If you’ve spent the first 18 years of your life never giving groceries a second thought, finding ways to budget for weekly shopping can be a daunting task as a college student. Here are a few ways to plan ahead, save and make the most of your grocery budget.

GROCERY DELIVERY OPTIONS

If you don’t have a car and need to buy groceries, your first thought is most likely a delivery service like Instacart. While Instacart can be an easy and efficient way to obtain groceries, their many fees as well as marked-up prices will often eat up much of your budget.

However, most grocery stores you would find on Instacart usually have their own delivery services that can be used through their websites. Ordering delivery directly from your grocery store of choice is one of the most effective ways to get groceries delivered without sacrificing too much of your budget.

For instance, bananas at Jewel-Osco via Instacart are listed at $0.79 per pound, while they are listed at $0.69 per pound at the same Jewel-Osco location via their own website. While a difference of $0.10 may seem minuscule on its own, these price markups quickly add up when ordering multiple items. 

Additionally, stores like Jewel-Osco offer free rewards programs that can be used on their website for delivery, but not on Instacart. These programs are another easy way to save an extra few cents on your weekly shopping list.

YOUR FREEZER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND

A four-pack of top loin boneless pork chops can be purchased from Jewel for $10.49. While this may seem like a reasonable bargain, you probably find yourself wondering if you’re really going to cook yourself a pork chop every night, four nights in a row.

Luckily, the answer is right in front of you; According to the USDA, raw meat items like pork chops can remain fresh and safe to eat in the freezer for four to six months. By utilizing the option to freeze foods, especially raw meat, you can take advantage of great deals that otherwise might not seem logical.

EMBRACE YOUR MEAL PLAN

If you’re living in a dorm, make good use of your meal plan. While it may get tiresome after a while, each dining hall has a wide variety of options to keep your daily meals interesting.

However, dining hall hours may not always be aligned with your schedule, so it can be useful to keep a selection of snacks and frozen meals on hand in your living space to ensure that you don’t find yourself starving at 2 a.m. while you’re trying to finish a paper. 

As cliche as it is for college students, buying items like ramen in bulk will give you a cheap, quick and easy way to satisfy your appetite if you find yourself hungry at an unusual hour. With a 12-pack of ramen only costing around $5 at most stores, you can stock up and ensure you’ll never go hungry without having to worry about spending too much money. 

While budgeting for groceries and meals can be one of the most daunting aspects of adjusting to college life, these tips can help ease your anxiety and save your money.