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. Being prepared, staying organised, and putting up your guard can make healthy eating easier.
Buying weekly groceries and cooking meals is by far the cheapest way to eat but that takes planning. Supermarkets, some offer delivery as well, and the weekly farmers’ markets around Wellington offer the most food for the cheapest price.
Goncalves-Rorke explains how to get the biggest bang for your buck: “Buying wholesale grains, beans and rice, is one of the best ways to cut back on unhealthy fillers and costs very little.
“You’ll avoid making unhealthy, impulse purchases by making a shopping list of what veggies, dairy and meat you need,” she says.
Eating out at restaurants is often impractical for the penny pincher. Resorting to finding ready-made food each meal, people may find themselves in the deadly drive-thru lane. “Students won’t eat every meal at their flat. Going out can be expensive, so be wary,” Goncalves-Rorke says.
You can find wholesome meals at the restaurants you love – just know what specials land on each day. Restaurants like Southern Cross on Abel Smith offer a stonegrill two-for-one option on Mondays and Tuesdays ($8-15 per person) and large margarita pizza deal ($9) on Mondays to split between friends at Heaven Woodfire Pizza on Cuba. For a good night out, Chow on Tory has two-for-one Mondays.
Eating healthy and affordably does exist. If you stock your pantry, ask your favourite restaurants for special listings, and use resources on the web, you can eat right and manage a student budget.