Campus Cuisine: Balancing Nutrition on a Student Budget

By Okwun Precious, Kehinde-Agbeyangi Eunice, Odulaja Oluwayinka, Ayenuro Oluwaseun,  and Egenti Joy. 

Is It possible to eat healthy, stay full, and save money all at once or is eating well on a tight budget an unrealistic achievement? Let’s find out.

“Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive; it just requires intentionality and planning.”

These are the words of Zaynab Abdulwaheed, a clinical dietitian at Federal Medical Center, Abeokuta, with expertise in geriatric and gastroenterology.

Balancing Academics, Social life, and Personal well-being can be a challenge for students, especially when maintaining a nutritious diet. As a nutrition expert, Abdulwaheed understands students’ unique struggles with eating healthy on a limited budget. 

“Eating well on a student budget is possible and essential for overall health and academic performance,” she said.

With a view to practical strategies, students can eat well without breaking the bank.

Meal Planning

“Having a plan is the number one thing that should be done when balancing nutrition as a student,” she advised.

Meal planning is an essential factor when it comes to eating healthy as a student. 

“For instance, if you know you have classes from Monday through Thursday, take out Saturday for grocery shopping. Then, use Sunday for meal prepping.” 

This method reduces the time spent cooking during the week and prevents students from overspending on cafeteria meals.

Meal Prepping

Meal prep is also a way to ensure a balanced diet.

“You know exactly what goes into your pot in terms of ingredients. This means you control the amount of sodium, fat, and sugar in your meals—something you can’t guarantee with cafeteria food,” she pointed out.

Eating Healthy Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

While some students believe eating out is cheaper than cooking at home, the nutritionist challenged this notion. 

“When you compare weekly budgets for cooking at home versus eating out, you’ll often find that eating out costs more.”

Avoid Excessive Processed Foods

Another factor is avoiding excessive processed foods that are very expensive and nutritionally deficient. Instead, focusing on simple, wholesome ingredients like beans, rice, vegetables, and eggs can go a long way.

For example, a sample menu might include White rice and vegetable sauce for breakfast, Jollof spaghetti with a boiled egg for lunch, and Beans with Garri or bread for dinner.

Abdulwaheed highlighted that healthy snacks, such as cucumbers, carrots, apples, or 100 Naira worth of groundnuts, have the potential to be cost-friendly, more nutritious, and more affordable than chips or energy drinks.

Understanding Hidden Costs

Eating out comes with hidden costs beyond money.

“When you eat in multiple cafeterias, you expose yourself to the risk of infections, as you can’t be certain about their hygiene standards,” she warned.

Additionally, she pointed out that students who consume many sugary drinks and processed snacks could experience long-term health effects.

“Our forefathers lived up to 100 years without these beverages. Now, the life expectancy of an average Nigerian is 40 years. It’s a wake-up call for healthier meal choices.”

In summary, a healthy meal routine is essential. Abdulwaheed also emphasised that supplements cannot replace the nutrients of a well-balanced meal. Students can achieve a healthy meal routine by planning balanced meals, cooking in bulk to save time, and creating a strategic food timetable.