Being in college can make students go into survival mode. Some will have nights when they have nothing to eat but water and fruit snacks. All those home-cooked meals that were taken for granted are gone and now they’re wishing they didn’t rush high school.

According to the article “To Cut Costs, College Students Are Buying Less Food and Even Going Hungry” in the July 13, 2016 U.S. News & World Report, statistics say that 71 percent of students said they changed their food shopping or eating habits due to a lack of funds. Studies went on and asked students if they were getting enough to eat. Twenty-seven percent of students said they did not have enough money to buy food; they ate less than they felt they should, or they cut the size of their meals because of money.

Some Allen Community College students on the Iola campus gave their opinions of eating and living on a budget in college.

Earl Wallace, a student living off campus in an apartment, said, “Living on a budget in college is hard, even harder if you’re staying off campus because you don’t have a meal plan. You have to keep up with buying groceries, and groceries are much more expensive when you have to buy them yourself.”

Student athlete Ahmad Winston said, “I live on a budget by grocery shopping, minimizing eating out, spending $10 a day on food, adding up over just spending $40 a week.”

Here are some cheap meals costing $5 and under, according to a tour of the local grocery store:

• Hamburger Helper, $1.82
• Eggs, $1.24
• Birds Eye Voila! Garlic Chicken 21 oz. bag, $3.94
• Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup 6-pack 2.25 oz, $4.59
• Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix 11.36 oz., $1.98
• Hidden Valley Pasta Salad, Original Ranch, $1.98
• Kraft Velveeta Skillets Dinner Kit Chicken Bacon Ranch, $2.56

Following are some easy, low-cost recipes with ingredients most students have around their place:

• Nachos — Layer store-brand corn tortilla chips onto a microwave plate, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, heat in microwave until cheese is melted.

• Goulash – 2 cups of cooked elbow noodles, 2 cans of tomato soup, 1 pound or less of hamburger (or faux-meat crumbles), and a squirt of ketchup. Cook noodles, brown hamburger, drain noodles, mix everything together and simmer in pan for 5-10 min.
• Sliced-Bread Pizza – Put a couple of pieces of sliced bread onto an ungreased baking sheet, layer with marinara sauce, cheese and any vegetables from the fridge. If there is a broiler, broil until the cheese melts (a few minutes at 350 degrees). Baking is fine, too. It will cook quickly so keep a good eye on it.