Healthy Eating On A Budget

Edited by : Krisha Mansukhani

Living in a big city like Toronto and attending U of T is daunting enough as it is. With all the pressure on POSts, your GPA, having a social life, and just having to get out of bed each morning in the snow, managing a healthy eating pattern to get all your nutrients in can be the last thing on your mind. Everyone prepares you for the “important” stuff when it comes to going to university, but no one tells you how to avoid the freshman 15 in a sustainable way, and committing to eating clean can put a significant dent in your bank account and your already packed schedule – not to mention make you frequently hangry. The catch is, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are a few ways you can do. to keep up a healthy lifestyle, eat well, and take a little stress off your plate (pun mostly not intended). 

1. A healthy mindset is half the work: The whole process of having a healthy life starts with your mind, and what you think is optimal for you. You need to listen to your body and understand what it needs from you, most of the problems we experience with our bodies come from us not listening. Each person is different in what is considered healthy for them, some people require a carb-rich diet whereas others may need a protein-rich diet. The most important component to all of this is entering this journey with the mindset that you’re improving your life from within. It’s not about weight-loss or weight-gain no matter what ANYONE in your life says, this is about you improving the quality of your life. Don’t forget, your input affects your output, what you eat has a direct effect on your mood and your productivity too. Remind yourself that you’re doing this for you, not for anyone’s approval.
2. Do your research: Now that you have a rough idea of what you want to achieve and what you need to do to achieve your goal, do your research and make sure to pay close attention to the myths you come across. A lot of magazines and articles will get stuck on a headline on how sugar is bad for you, although that is true that’s not the whole story. Some sugars are natural chemical compounds in your food, and are there to give you energy, such as glucose. Cane sugar, brown sugar, natural stevia, and honey/agave syrup give you the sweetness you crave without the artificially chemical heavy sugars. The biggest piece of advice I can give you after years of trial and error is to ALWAYS read the ingredients at back of the package to find out exactly what you’re putting into your body, the fine print is your best friend.
3. Two words – Meal Prep: I wish I was exaggerating when I say that meal prep saved me. Prepping three to four days’ worth of meals and putting them in fridge to just heat up and eat saved me hours of my time and hundreds of dollars, both of which we could all use in university. You can start small, start by making yourself a lunch to take to class with you, or even some snacks between classes, and work your way up to larger meals across more days. I’ve found that it’s best to only do a few days’ worth because all seven days in one go can be a hassle depending on what you make. You don’t need to make anything too complicated, I started by boiling half a dozen eggs to have ready to eat breakfast for myself, because that’s the meal I used to skip most often due to lack of time. You can start any way that is easiest for you, whichever meal you need most help with.
4. Make the most of your resources: As a university student you have access to some discounts. For all your grocery needs, the Metro on Bloor Street has a 10% student discount on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It’s also open 24/7 so if you need something last minute, it will be your best friend. If you’re looking to buy things in larger quantities (like for meal prep), Bulk Barn has a 10% discount on Wednesdays for students.
5. Treat yourself: This isn’t a fad diet or a chore, this is a lifestyle improvement, meaning that every once in a while, you’re fully allowed and expected to treat yourself. If you’ve cut refined sugar from your life and you’re craving ice cream from that one place that does your flavour best, go for it. If you’ve said adios to that high carb life but you’re really craving homecooked spaghetti, then indulge yourself. You’re not doing this to torture yourself you’re doing this to make your body happy, and making your heart happy by satisfying a craving is just as important as keeping the rest of your body happy.

• healthy eating