10 Things To Put On Your College Grocery List

Surviving college is, for some of us, the hardest thing we’d ever done up until this point. Between finals and friends and can be really hard to keep it all together. On top of everything else you deal with as a college student, a lot of us are buying our own groceries for the first time. To help all of you guys out there with figuring out what you should probably be buying, here is my list of 10 things to put on your college grocery list.

1. Quick Oats

The first up on this college grocery list is quick oats. These are a staple because they make for a quick and easy breakfast and, combined with other items on this list, you could make some tasty overnight oats.

2. Nut Butter

Nut butter will always be a staple on a college grocery list. They last for a good while and usually contain a good amount of proteins.

You could spread this on bread and crackers or even just eat it straight out of the container with a spoon. No matter how you choose to eat it, these are a great thing to have in your dorm.

3. Cold Brew

This item on our college grocery list is for those that are a little bit (or a lot) caffeine addicted. Part of surviving college is being smart with your money and also staying awake. Buying a half gallon of cold brew takes care of both of those for around five dollars.

4. Frozen Vegetables and Fruits

One of the hardest things about college is making sure you get your recommended servings of vegetables and fruits. Do you know how many people accidentally get scurvy? To make sure you don’t add to that statistics, you can make a smoothie or some overnight oats.

5. Tortillas

This item on our college grocery list is perfect to make casual snacks for classes and studying. Smear some nut butter in it or add in meat, cheese, and eggs for a breakfast taco. Either way, the tortilla is an amazing addition to any list.

6. Milk/Milk Alternatives

For this one, I would recommend buying a milk alternative rather than cow milk for a lot of reasons but mostly because milk substitutes don’t go bad as quickly as dairy milk does.

This college grocery list item goes great with fruits for a smoothie or as creamer in cold brew. Finding your favorite milk alternative is a bit of a journey, but it is incredibly rewarding!

7. Meats/ Meat Substitute

This item is entirely based on your own diet, but having some chicken, ground turkey, or tofu handy can make it really easy to make a quick meal any time that will satisfy you.

8. Pasta

Any college student will tell you that one of the main things on their college grocery list is a pack or five of pasta. This is a great cheap meal paired with our next item. The best part of this is that depending on what you have available you can make something incredibly simple just to get through the week or you can make an amazing meal to impress your dorm room crush. Whatever you do with it, pasta is an amazing addition to any college grocery list.

9. Tomato Sauce

This is a college grocery list staple that I sometimes overlooked when I went shopping but it definitely should not be forgotten. If you are one for Italian food like pasta pizza or even chicken parmesan, you understand the necessity of a can of tomato sauce in a pantry at all times.

10. Canned Food

The last item on this list is stuff that you should keep for a rainy day but also add to dishes. Adding a can of diced tomatoes to pasta can make it ten times better just like adding black beans to a taco you made. Not only that, but I’ve definitely survived for a week on canned bean and soup because I had no money. It just might save you a couple of time to just have random cans of corn and beans in your pantry.