Going to university means moving away from home for the first time for a lot of people, which comes with a whole host of new responsibilities you might not be used to – including doing your own food shopping and preparing your own meals. According to a Save the Student survey, the average student grocery cost per month is £133, which is the second biggest expenditure after rent.
Bearing the current cost of living crisis in mind, we know our students will be looking for ways to save money wherever possible, so we’ve put together a guide to food shopping as a student, which includes top tips on how to food shop for one person, our student shopping list essentials, and some useful shopping apps and loyalty schemes you can take advantage of.
Tips on how to food shop for one person
Save the Student data shows that the average food shop for one person is currently around £31 per week, but it can be tricky to keep costs down and make sure nothing goes to waste when you’re grocery shopping for one. Here are just a few of our top tips which might help if you’re trying to come up with a food budget for one person:
- Shop more frequently – getting into the habit of doing more regular, smaller food shops might seem tedious at first, but the more you do it, the easier it’ll become as it’ll just be part of your routine. That way, any fresh food you buy with a shorter shelf life will have more chance of getting used rather than being thrown away.
- Use recipe books and videos to plan your meals – there are plenty of student-friendly recipe books and TikTok and Instagram videos out there to get you started with some meal ideas. Creating a meal plan in advance means you can get the exact measurements and stick to a shopping list, so you can avoid overbuying items you don’t need and won’t use.
- Be strategic with the types of food you buy – when you do your first ever student food shop, buy your staple store cupboard foods in bulk (see our suggestions further down). Although this might mean your first shop is a bit more expensive, it’ll reduce costs in the long term as you won’t have to keep buying certain items every week. Similarly, buy smaller quantities of your perishable foods, or make sure you can freeze them, so they don’t end up in the bin. For example, buying individual fruit and veg items can prevent waste and you’ll be shopping more sustainably by avoiding single-use plastic.
- Consider meal prepping – meal prepping is the concept of batch cooking whole meals or multiple meals ahead of time. This could save you both time and money, as you won’t need to cook every single day. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of freezer space if you’re not planning on eating your prepped meals within a couple of days.
- Take advantage of offers, but only if you’ll benefit from them – supermarkets regularly run offers such as ‘buy one get one half price’ or ‘buy three for £X’, but don’t be tempted to overbuy if you think you won’t eat it all. Check if items are freezable, then you can at least use them at a later date.
- Think about splitting costs with your housemates – if you’re living with other students, you could also consider splitting the cost of your food shops, even if it’s just the essentials you all use. Shopping and cooking together could end up being something you all enjoy rather than a chore!
- Don’t be tempted to buy too many ready meals – they’ll end up being more expensive than cooking from scratch, and they more than likely won’t be as nutritious either.
Student shopping list essentials
When you’re making your weekly shopping list on a student budget, it can be difficult to know what to include, particularly if it’s your first one. Here, we’re sharing some of our ideas of student shopping list essentials to get you started:
- Everyday food items – salt and pepper, sugar, cooking oils, dried herbs and spices, stock cubes, condiments
- Store cupboard staples (most of which you can buy in bulk) – pasta, rice, noodles, lentils, pasta sauces, tinned goods like chopped tomatoes, baked beans, chickpeas, and soups, cereals, oats, bread
- Protein – meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan alternatives
- Dairy or non-dairy equivalents – milk, eggs, cheese, yoghurt, butter
- Fruit and vegetables – fresh, frozen, tinned, or dried, it’s all got nutritional value. If you’re trying to keep costs down, buy fruit and veg that’s in season, and make the most of independent greengrocers rather than supermarkets when you can.
- Frozen food – pizzas, chips, and other freezer items will be much cheaper treats to come home to after a night out instead of buying a takeaway every time
- Snacks – nuts, popcorn, biscuits, crisps, chocolate (although try to keep unhealth snacks to a minimum!)
- Drinks – teabags, coffee, juice, soft drinks.
Useful food shopping apps and loyalty schemes
You’re probably familiar with some of the loyalty schemes and shopping apps that are available out there, but it’s worth taking advantage of your nearest supermarket’s offer if you haven’t already, as most major retailers now provide one. Whether it’s earning cashback or vouchers, getting discounts on selected products, accumulating points to spend in store, personalised offers, or free products, making the most of the apps below can help you stick to your student budget and plan your weekly food shop accordingly.
- Asda Rewards – valid for using in store and online, the Asda Rewards app allows you to go on ‘missions’ and complete various shopping tasks where you earn cashback to spend in Asda. There’s also the chance to get 10% back when you buy certain products, earn more rewards when you hit targets, and convert your balance into vouchers.
- Tesco Clubcard – one of the most popular and longstanding supermarket schemes is the Tesco Clubcard, which tailors your discounts to your own shopping habits, distributes coupons, and allows you to buy many products at the cheaper Clubcard price. You’ll earn one point for every pound you spend in Tesco, and they’re partnered with several other companies too, giving you the opportunity to increase the value of your points.
- Nectar Card – available to use in both Sainsbury’s and Argos, having a Nectar Card earns you one point for every pound you spend in either store. Perks include receiving personalised offers where you can collect bonus points and taking advantage of their partner deals with over 500 big-name brands.
- Morrisons More – the Morrisons More loyalty scheme lets you build up your points when shopping in store, online, and purchasing fuel, as well as providing tailored offers for you whether it’s money off a food shop or free items. Like the Tesco Clubcard, it also offers price reductions for members.
- Lidl Plus – The Lidl Plus rewards app comes with several benefits including exclusive offers, vouchers based on your shopping behaviour, and hitting targets to unlock new deals like free items or a percentage off your next food shop.
As well as the supermarket loyalty schemes, food waste apps like Too Good to Go can be a useful tool to have if you’re shopping for food on a student budget. Once you download the app, you can set your location and how far you’re willing to travel, then take your pick from several local shops and restaurants who offer discounts on food items that are about to go out of date. Then all you need to do is collect your order at the specified time, take it home, and enjoy!
If you’re worried about managing your money and need to talk to someone, please get in touch with our Student Financial Guidance team.
Published: 6 June 2024