Instead of the prepackaged stuff or bagels for lunch/dinner there are some healthier cheap options? I was always okay with just a bowl of cereal, or an omelette (breakfast anytime of day!) or a peanut butter banana sandwich. Or a bowl of whole wheat pasta with some tossed veggies and tomato sauce? A strange one that my college roommate would always do was chopped apples tossed with peanuts and pieces of cheddar cheese. Seemed small for a lunch but when I finally tried it, oddly delicious and filling.

Options are endless!

I love fruits for snacks and I eat oatmeal every morning, yum! It’s nice you and your BF can split the grocery, that helps keeps spending down. I pretty much do the same like you, but my bill is about $150 a month.

I eat out and get fast food at times though. Also I’m with Martilyo…what is Alphaghetti?! 🙂

I also understand that as a student, you’re looking for food that is inexpensive, and will keep for a while (can I tell you about how many heads of broccoli i’ve bought and forgotten about in my crisper?). yeah, it tends to be carb-heavy things, but I believe you are smart enough that you listen to your body and when it says “I need a veggie”, you’ll answer it! (your chili sounds yummy.. got a recipe to share?)

We eat a lot more than you, I think (and food especially dairy is more expensive – cream cheese is twice that much and milk i $3.60 for two litres). I’m trying to eat clean this week – no meat, no dairy, very little wheat – tons of fruit and veggies – and not only is it expensive, it’s not very filling! But I do feel pretty good aside from that. I also just love food and am willing to spend on quality ingredients that go further (especially now I’m not such a broke student anymore).

I know we all have different dietary needs and likes, but like a couple of other people said, please do make sure you’re not relying too much on processed stuff. (I have no problems with sodium personally…I actually don’t eat enough salt…but there sure are some worrying things in prepackaged meals!)

I eat considerably more than you (but I’m not trying to lose any weight) and I am also vehemently opposed to prepackaged meals, for the reasons cited in the other comments: the salt and preservative content should be illegal, it is so disgustingly unhealthy.

I got on food kicks too though — right now I’m in a phase where I’m obsessed with egg, spinach & tomato wraps with goat feta. It’s similar to what they have at Starbucks, but I was tired of paying the $3 or $4 for a breakfast sandwich, so I started making them at home. SO GOOD and so fast to cook. Before that I was eating boxes of mandarin oranges every week… and before that it was homemade mac & cheese every night haha when I find something I like, I like to have it until I’m sick of it — like listening to a song on repeat until you can’t stand it anymore!