College Student Grocery List

Happy Tuesday to my favorite readers! Because I am working from 8am to 6pm today, and I wasn't quite feeling waking up in the 5:00 hour today to squeeze in a workout before work, I have something else on the blogging agenda for you today.

The word "fro-yo" may be included in my blog name, but I am generally a very healthy eater (I am all about the occasional indulgence). I love food, and I love creating healthy variations of my favorite dishes. In addition to loving food, I also love going grocery shopping, though I am not sure many of my roommates feel the same way. The only downside is the fact that more often than not, I find myself at the grocery store with none of our reusable grocery bags in sight. I really do appreciate Austin's effort to "go green," but selfishly, I find it a little frustrating at times, though I am sure there are plenty of ways to combat my forgetfulness.

But that is beside the point, and the subject of reusable grocery bags is not enough to keep me away from the grocery store. I love making grocery lists each week, which often includes special ingredients for a new recipe, but it also always contains nearly the same staple items each and every week.

I never buy all of the items on this list at one time, but they are just a sample of what I might have available to me in my pantry or refrigerator at any given time. The fruit found on my list may vary depending on what is in and out of season, but apples and bananas always make my list. I just recently discovered an apple that rivals the Honeycrisp, which is perfect timing, because Honeycrisps are just about to go out of season. I'm not going to lie, I was a little worried about my daily apple intake! The vegetables rarely change, though if I am feeling adventurous, I might opt for some asparagus as well. However, as I am sure you are all aware, I love my dairy-free pizza, and I need all of the vegetables listed in order to make it.

Hands down, my favorite snack 

Peanut butter is obviously one of my very favorite things, and I probably have it every day, in some shape or form. I am also very partial to black beans, corns, and salsa, because any kind of meat can be added to it, and I have a delicious meal ready in just minutes.

As for the extra virgin olive oil, I use that to sauté absolutely anything, and I generally top anything I make with lemon pepper. Meats, vegetables, eggs, pizza - it all tastes good, and when I use pepper, I am not tempted to sprinkle salt on top of anything. Not that I ever really crave salt, but still, lemon pepper is that good that it makes me forget about salt altogether.

So, there you have it. A look into a college student's grocery shopping. The amount I spend varies each week, but I will admit that it is close to $70, depending on what I might need to stock up on that week. Many of the items on this list last for many weeks at a time, while others, mainly produce, have to be restocked each week. I am very lucky to have parents that give me grocery money so generously, because they know how important healthy eating is to me. I also try and honor their generosity by not eating out as often as I used to, and using up the food in my refrigerator before it goes bad. My mom gets on me when I let food go bad at home, but I rarely let it go bad when I am at school.

Lunch

And speaking of food, let's talk about lunch today. One of the perks of working at SRD is getting to enjoy their delicious meals, but often times, I prefer bringing my own lunch, or bringing a tortilla to make a healthy wrap. Today, however, I went downstairs around 2:00pm and made myself a grilled chicken salad, topped with tomatoes, green bell peppers, black olives, and balsamic vinegar. It was delicious, and I am hoping it, along with a slew of other snacks, will fuel me through these last two hours of work.

I am hoping to squeeze in either a run at Town Lake or a swim at Gregory after I finish here, followed by a trip to the grocery store for a few special items. Have a great Tuesday!