Poor Vet Students

[eaglemeag]

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So, after receiving my financial aid letter yesterday, I realize now that I'm going to have to figure out how to squeeze in a job between classes. And that's just so I can afford milk for my generic brand Cheerios.

Who else is in this predicament? Is it even possible to work and do well in vet school?

Also... when your school budgets in room/board/utilies, personal expenses, and travel expenses, are they talking about for the entire year, or just for the nine months you're in class? Tufts is estimating 9000 for room/board/utilities... that's near impossible for 12 months, but a little excessive (I think) for 9 months, so I can't tell which it is. Do they just expect you to be on your own for the summer months?

 

[chris03333]

So, after receiving my financial aid letter yesterday, I realize now that I'm going to have to figure out how to squeeze in a job between classes. And that's just so I can afford milk for my generic brand Cheerios.

Who else is in this predicament? Is it even possible to work and do well in vet school?

Also... when your school budgets in room/board/utilies, personal expenses, and travel expenses, are they talking about for the entire year, or just for the nine months you're in class? Tufts is estimating 9000 for room/board/utilities... that's near impossible for 12 months, but a little excessive (I think) for 9 months, so I can't tell which it is. Do they just expect you to be on your own for the summer months?

They don't include summer.

 

[tygris]

Tufts is estimating 9000 for room/board/utilities... that's near impossible for 12 months, but a little excessive (I think) for 9 months, so I can't tell which it is. Do they just expect you to be on your own for the summer months?

You're going to be living in the Boston area 🙂 It's pretty expensive to live there! I feel awful for Tufts, Western, and Davis students that have to deal with ridiculous living expenses. I'm sure there are other schools I'm not listing that are in the same situation.
I'm just glad that apartments in East Lansing seem to be pretty cheap!
I would imagine the 9000 dollars estimated by Tufts refers to school-year only, and probably for the whole year. Seems like a low estimate, though, from what I'm hearing from a friend going to MIT in the fall!

 

[Brighton]

You're going to be living in the Boston area 🙂 It's pretty expensive to live there! I feel awful for Tufts, Western, and Davis students that have to deal with ridiculous living expenses. I'm sure there are other schools I'm not listing that are in the same situation.
I'm just glad that apartments in East Lansing seem to be pretty cheap!
I would imagine the 9000 dollars estimated by Tufts refers to school-year only, and probably for the whole year. Seems like a low estimate, though, from what I'm hearing from a friend going to MIT in the fall!

Actually, Worcester, not Boston area. Tufts' other campus(es?) are in Boston, the vet school in Central Mass which is significantly cheaper. I forget what they include in room/board/household expenses (food?) but you won't need $1000/mo. Living in Brighton (part of Boston) I pay $565 in rent for a room in a 3br/1ba apartment and $100 give or take in utilities. The Grafton area will probably be around $100 less for similar arrangements. If you have a couple roommates and are a careful spender you could probably stretch that $9000 for the whole year, but you'll probably get a paying job during the summer anyway. Hope I could help, I'm going to Tufts.

 

[Brighton]

Actually, Worcester, not Boston area. Tufts' other campus(es?) are in Boston, the others are in Central Mass which is significantly cheaper.

Whoops, by others I mean the vet school.

-Mary-

 

[eaglemeag]

Actually, Worcester, not Boston area. Tufts' other campus(es?) are in Boston, the vet school in Central Mass which is significantly cheaper. I forget what they include in room/board/household expenses (food?) but you won't need $1000/mo. Living in Brighton (part of Boston) I pay $565 in rent for a room in a 3br/1ba apartment and $100 give or take in utilities. The Grafton area will probably be around $100 less for similar arrangements. If you have a couple roommates and are a careful spender you could probably stretch that $9000 for the whole year, but you'll probably get a paying job during the summer anyway. Hope I could help, I'm going to Tufts.

The $9000 I mentioned is for room, board (food) and utilities. They also include a few thousand more for transportation and "personal expenses", but obviously I'd rather save money where I can and not dip into the other budgets.

