When starting out in college, there are a lot of “adulting” things you have to figure out in the process. You will definitely make mistakes when it comes to doing your own laundry, performing car maintenance, using credit, and several other things you got by without doing until now.

Grocery shopping and cooking is the one thing that still gives me horrible flashbacks of my sophomore year. That year, I decided to skip my school’s dining plan to save money, but quickly found that sandwiches and waffles every day got real old, real quick.

I also had a grocery shopping problem! I’d go to my local market and stock up on groceries like I was preparing to feed a family of six. 

Pop tarts – yum! Bag of apples – why not? Quinoa – I’ve heard this is healthy so in the cart it goes.

Once I’ve made it past the register, to my sad surprised I just spent $110 for a week’s worth of groceries. (I was supposed to save money, remember!)

Although buying groceries seems like a simple task, in reality, it’s a skill to master. It’s taken me a couple years but I found the perfect formula for buying groceries and reducing food waste.

Here is my guide to grocery shopping in college!

Table of Contents

Shop At Least Once a Week

Be prepared to go grocery shopping at least once a week and make that twice a week if you eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Things like bell peppers, green onions, and berries seem to go bad within a few days, so plan to buy just a few at a time and eat these asap!