Thread: college diet?

Originally Posted by BigE

Does anyone know a website or any good recomendations on a diet for a college student with little or no moneY? i need a diet for bulking and cutting, i am going to start bulking when i get back after xmas break and tehn cut after that fro teh summer so any info would help

Well, this will by no means be comprehensive, but I can offer you a few tips that I use as a fellow college student with no money. I tend to go for stuff that keeps for a long time because I eat half of my meals in the dining hall, so I don't go through food as fast as most people, and stuff that is easy to prepare, because I generally need to be studying, not cooking:

Cheap/non-perishable carb sources:
- Oatmeal. Seriously. Not the instant, packaged kind, but the kind that comes in those cylinder shaped cardboard things (umm..do those have a name? ) You can still microwave it for a couple of minutes and it turns out fine, plus it doesn't have any of the sweeteners that you don't want. If you need to spice it up, sugar free syrup keeps, well, forever.
- Whole wheat/whole grain bread is reasonably cheap, I refridgerate mine so it doesn't grow science experiment-mold.
- Bran flakes - pretty much the only cereal that I can justify eating, plus it's cheaper than other cereals.
- Frozen broccoli - Broccoli is my favorite vegetable, so I get it in those big bags so it will keep.

Cheap/non-perishable protein sources:
- Eggs - okay, not exactly non-perishable, but will keep for quite a while in the fridge. I have calculated this numerous times, and egg whites (just use the half-shell to separate the yolk, trust me it will become like second nature to you) from dozen and a halfs or 30-packs of eggs are actually cheaper than those bags of frozen chicken breasts. This is considering that I eat 5 egg whites and one yolk as one serving of eggs. (Do cook them.) Plus they prepare faster than chicken.
- Chicken breasts (frozen)...oh well, eggs get old sometimes after all.
- Protein powder - prepares fastest, and cheapest. (I buy Optimum Classic Whey...for others the additional cost of better blends may be worth it, but for me it's a point of diminishing returns.)
- Lunchmeat - if you can get a sale on it, otherwise it's not cheap. A lot of people don't like the preservatives in it though. Lately I've been turned off to the taste but it is an option.
- Nonfat dry milk - Once again probably not as good as the real thing, but a heck of a lot cheaper and helps thicken up a shake. I keep some around as "backup."

Cheap/Non-perishable healthy fats:
- Natural peanut butter - Actually this is pretty much the only one that I keep around at school. The cafeteria serves plenty of fat sources (err, healthy and otherwise), and...I REALLY like peanut butter. Plus most of my other healthy fat sources are impractical for me at college (nuts are expensive; avocado is perishable, etc.)

Like I said, this list is by no means exhaustive. I would certainly be welcome to additions and suggestions as I am always on the lookout for cheap food to keep around my apartment at college!

As far as bulking and cutting, I don't see that the content of your diet will greatly vary, just the caloric intake (500 over maintenence for bulking and 500 under for cutting is a general rule of thumb). Check out some of the other threads on those topics specifically if you want to fine-tune.

i have a few shopping and saving tips to contricbute,:

1. shop your groceries at markets (if there is one in year area), bulk buy and split the bill with friends. this makes fruit/veges extremely cheap.

2. shop around in your area, find out where the cheapest butcher for each of the meat is, the cheapest butcher for chicken may not necessarily be the cheapest buthcher for beef. (if you have been buying meat at the supermarket, you are being ripped off badly.)

3. learn to cook well. try to learn how to make boring food you eat everyday more interesting.

4. dont be afraid to try exotic food, check out the local foreigb groceries stores and see what healthy alternative they have to offer.

5. try to be friend with a tightass and see how he/she copes with life in genereal (there is so much to learn).

On food source:

you can save on whey protein by blending skim milk powder with skim milk. (if you cant afford a blender, just use a bottle.)

dried skim milk is a good source of protein as well as carbs i go through 1kilo of those a fortnight.

in addition to those commented above,

Carb source,

beans (all sorts, soy beans are extremely cheap if you bulk buy 25 kg, they are a good source of protein as well).

sultana

Orange- perfect snack and good source of vitamins, stores really well.

brown rice/basmati rice (can be cheap if you buy in bulk in asian/indian stores)

protein source,
again beans (dont buy tofu, they are not as good as having beans).

egg, but do not throw away the yolk, it is even more nutritious than the white. the general misconception is that it is high in cholestrol, but dietary cholestrol level does not necessarily corelate with your circulating cholestrol level. and there is a lot of protein, minerals and vitamin D

ricotta/cottage/ quark cheese (cheaper than meat).

yogurt (blend it with milk, milk powder, and a bit of roll oats for breakfast, it will keep you going for a long time.)

vegemite,(25% of protein,low carb, low fat, taste horrible.)

source of fatty acid.

the easiest source is vegetable cooking oil. if you are bulking, just pour form the bottle instead of using a spray.

nice post, depaul

Oats, eggs, frozen chicken breasts. Look for sales usually around the holidays for meat. Dorm cafeterias have the meat that you could get a takeout box.