Thanks for your testimonial, though... that certainly makes me feel better. Are there plenty of summer jobs around? Also, if you don't mind me asking (and feel free to not answer), but how much do you spend on food per month? I've lived on campus throughout undergrad and have never had to be responsible for feeding myself because I've had a meal plan with the cafeteria, so I have no idea of even a ballpark figure. Plus, I have a chronic pain condition that requires a relatively high-quality diet to keep in check... I could NOT live off of ramen or mac & cheese... and I'd hate to have to give up fruits and veggies too 🙄

...

Better yet... who wants to be my sugar momma/daddy?

 

[tygris]

Better yet... who wants to be my sugar momma/daddy?

Haha, good to know you don't discriminate
And I knew the vet school at Tufts was separate from the other colleges there, but I just figured the expenses would be just as high. I didn't realize it was THAT far away 🙂 Good then, you don't have to deal with Boston living expenses, hoorah!

 

[HorseyVet]

.. I could NOT live off of ramen or mac & cheese... and I'd hate to have to give up fruits and veggies too 🙄

Personally I really think it's possible to eat fairly cheaply and healthy by cooking your own food. I went through kind of an ordeal to get off the food plan where I was originally an undergrad, and what I ate was really a lot cheaper (and better tasting). You just have to get into that "per ounce" shopping mentality. Like I think for a little over the the price of 2 combo meals at a fast food place you can get 6-8 lbs of sirloin hamburger.

You can still even have convenience foods if you can buy in bulk somewhere (Sam's, CostCo). I think my ex-roomate must have had stock in hotpockets and toaster struddles...we bought like 20 at a time for the price of 2 at grocery store. Just look for a place with a big freezer.

 

[eaglemeag]

Haha, good to know you don't discriminate

At $50k a year, I can't afford to discriminate!

And I knew the vet school at Tufts was separate from the other colleges there, but I just figured the expenses would be just as high. I didn't realize it was THAT far away 🙂 Good then, you don't have to deal with Boston living expenses, hoorah!

Yeah, that definitely is a blessing. While I'm sad to not be in Boston because I'm more of a city girl, it has its advantages. While I was in my interview there, my mom was looking at apartment ads... Later on, she was like, "Oh my god, a one bedroom apartment for $800 a month?! How can anybody afford to live here?!" Um, with roommates? I had to explain that it was much cheaper to have a 2 or 3-bedroom with roommates. I think she's still in the mentality of what it was like to rent a place when she was my age!

What amazes me is that apartments run roughly the same between here (Rock Hill SC), home (Roanoke, VA), Grafton, and Blacksburg VA (where Va-Md RCVM is, for vet-school-town comparison). So I'm really not losing much as far as cost-of-living is concerned!

 

[eaglemeag]

Personally I really think it's possible to eat fairly cheaply and healthy by cooking your own food. I went through kind of an ordeal to get off the food plan where I was originally an undergrad, and what I ate was really a lot cheaper (and better tasting). You just have to get into that "per ounce" shopping mentality. Like I think for a little over the the price of 2 combo meals at a fast food place you can get 6-8 lbs of sirloin hamburger.

You can still even have convenience foods if you can buy in bulk somewhere (Sam's, CostCo). I think my ex-roomate must have had stock in hotpockets and toaster struddles...we bought like 20 at a time for the price of 2 at grocery store. Just look for a place with a big freezer.

I would love some more suggestions! Like I said, I've never had to shop for myself before... and, sadly, my mom--my only grown-up "how-to" mentor--is the type of person who throws money around even though she doesn't have it.

Honestly, I'm really looking forward to being able to lose the meal plan and cook for myself. My body is much happier eating several small meals a day than eating one or two big meals. It's just sad that I'm spoiled to healthy things that are much more expensive than typical fare. Unlike your roommate, I couldn't deal with Hotpockets and Toaster Struedels... besides, I'm already overweight as it is! 😛

 

[Brighton]

The $9000 I mentioned is for room, board (food) and utilities. They also include a few thousand more for transportation and "personal expenses", but obviously I'd rather save money where I can and not dip into the other budgets.

Thanks for your testimonial, though... that certainly makes me feel better. Are there plenty of summer jobs around? Also, if you don't mind me asking (and feel free to not answer), but how much do you spend on food per month? I've lived on campus throughout undergrad and have never had to be responsible for feeding myself because I've had a meal plan with the cafeteria, so I have no idea of even a ballpark figure. Plus, I have a chronic pain condition that requires a relatively high-quality diet to keep in check... I could NOT live off of ramen or mac & cheese... and I'd hate to have to give up fruits and veggies too 🙄

...

