College is expensive. From tuition to food, everything costs money. This is especially true in Hoboken where a cup of coffee can easily exceed $5. Last year I had the Tera Bite meal plan and all 230 regular swipes that come with it. For me, this was way too many swipes, and I struggled to use them all. At the time, I wished I had more independence with the food I was consuming. I had dreams about the amazing meals I would prepare if I had access to a nice kitchen and ingredients. However, I was living in Davis which had a run-down kitchen, and I didn’t want to waste my meal plan by not using the swipes. So, my dream of eating the food I wanted to become something to look forward to in my sophomore year when I would have a brand-new, full kitchen.
Over the summer I started trying to gain basic cooking skills so that I would be ready to feed myself for a full year. Unfortunately, the summer was gone in the blink of an eye, and I arrived at my suite with a recipe for my favorite quinoa dish and little other knowledge. As a vegetarian, I have found it difficult to think of easy, inexpensive meals that can be meal-prepped multiple days in advance. I primarily rely on the previously mentioned quinoa recipe, Annie’s Mac & Cheese, and random free food from events. For protein, I eat greek yogurt, nuts, and the occasional protein powder shake. Although it seems like it would be easier if I wasn’t a vegetarian, I see my non-vegetarian friends also struggle to eat enough protein and find easy meal ideas. The stereotypical college diet of Ramen Noodles isn’t too far from reality.
In addition to having difficulty finding things to cook, groceries are expensive. A trip to ACME can easily be around $50, which adds up each week. This is where being a vegetarian can be beneficial since staples like beans tend to cost less than meat. I have not experimented with chickpeas and beans as much as I would like to, but they are a good source of protein when I’m desperate.
Although I try to limit the treats I buy on Washington Street, I do like to get takeout every once in a while. This can add up, especially if you buy small, pricey items like pastries. To save money, I use an app called Too Good To Go. Participating businesses sell their leftover products for an extremely discounted price. These items would have been thrown away at the end of the day, but are saved by your purchase. Don’t worry, everything is just as fresh as if you purchased it at closing time. The catch is that nearly everything is mystery bags so you don’t get to choose what you receive. This is not a problem for me because I am not a picky eater, and if I don’t like something, there are plenty of hungry college students around me who would happily accept free food. Many restaurants and bakeries on Washington Street are on Too Good To Go and post daily. The app also features restaurants in most states, so you can use it at home, on vacation, or nearly anywhere else. In my small town in Rhode Island, there aren’t many places using Too Good To Go, so I take advantage of it when I’m in Hoboken or New York.
So far I haven’t tried anything from restaurants since there aren’t a lot of vegetarian options. I have ordered pastries from multiple different bakeries and have no complaints! The surprise bags at bakeries and coffee shops typically cost around $3 and they normally give you 3 pastries, which is an amazing deal since most individual pastries are over $3 each in Hoboken. There are occasionally grocery stores that post surprise bags which is intriguing and definitely something I want to try. These surprise bags have allowed me to save money while still enjoying the delicious foods in Hoboken. I hope you download Too Good To Go and save some money while you reduce food waste!
Be First to Comment