School is starting soon, which means that so is students’ budgeting, class schedules and studying. However, academic costs and responsibilities have made it difficult for students to cook affordable meals. They often can’t afford the time it takes to cook either. Inflation, commuting costs, and personal expenses take a considerable chunk of students’ budgets as well.
For this reason, students at Long Beach State bring it upon themselves to find solutions. Meal prepping – or packing food – is very popular nowadays, even among non gym-goers. Regardless of whether it’s a torta, spam musubi, or a salad, so long as it’s prepared ahead of time in greater amounts, it’s meal prep. This allows students to spread their cooking throughout the week and take advantage of their time in the kitchen.
“My eating schedule can look a little hectic during the year because I can get pretty busy,” said linguistics graduate student Amy Pabon. “I usually don’t have time to eat lunch, so I’ll try to have snacks during the day.”
On a normal day, however, Pabon has a set eating schedule. For breakfast, she suggests eating something easy to make. These foods include yogurt, toast, fruit, and coffee, which are quick and easy on the stomach. Following breakfast, she snacks on a veggie sandwich or something small, like fig bars or Nutter Butters. For dinner, she prefers variety.
“My dinners are very eclectic,” Pabon admits. “I enjoy pasta, burritos, and enchiladas, to name a couple of dishes.”
Pabon is not alone. Many students frequently visit restaurants on campus, such as Carl’s Jr., Coffee Bean & Tea, Subway and many more. However, should students wish to save money, she recommends sticking to prepping meals at home.
“I usually save eating out at restaurants for the weekends when I have the time to enjoy it more,” she said.
Other students incorporate meal prepping into their life differently. Fatima Uc, a counseling graduate student, prefers to eat pancakes and fruit for breakfast and a standard sandwich for lunch. Dinner typically depends on what her cravings look like that day.
“Typically, when I want to save money, I cook at home,” Uc said. “ However, if I was having a bad day and I’m not in the mood to cook, then that’s when I would typically buy food.”
Everyone has a different situation. Similarly, all students may prefer different foods and eat at different intervals throughout the day. Uc believes that students should listen to their bodies and not feel the need to live up to “gym bro” standards.
“Just make yourself food that you will enjoy and that will give you energy throughout the day,” she reassures. “It’s okay to eat out once in a while.”
Although costs are a major concern for Long Beach State students, numerous students agree that balance is key. Meal prepping may help, but there’s nothing wrong in treating oneself to fast food or a coffee once in a while. In the end, students know their bodies best.