Better yet... who wants to be my sugar momma/daddy?

I told my boyfriend today he needs to get a job as a plastic surgeon.
Seriously, though, I spend about $20/wk on groceries because I love having fresh fruit and veggies around and food to appease my boyfriend who isn't a fan of spaghetti and diet Sprite like me. Clip coupons, get a BJ's or Costco membership, bring your own lunch, shop at cheaper grocery stores (not your big chains unless they're having a good sale- I sometimes will hit two local grocery stores in a day) and budget every month out in Excel for all your expenses. Don't pinch every penny or you'll go insane. I learned a lot living on my own in Boston in the last nine months with over $1200 in fixed expenses every month thanks to my car payment and rent. TiVo was one splurge ($50 for the box + $12.95 monthly fee) that I have never regretted. Hope I helped!

 

[tygris]

I would love some more suggestions! Like I said, I've never had to shop for myself before... and, sadly, my mom--my only grown-up "how-to" mentor--is the type of person who throws money around even though she doesn't have it.

My biggest suggestion is to find the nearest farmer's market wherever you are living. When I discovered the markets around where I live now in Cleveland, it saved me so much money - as long as it's a REAL market and not one of the ones you find in the ritzy areas of town and end up over-spending 😉 For example, at my market I can get all of my fruits and veggies for the week for under 10 dollars. This usually includes tomatos, cucumber, onion, lettuce, mushrooms, apples, oranges, and the occasional extras. The market I go to also has meat/cheese vendors and bakeries, so I can get a lot of stuff for very little money. Plus the poultry vendors almost all have only corn-fed chicken, so that's a huge bonus - for much less than the hormone-packed stuff in the grocery stores.

Now... the market I go to is extremely ideal and open all year around... I can only hope to find something similar in Michigan.

If you're into Asian food, I also suggest finding your nearest Asian markets - everything is ALWAYS cheap as hell at those 🙂 And once you learn how to cook a few basic Asian dishes (and stock up on basic sauces required for cooking), you can go miles with minimal money.

 

[rhinoceros]

people underestimate the ease and sheer awesomeness of cooking for oneself. Making dinner is quite possibly my favorite evening activity. I think you could get a semi modest but void filling supply of real food (raw meats, fruits, eggs, grains, vegetables, juice, milk) spanning breakfast, lunch and dinner for around 28-35$ a week. Getting one of those free grocery cards for bigger stores also helps a whole lot. Things might even cost a bit less in Worchester as I live in a city.

 

[eaglemeag]

people underestimate the ease and sheer awesomeness of cooking for oneself. Making dinner is quite possibly my favorite evening activity. I think you could get a semi modest but void filling supply of real food (raw meats, fruits, eggs, grains, vegetables, juice, milk) spanning breakfast, lunch and dinner for around 28-35$ a week. Getting one of those free grocery cards for bigger stores also helps a whole lot. Things might even cost a bit less in Worchester as I live in a city.

I'm not a big fan of cooking, personally... but I think once I kind of "grow into" it it'll be better.

I'm not looking forward to a day full of classes and then coming home and trying to figure out what to fix. I'm thinking that personally, my best bet would be to make two or three dishes on Sunday night and eat on them for the whole week. My mom has been doing this since working a job that requires a long commute, and she loves it because she doesn't have to think about dinner each night but just has to nuke it. Now, if I can just make it more cost-efficient.

I have no real knowledge of cooking but I can follow a recipe just fine. Do any of you guys have particular cookbooks (or certain cooks/chefs) that you swear by?

Thank you all for your great ideas! You guys are great ! Who wants to come over to my house in September for cheap-homemade-healthy dinner?

 

[Boxsterluv]

One thing that I've found helps in the budget/health departments is to make a great big salad at the beginning of the week then eat it throughout the week, either as your meal or with something else like soup or baked potatoes or something.. I also like to kind of plan out my meals, I find that if I make a list of meals to eat for the week then buy the stuff that I need for them, it's easy to cross-reference and get stuff that lends itself to multiple meals.. Going to the store without a list and trying to figure it all out there is frustrating and can get expensive!! 😱 Anyway, good luck to all..

