Healthy foods that won’t break the bank

The dreaded “freshman 15” is a concept well-known to college students. But the perils of the 15-lb. weight gain can extend beyond the first year of college.

Beating the “15” becomes even harder when forced to eat on a budget, and finding affordable, healthy food on and off campus can be a challenge for even the most health-conscious students.

“It’s not hard to eat healthy, but there just aren’t that many options,” junior Erin Duffy said.

Duffy, who still lived on campus two years ago, said one of the difficulties of eating on campus is the high cost of healthy options. Salads, wraps and fresh fruit are more expensive than pizza and burgers. However, eating healthy on campus is not impossible.

All that is required is some basic knowledge of the dining hall options and a weekly trip to the Residential Program and Services  Web site. Nutritional information for many dining locations is listed online and can serve as a guide to where and what to eat.

However, the best – and one of the cheapest – ways to dine is through traditional dining in Read Quad and Collins Center.

The menus for the week are posted in advance and have symbols indicating which items are vegetarian, vegan or low-fat. RPS even has a registered dietitian on staff to help students find healthy options.

One of the best ways to save money when shopping for groceries off campus is to skim circulars, said IU Health Center dietician Bobbie Saccone. Know what is on sale and stock up on items you eat regularly.

Bloomington has an abundance of grocery stores, and knowing which ones have the best sales can help.

“Stock up on grains, rice, pasta and potatoes,” Saccone said. “It will end up costing pennies per pound.”

Martha Philion, grocery manager of Bloomingfoods on East Third Street, said buying food from the bulk aisle is both economical and eco-friendly. Bloomingfoods offers a large bulk section with oats, dried fruit and trail mix.

“Pre-packaged trail mix is much more costly,” Philion said. “Also, you can keep reusing the containers and just buy what you need, avoiding waste.”

Saccone also emphasized the accessibility and importance of proteins, fruit and vegetables. Peanut butter, canned or dried beans and eggs are all excellent low-cost, high-protein foods. Also, shopping for local produce that is in season can help cut costs.

“It’s all about comparison-shopping and stocking up,” Saccone said.