Food is essential to our survival as humans. Even animals require food for sustenance. Your qualified local veterinarian and their trainee will be over the moon for feeding your pet with the right type and amount of food? Do you know why? It is understood that pets gain more from food than the popularly held benefits of nutrients and energy. The importance of sustenance for animals is crucial for disease prevention and recovery. On the flip side, rewarding animals with too much food can lead to obesity which can likely trigger respiratory disease and bladder issues. Now, that might be too much information for users who do not own pets, never watched a captivating documentary from David Attenborough, visited a Zoo, or even studied Zoology at a University.

Akin to veterinarians, our local doctors or GPs will be ecstatic if patients ate the right type and amount of food. The research firm Statista revealed that the average person per volume in the food market would reach 338.9kg this year. The spend on food makes up a certain percentage of our monthly income or budget, which varies across different countries. wIn the UK, people spend about 8% of their income on food, while it is at a higher rate of 30% in India and an alarming 59% from Nigeria. Across the Atlantic, people in the USA spend about 6.4% of their monthly income on food. The difference in spending across countries is impacted mainly by the median monthly earnings and average family size. Also, economic factors such as inflation and cost of living play significant roles. The big question lies in how students can reduce their monthly spending on food without compromising quality and a healthy portion.

Tips on how students can save on food 

As a quick note, starvation or skipping meals will not make our list. There are reasonable ways to reduce the overall spend and percentage budget on food without depriving ourselves of this much-needed nourishment. Here are some valuable tips:  

• Explore budget supermarket chains: In the UK, there are different spend grades of supermarkets. The likes of Lidl, Asda, and Aldi are considered very affordable. A shopping exercise and research revealed Waitrose has the most expensive items and Lidl the most affordable amongst supermarket chains.  
• Formulate a meal plan: It will require some effort to develop a meal plan for the week, but it will be worth it. A meal plan will help prevent spontaneous shopping and buying in excessive amounts. You can follow meal planning websites for templates and guidance on how to execute this strategy properly.
• Utilise student discounts: One of the essential benefits of being a student is discounts from retail giants and supermarket chains. The likes of Co-op and Morrisons offer student discounts, which can reduce your monthly percentage of spending to some degree. 
• Set a realistic budget: It might be boring, but you can benefit from this habit. Assign a spend percentage or amount for food each week or month depending on how far you plan. 
• Reduce the number of times you eat out: Eating out should also form part of your food budget. Opting to eat in sometimes with your friends instead of exploring that Michelin star restaurant will be instrumental to achieving that budget goal. This list is not exhaustive but a good start towards eating well without breaking the bank or suffering from a budget deficit.