Ultimate bulking meal for college students is the large 5 dollar hot-n-ready from Little Caesars .

Originally Posted by zl214

in addition to those commented above,

Carb source,

beans (all sorts, soy beans are extremely cheap if you bulk buy 25 kg, they are a good source of protein as well).

sultana

Orange- perfect snack and good source of vitamins, stores really well.

brown rice/basmati rice (can be cheap if you buy in bulk in asian/indian stores)

protein source,
again beans (dont buy tofu, they are not as good as having beans).

egg, but do not throw away the yolk, it is even more nutritious than the white. the general misconception is that it is high in cholestrol, but dietary cholestrol level does not necessarily corelate with your circulating cholestrol level. and there is a lot of protein, minerals and vitamin D

ricotta/cottage/ quark cheese (cheaper than meat).

yogurt (blend it with milk, milk powder, and a bit of roll oats for breakfast, it will keep you going for a long time.)

vegemite,(25% of protein,low carb, low fat, taste horrible.)

source of fatty acid.

the easiest source is vegetable cooking oil. if you are bulking, just pour form the bottle instead of using a spray.

Good call on the beans and rice. I have another one to add, whole wheat pasta. Low glycemic index, cheap, keeps forever, and easy to prepare.

I have no idea what "sultana" is.

I agree with what you said about the egg yolks. I throw away most of mine not because they are unhealthy, but because I do not need to consume 5 egg yolks (25 grams of fat) in one meal. If your meal plan allows for eating more egg yolks, go for it. Likewise, the cheese is a little high-fat for me to include, but it if fits in your diet...

I love yogurt, but I seldom buy it because it seems like I don't get a lot of bang for my buck....one of those little fat free sugar free containers for like 50 cents, and all I get is 80 Calories? And yeah, you can get it in larger containers, but then I just end up eating the whole container (and devouring my three dollars instantly)...

Originally Posted by MWpro

nice post, depaul

Thanks, MW.

by sultana, i meant raisins, and tried fruit in general. they are not ridiculously expensive, there is a cheaper way to buy. I used to get a freind in Afghanistan to ship pitted dried dates over (unpitted fruits cant get through the custom), and it costs about a third of the price here.

with the yolk, you can add it to some flour and oat bran to make pancake if you want.

apparently, you can make yohurt. i am trying get the recipe. i'll see how that goes.

Originally Posted by zl214

by sultana, i meant raisins, and tried fruit in general. they are not ridiculously expensive, there is a cheaper way to buy. I used to get a freind in Afghanistan to ship pitted dried dates over (unpitted fruits cant get through the custom), and it costs about a third of the price here.

with the yolk, you can add it to some flour and oat bran to make pancake if you want.

apparently, you can make yohurt. i am trying get the recipe. i'll see how that goes.

Ah, okay. Thanks for clarifying on the sultana.

Making yogurt is an awesome idea! My dad has some friends who do that, actually - live far away from everything in the Oregon country and are basically self-sufficient. Like with everything, there are plenty of suggestions as to how to do it if you google "Make your own yogurt"

Anyway, do let us know what happens there, I am curiously intrigued.

Originally Posted by depaul

I love yogurt, but I seldom buy it because it seems like I don't get a lot of bang for my buck....one of those little fat free sugar free containers for like 50 cents, and all I get is 80 Calories? And yeah, you can get it in larger containers, but then I just end up eating the whole container (and devouring my three dollars instantly)...

Seasoned Ground turkey mixed with french cut green beans and some spaghetti sauce, just like pasta but a veggie instead. Or some times I mix ground turkey in mashed sweet potatoes with a little Lea & Perrins steak sauce. No Sugar Apple sauce and cottage cheese.

you guys missed the most essentialy cheap food: PEANUT BUTTER!! MMMMMMMMM

I know whenever I was in college they had hard boiled eggs in the cafe. I stuck about a dozen in my bag and kept them each day. I got sick of egg whites, but kept putting them in my face.

