According to a 2022 study on average costs connected to life as a college student, up to 44% of all college students are concerned about the cost and availability of food. Is there a good reason for this concern?
How much does the average college student spend on food?
A college student spends between $200 and $600 per month on food. It can vary based on how many roommates they have and if they live on campus.
How much a college student spends on food depends on various factors. In this article, I will answer some commonly asked questions about college students and the cost of food.
How Should A College Student Budget For Food Costs?
College students and their parents often pay a lot of attention to the cost of tuition, textbooks, and accommodation if the student goes to a college far away from home.
Food, however, is just as important to consider. A college student needs to budget for food and drink wisely, as food is very important:
You will use up a lot of energy during college, and your brain needs all the nutrients it can get. Without adequate food, things go downhill quickly. But how should you budget for this?
You first need to decide: Will you cook for yourself, or will you mainly eat on campus (i.e., sign up for a meal plan)?
If you sign up for a meal plan, you know how much you spend every month right away. There’s no doubt, no financial surprises – unless you eat out a lot and forget to allow for that in your budget.
If you decide to do your grocery shopping and cooking, your spending will differ each month – but you might spend less than if you signed up for a meal plan.
Budgeting for your shopping can be challenging, especially if you have relied on family so far. It is a good idea to devise a weekly meal plan, calculate how much this would cost you, then multiply it by four to get a rough idea about your monthly food costs.
A meal planner notebook is a great tool for this and will help you collect all the necessary information.
Related Read: Can a College Student Get Food Stamps? (SNAP)
What Is The Average Cost Of Food Per Month For A College Student?
How much money an average student spends on food per month can vary wildly. For example, a college student in Michigan will spend a lot less on food than a college student in Alaska (food costs vary a lot from state to state, see this link).
Students who exclusively do their own shopping and cooking usually spend between $200 and $300 on food. Usually, however, students also go out to eat and drink, which can add up to $350 per month to the food bill.
Students who opt for a meal plan spend between $415 (Stanford University meal plan) and $640 (University of Alaska, Fairbanks meal plan) on food per month. Of course, these students also often spend extra on food eaten off campus.
Taking everything into account – from grocery shopping, meal plans, and regular visits to their favorite pizza chain, a college student in the USA spends around $500 per month on food.
How Much Does A College Meal Plan Cost?
Many college students prefer to have someone else cook for them even though it usually costs more. A college meal plan covers all the meals of the day – and the cost varies from state to state.
Cheaper meal plans in many states start at $400, while in Alaska, you can expect to pay at least $600 for a monthly meal plan.
Can College Students Use Food Stamps?
If a college student struggles with paying for food and meets certain criteria, they have the option to apply for food stamps.
Food stamps help with the cost of food and are a great opportunity for students that might otherwise go hungry a few times.
Do Vegan College Students Spend More Money On Food?
There is a misconception about vegans spending much more money on food than any other group – but is there any truth to it?
No. In fact, a vegan who doesn’t buy any or many of the more expensive vegan products on the market (like vegan cheese, vegan meats, etc.) will, on average, spend less money on food per month than a meat eater or vegetarian.
If you struggle financially but aren’t vegan, consider learning a thing or two from vegans about using your money wisely. Vegans on USDA’s thrifty meal plan – as an example – only spend $127 on food per month (meat eaters spend $187).
How Much Do College Students Spend On Eating Out?
Most college students eat out at least once a week, spending at least $20 per week on food away from home or off-campus.
On average, however, the cost is much higher. Most college students spend around $300 on eating out each month.
Is It Cheaper To Do All Your Own Cooking As A College Student?
If you wondered, “How much does the average college student spend on food?” you might have asked because you need to figure out your own finances (or the ones of your child).
If you are worried about money, the best solution is to not rely on meal plans and to reduce the times you eat away from home. Doing all your own cooking is the cheapest way to keep yourself fed – often in a healthier, tastier, and more nutritious way than college meal plans.
Final Thoughts
It is good to be prepared and know the costs connected to a college student’s life. After all, you don’t want to run out of money in the middle of a month because you haven’t considered what you spend money on.
Before you make your food budget, consider what you usually eat or want to eat, and go from there.
