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With grocery prices rising it can be hard to maintain a budget. Not only that, but juggling classes, jobs, and extracurriculars can make it easy to slide into a routine of irregular eating habits. Eating healthily, and regularly are important to ensuring success in your life, as it provides you with the energy and nutrition you need to take on the day. Here are 5 ways that have made eating healthy easier for me.

1. Planning Meals & Making a Grocery List

Be realistic about how often you eat everyday, and make grocery lists based on the meals that you eat. By creating a list, you are more likely to stick to the budget you set out, and also you tend to use your groceries more often rather than letting them go to waste!

2. Buy Frozen Fruits & Vegetables

Frozen fruits and vegetables can be bought in larger portions and can stay fresh for much longer. Most vegetables and fruits provide the same or better nutritional value compared to their fresh counterparts and can be heated up by simply microwaving them shortly or can be blended into a smoothie.

3. Find Alternatives to Eating Out

If you are someone who eats out a lot, figure out what exactly it is about eating out that appeals to you and mimic that in your grocery shopping. Like trying new cuisines? Build in experimenting with new foods into your grocery budget. Like the speed? Buy frozen meals or meal prep so you can have something ready and quick to eat. Like the convenience? Plan on swapping meals with friends, so you can enjoy a home-cooked meal without having to cook every day.

4. Buy Seasonal Produce

Learn when certain produce is in season, and aim to buy them during that time. When produce is in season, it tends to be much cheaper, easier to find, and always much tastier. Most New England produce are in season in early fall and late summer, so try something new around that time and you may find something both delicious and cheap!

5. Grow Your Own Food

Even if you don’t have access to a full garden, there are some produce that can be grown within your kitchen. One of my favorites is scallions, as all I do is cut the stem off once I am finished with it and place it in water and sunlight and can use the scallions regularly in my meals. Experiment with different produce to find out what is best for you.

6. Buy at the Farmers Market

There are a variety of local farmers markets in the area, and they often sell fresh and delicious produce at much cheaper prices. If you receive SNAP benefits, they also provide up to 15$ in matching and you can receive further benefits depending on household size.

Over time these tips have saved me countless trips to the grocery store because I forgot something, and have helped me save money while also enjoying cooking and eating more. These aren’t the only tips however, and if you have some ideas feel free to leave them in the comments!

To kick off the start of National Nutrition Month, here are some of our favorite quick and easy, and oh so nutritious breakfast recipes!

Banana Pancakes

• Total time: 10 minutes
• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 3 pancakes

Ingredients
1 ripe banana
1 egg
olive oil or cooking spray
Instructions
1. Place a frying pan or skillet on stove and add oil or cooking spray over low heat.
2. Put the banana in a medium bowl and mash into a chunky puree with a fork
3. Crack egg and add to mashed banana. Stir with fork to combine.
4. Add two tablespoons of batter to heated pan. Cook one side for one minute or until golden. Flip
pancake with spatula when top begins to bubble.
5. Cook remaining side until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.
Note: This recipe can easily be doubled for more pancakes. Customize the flavors by adding cinnamon or
vanilla. Serve with berries, syrup, nut butter or topping of your choice!
Recipe Source:
http://eugeniekitchen.com/banana-pancakes/
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-2-ingredient-banana-pancakes-cooking-lessons-from-the-
kitchn-218658

Overnight Oats with Mango and Berries

This recipe is easy, completely customizable and perfect for planning ahead. Top with any fruits, nuts or seeds you like. Dried, fresh or frozen fruit all work well in this recipe. Chia seeds help to thicken the oats and add nutrients. Oats can be stored up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

• Yield: 1 serving
• Total time: 8 hours and 5 minutes
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Chill Time: 8 hours

Ingredients
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
1- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Frozen berries
Frozen mango
Instructions
1. Combine rolled oats, chia seeds, and Greek yogurt, in a medium container that has a lid
2. Add unsweetened almond milk, frozen berries and mango to the dish with the rolled oats, chia seeds
and yogurt. Mix well and cover.
3. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, and the next day you can separate the amount to small mason jars.
Add other toppings such as nuts, seeds, and other fruits
Inspired from: https://downshiftology.com/recipes/overnight

Baked Frittata

• Total time: 25 minutes
• Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
3 Eggs
2 bell peppers
½ onion
1-2 cups spinach
Everything bagel Seasoning
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit
2. Cut onions and bell peppers. Cooked it in the pan and add spinach last.
3. Beat eggs in medium bowl. Put the cooked vegetables in the bowl with the beaten eggs. Add
everything bagel seasoning.
4. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Baked it for 25 minutes.
Note: You can add cheese
Recipe Source: https://cookieandkate.com/baked-frittata/

Berry Morning Mash

Ingredients
½ cup fat free blueberry yogurt
¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese
½ cup sliced fresh or frozen blueberries and/or strawberries
½ tablespoon fat-free granola
Instructions
1. In a bowl combine yogurt and cottage cheese
2. Top with frozen berries, granola, and nuts
Note: You can also use Greek yogurt and use other fruits too.
From: Tufts Balance Your Life (BYL)

Join Tufts Healthy Herd on a grocery shopping trip to Wegmans! The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate is providing students with free shuttle rides to the local Wegmans. The shuttles leave from the upper campus center on Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 and 5 p.m. You can register for a seat in advance. This pilot program will run until March 12. Have you used the grocery store shuttle?

Living off-campus? Or planning to put those residence hall kitchens to good use? Luckily for us Jumbos, there are plenty of great grocery stores around that you can access with or without a car. Take the T, or utilize the local MBTA bus routes to get to a store in no time. Reference the map below to find your ideal route!