Originally Posted by patricio223

you guys missed the most essentialy cheap food: PEANUT BUTTER!! MMMMMMMMM

I didn't forget it, it was on my initial list. Although when you eat it in the quanities that I do it's not exactly cheap...(then again, same can be said for food in general for most bodybuilders)

Originally Posted by Double D

I know whenever I was in college they had hard boiled eggs in the cafe. I stuck about a dozen in my bag and kept them each day. I got sick of egg whites, but kept putting them in my face.

Yep. Whenever there's no other lean protein source being served, I can always go to the salad bar and get egg whites. And considering that every breakfast involves egg whites from hard boiled eggs already (alternatives being generally sausage and scrambled eggs, which while delicious are not exactly "lean protein"), I too get sick of them

Originally Posted by Double D

I know whenever I was in college they had hard boiled eggs in the cafe. I stuck about a dozen in my bag and kept them each day. I got sick of egg whites, but kept putting them in my face.

True story, at school I eat 8 egg whites in the morning, along with other stuff. Sometimes I just get the scrambled eggs if I am strapped for time. ugh...so much eating of egg.

if you live in a dorm, that sucks because you cant cook the food depaul has suggested.

i rent. so no prob there.

Btw, I made some yogurt today. feedback for those keen to hear,
1. very easy to make, its like inoculating a broth culture and incubated it for 5-8 hours for those of you with a microbiology background. you can even make it in your dorm with a kettle.

2.Very cheap, 1 litre of milk=1 litre of yogurt.

3.taste ordinary but acceptable (given I am very picky on food.) the taste is more on the sour side and is not as thick as the ones you get in the supermarket. I am just glad there is no preservatives, or additives, so i am happy with it.

i will give a 4 and a half out of 5. definitely worthy a try.

Originally Posted by zl214

if you live in a dorm, that sucks because you cant cook the food depaul has suggested.

i rent. so no prob there.

Btw, I made some yogurt today. feedback for those keen to hear,
1. very easy to make, its like inoculating a broth culture and incubated it for 5-8 hours for those of you with a microbiology background. you can even make it in your dorm with a kettle.

2.Very cheap, 1 litre of milk=1 litre of yogurt.

3.taste ordinary but acceptable (given I am very picky on food.) the taste is more on the sour side and is not as thick as the ones you get in the supermarket. I am just glad there is no preservatives, or additives, so i am happy with it.

i will give a 4 and a half out of 5. definitely worthy a try.

Many dorms have some sort of kitchen station located in them. A microwave, oven, sink, etc.

Originally Posted by zl214

if you live in a dorm, that sucks because you cant cook the food depaul has suggested.

i rent. so no prob there.

Btw, I made some yogurt today. feedback for those keen to hear,
1. very easy to make, its like inoculating a broth culture and incubated it for 5-8 hours for those of you with a microbiology background. you can even make it in your dorm with a kettle.

2.Very cheap, 1 litre of milk=1 litre of yogurt.

3.taste ordinary but acceptable (given I am very picky on food.) the taste is more on the sour side and is not as thick as the ones you get in the supermarket. I am just glad there is no preservatives, or additives, so i am happy with it.

i will give a 4 and a half out of 5. definitely worthy a try.

Actually, most of that food can be stored in a little fridge and made in a mini microwave. But yeah, I'm enjoying my kitchen this year as I got an apartment...it is certainly more limited as to what you can do in a dorm room.

How did you incubate the yogurt? From what I have read, the main thing is keeping the yogurt in a certain temperature range during that time, which is why I ordered a yogurt maker off of amazon.com

Originally Posted by depaul

How did you incubate the yogurt? From what I have read, the main thing is keeping the yogurt in a certain temperature range during that time, which is why I ordered a yogurt maker off of amazon.com

a yogurt maker is not essential.

what i did is put the bottle in an oven, switch the temperature to 45 degrees celcius. and i leave it there for 6 hours.

alternatively, you can start with more yogurt starter culture and leave it under the sun. i guess you cant really do this if you live in the north this time of the year. if that is the case, just leave the boiled milk near a heater, the temperature does not have to be 44 degrees celcius, because the first 8 hours of the fermentation is protected by the produciton of lactic acid (besides you start with a relatively clean bottle anyway). so you can get away with a lower temperature, but it is going to take longer. but more starter is going to compensate that, its a numbers game (I grow bug in my lab all the time so its all familair to me.)

so is it too late to cancel the order for the yogurt maker now?