 

[HorseyVet]

I would love some more suggestions! Like I said, I've never had to shop for myself before... and, sadly, my mom--my only grown-up "how-to" mentor--is the type of person who throws money around even though she doesn't have it.

Honestly, I'm really looking forward to being able to lose the meal plan and cook for myself. My body is much happier eating several small meals a day than eating one or two big meals. It's just sad that I'm spoiled to healthy things that are much more expensive than typical fare. Unlike your roommate, I couldn't deal with Hotpockets and Toaster Struedels... besides, I'm already overweight as it is! 😛

lol....I think that the big meals a day in part hurt me academically the first semester....I wasn't used to it and I'd eat way to much (knowing I would not have acess to food again untill some 8 hours later) and then fall asleep....kinda like a lot of non-free choice pets....lol

But yeah, it's easy to eat healthy and cheaply by cooking. Just start looking at the foods you like and then figure out how to make them. Everything other than Indian food is pretty do-able (my homemade shrimp saag still stinks).

If you're at home now...or where ever you are, just try to start cooking at home and figure out how much that costs you. Obviously if you're not used to cooking then you'll have some failures but personally the learning process is kinda fun.

What exactly are you used to eating that you don't think you can cook? Maybe I have a recipe or two.

 

[eaglemeag]

What exactly are you used to eating that you don't think you can cook? Maybe I have a recipe or two.

It's not that I don't think I can cook...it's just that I don't have any 'mental recipes' where I could stand in front of the stove and whip something up without thinking much about it. I'm just not that creative 😛 My mom can just throw **** together without putting much thought into it, and it's great. But then again, a) I see a lot of 'repeats' when I'm at home, and b) she doesn't cook in the least expensive way possible, so I wouldn't even know where to start.

Recipes are always welcome ! [email protected]

 

[kate_g]

I have no real knowledge of cooking but I can follow a recipe just fine. Do any of you guys have particular cookbooks (or certain cooks/chefs) that you swear by?

The one book you really need is The Joy of Cooking, it will tell you how to prepare *everything* and also has directions for various techniques (e.g. how to cut up a chicken - you'd be amazed at the price difference between whole chicken and bonleless skinless breasts). Also I've heard of a book called something like "Help, my apartment has a kitchen in it" that's meant for people exactly like you and possibly written by an actual mom. I might be confusing two different books with that last part though. You should also start watching Good Eats if you have access to cable TV with the Food Network. It's funny, science-y, and has lots of practical advice.

 

[wishes]

Something that I would suggest is getting a crock pot. There are alot of "healthy" crock pot cook books and it is a great time saver. You can through everything in the pot, and then it is all set for you when you get home. Especially great for soups 🙂.
Also, my favorite store in the whole world is Trader Joes. They are not your traditional health food store, but they do sell alot of organic/natural food products for really cheap including produce, meats, bakery items, etc.
I passed one when I visited Tufts and I remember that it is about half way between Boston and Grafton so it is not super close, but it might be worth the trip a couple times a month. You could probably take the train.
The farmer's market is also a great suggestion!

 

[eaglemeag]

Something that I would suggest is getting a crock pot. There are alot of "healthy" crock pot cook books and it is a great time saver. You can through everything in the pot, and then it is all set for you when you get home. Especially great for soups 🙂.
Also, my favorite store in the whole world is Trader Joes. They are not your traditional health food store, but they do sell alot of organic/natural food products for really cheap including produce, meats, bakery items, etc.
I passed one when I visited Tufts and I remember that it is about half way between Boston and Grafton so it is not super close, but it might be worth the trip a couple times a month. You could probably take the train.
The farmer's market is also a great suggestion!

OMG I am a HUGE fan of crock-pot recipes! I love the idea. I have never used one, but I believe I've inherited one from my grandmother and that it's waiting for me at home 🙂 I'll see what I can find in the way of healthy recipes.

