Eating on a Budget

YOU CAN EAT ON A BUDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDET

OCAD Student Union 2012

Find time to cook

Cooking with whole ingredients will almost always be cheaper than buying pre-prepared foods and it goes a lot farther. One homemade dish can feed you for several meals but prepared foods almost always are gone in one sitting.

Make food in large batches

Set aside a small time each week to do a big cook. You can do this with friends or housemates and trade portions of your batch! This will help you save on ingredient costs.

Store food you make in meal sized containers

Meals will be easy to take to school or work. You will be less tempted to buy fast food or go to a restaurant on the run. Most things can be frozen so you don’t have to worry about how long you’ve had them and they’re easy to grab quickly. There are microwaves on the 2nd, 5th and 6th floor of the Sharp Center and you can use the dish soap and sponges to wash your containers in the sinks.

Carry small snacks, like dried fruit, fresh vegetables, trail mix or nuts with you

Seriously.

Experiment and try making foods you haven’t made before

Experiment with making things yourself that are often pre-made such as salad dressing, pizza, lasagna, and cleaning supplies. It’s easier than you think!

Take advantage of Ontario’s cheap staple foods

Foods like potatoes, carrots, apples, pasta, grains and beans are very versatile. If you usually like baked potatoes, then try making other kinds like hash browns, potato pancakes, scalloped potatoes, and mashed.

Get involved with local programs

Food Share’s Good Food Box provides really cheap and excellent produce to students and is available for pick-up weekly at the Student Union. When you buy produce in bulk you can get great deals and you usually pay at once instead of always worrying about having money for groceries each week. www.ocadsu.org/foodshare

Buy local and buy seasonal

Almost always local seasonal food is cheaper than imported grocery store produce. Check out the farmer’s market. To enjoy summer produce in the winter try canning and preserving fruits and vegetables. Buy things while they’re cheap and plentiful and freeze them ready to use. For example, in the summer buy peppers or zucchini in bulk, cut and bag it and freeze it to throw in pastas and chili later.

Know where the good discount food is

The Student Union’s Campus Cupboard may have the cheapest prices around town for grains, pastas and legumes. There are several No Frills, which always have great produce that is marked down because it’s ripe, but if you can use it right away it is fantastic. Buying at bulk food stores, like Bulk Barn, is a very easy way to help keep the costs of groceries low.

Carry your water bottle and lug your mug

Toronto’s tap water is safe to drink, free and available filtered on the ground floor of 100 McCaul. Coffee and tea is always cheaper (if not free) if you bring your own mug! Come by the Student Union office in 51 McCaul St. to share a cup of free coffee with the team, or bring your own tea bags and use our kettle to boil water!

Get linked: www.ocadsu.org/resources

On our website we have created a list of local businesses and organizations who have inexpensive groceries, meals and drinks. Come into the SU office on Spread the Bread days to get your free loaf and be sure to check out the Hallway Cafe and Open Mic Nights for free, fresh, vegan meals!