I've never been in Trader Joe's, but I do remember seeing it when I was there, now that you mention it. I'm pretty sure it was on Highway 9 about halfway between Worcester and Grafton. Not far away at all and most likely worth the trip (from what it sounds like)! Thanks for the suggestion; I'll be sure to check it out!

kate_g: I love Good Eats because of its scientific nerdiness! I just bought a Better Homes & Garden book similar to Joy of Cooking (obviously haven't used it yet, haha), but I'll keep an eye out for the book you mentioned. Thanks!

 

[Gr8DaneGirl]

OMG I am a HUGE fan of crock-pot recipes! I love the idea. I have never used one, but I believe I've inherited one from my grandmother and that it's waiting for me at home 🙂 I'll see what I can find in the way of healthy recipes.

I've never been in Trader Joe's, but I do remember seeing it when I was there, now that you mention it. I'm pretty sure it was on Highway 9 about halfway between Worcester and Grafton. Not far away at all and most likely worth the trip (from what it sounds like)! Thanks for the suggestion; I'll be sure to check it out!

kate_g: I love Good Eats because of its scientific nerdiness! I just bought a Better Homes & Garden book similar to Joy of Cooking (obviously haven't used it yet, haha), but I'll keep an eye out for the book you mentioned. Thanks!

Well, I have an idea I'm going to try to make work. I think students may be able to get food stamps! Does this sound really bad??? I'm in CA, according to the web site looks like I might be albe to make it happen. You have to apply and then go for an interview about why you need them, but I figure it is worth a try. The cost of food will amount to thousands over the couse of four years. My goal is to keep the dept as low as possible.

If not, I guess it Mac & Cheese or PBJ'S!!!

 

[chickenboo]

Well, I have an idea I'm going to try to make work. I think students may be able to get food stamps! Does this sound really bad??? I'm in CA, according to the web site looks like I might be albe to make it happen. You have to apply and then go for an interview about why you need them, but I figure it is worth a try. The cost of food will amount to thousands over the couse of four years. My goal is to keep the dept as low as possible.

Not to burst your bubble, but I have to say, I doubt this will work. I really doubt that anyone getting financial aid (let alone fin. aid from the government) would qualify for food stamps. I know that as vet students we will be poor, but not that poor--we'll still be able to afford food! Everyone I know at vet school is doing fine for food--including going out to eat (and not infrequently at that, for some). Even if it were possible to get them, I think the food stamp program is designed for those less fortunate than us. It'd be taking money away from someone who truly needs it.

 

[yakpool]

Hi eaglemeag,

I am going to Tufts this fall too. My husband and I just love cooking. We cook mostly Asian food, a lot of vegetables, fish, and fruits. It actually takes very little time! You are certianly welcome to our home and we can show you what we know!

In summer, we like to buy things in farmer's markets. We like trader joes too. Another great market in Boston area is the Super 88, an Asian supermarket. It is a lot cheaper, and you have a lot of wonderful choices once you know more about Asian food. One thing I really like is dumplings and steam buns. They are asian style fast food, but much healthier.

 

[kate_g]

Another great market in Boston area is the Super 88, an Asian supermarket.

We have a small chain of Asian supermarkets in CA too... called Ranch 99! I just thought the name similarity was funny. But really, these places are *great*. Their prices are in general very low, and they sell lots of "regular" food in addition to Asian specialty food. (But don't get me wrong, experimenting with the Asian specialty food is half the draw for me.)

 

[yakpool]

We have a small chain of Asian supermarkets in CA too... called Ranch 99! I just thought the name similarity was funny. But really, these places are *great*. Their prices are in general very low, and they sell lots of "regular" food in addition to Asian specialty food. (But don't get me wrong, experimenting with the Asian specialty food is half the draw for me.)

I won't doubt it if there is a place called ** 66 They are all lucky numbers in Chinese! Like China's telephone country code is 86, all telephone numbers start with either 6 or 8 in Beijng. And of course, 9 was used for the emperor 🙂

 

[eaglemeag]

Hi eaglemeag,

I am going to Tufts this fall too. My husband and I just love cooking. We cook mostly Asian food, a lot of vegetables, fish, and fruits. It actually takes very little time! You are certianly welcome to our home and we can show you what we know!

In summer, we like to buy things in farmer's markets. We like trader joes too. Another great market in Boston area is the Super 88, an Asian supermarket. It is a lot cheaper, and you have a lot of wonderful choices once you know more about Asian food. One thing I really like is dumplings and steam buns. They are asian style fast food, but much healthier.

Yakpool, I will most definitely take you up on that offer! (Have I mentioned how much I love this message board for getting to meet future classmates? How great!) Thank you *verY* much for the invitation, as well as the suggestions. I'll definitely keep them in mind. I bet I spend lots of time practice-cooking this summer

 

[HorseyVet]

This is OT, but eaglemeag, I just noticed that your avatar kinda looks like the elephant is strangling the other animals....lol

 

[youthman]

You can buy a whole bunch of chicken breasts, marinate them overnight in whatever you like, and grill or bake them all. It's not time consuming because you can do other things while the chicken is marinating/cooking, and when they're done you have healthy food for the whole week! Use some to make sandwiches, some to eat with potatoes/veggies, some to make fried rice with, etc...

Also, you can boil some of the raw chicken breasts in broth/water, throw in some pasta and you have a big pot of chicken noodle soup.

Eggs are another quick easy fix. As long as you limit yourself to a couple egg yolks a day, you can have as many egg whites as you like. Hard boiled, fried, omelettes, whatever - quick and healthy.

Lowfat cottage cheese makes a great late night snack. Keeps you from getting hungry, provides good steady nourishment, and doesn't pack on unwanted fat.

When you're really broke, you will be much better off living on oatmeal than instant noodles or some cereal. Oatmeal in bulk is ridiculously cheap.

Oh yeah, don't forget the tuna (make sure it's dolphin safe). Sometimes if I only have a 10 minute break I'll eat it straight out of the can.

I've been eating 6 meals a day for years, so food planning and budgeting is like 2nd nature to me now.

 

[HorseyVet]

Eggs are another quick easy fix. As long as you limit yourself to a couple egg yolks a day, you can have as many egg whites as you like. Hard boiled, fried, omelettes, whatever - quick and healthy.

What's great are those egg beaters eggs....they're just egg whites so they're all protein, not fat, no colesterol, and low cal. They're great if you're on a low-carb diet. I've had about every generic brand and they're all about the same. The ones that look yellow just have beta carotene. They're around a buck on sale. Take a carton of those, a skillet and some pam-type spray....10 minutes later you have an omellete or scrambled eggs or w/e w/ really no "guilt." They taste exactly like real eggs.

 

[eaglemeag]

Just wanted to thank everyone who posted on this thread for helping with suggestions and ideas! I've made note of everything you guys have said so I can remember it all 🙂

My mom bought me a brand new crock pot as a graduation present, as well as several new cookbooks. I now have a Better Homes & Gardens basic cookbook, a book with 5-ingredient slow-cooker recipes (which look delicious!), and a Paula Deen book (highly impractical for what I want/need, but it was my mom's choice and maybe it'll give me some ideas). My mom has agreed to buy groceries if I practice cooking for us. I'm going to try really hard to keep it within a budget to practice managing money as well. I'm kind of excited about it all. So, thanks again for your help!

 

[miltonmcdougall]

I'm not a big fan of cooking, personally... but I think once I kind of "grow into" it it'll be better.

I'm not looking forward to a day full of classes and then coming home and trying to figure out what to fix. I'm thinking that personally, my best bet would be to make two or three dishes on Sunday night and eat on them for the whole week. My mom has been doing this since working a job that requires a long commute, and she loves it because she doesn't have to think about dinner each night but just has to nuke it. Now, if I can just make it more cost-efficient.

I have no real knowledge of cooking but I can follow a recipe just fine. Do any of you guys have particular cookbooks (or certain cooks/chefs) that you swear by?

Thank you all for your great ideas! You guys are great ! Who wants to come over to my house in September for cheap-homemade-healthy dinner?

My advice: RAMEN NOODLES. 🙂

 

[eaglemeag]

My advice: RAMEN NOODLES. 🙂

I HATE RAMEN NOODLES. They make me hungrier than I was before I ate them. 😛

 

[rhinoceros]

I use lots of internet sites too, like http://allrecipes.com/ or the food network for meals that I can't find in my little books. they have a bunch of recipes labeled "quick and easy" which I browse when I'm trying to think up stuff to make for a week's dinner. good luck and have great fun at tufts (I think I remember them having nice sammiches)!

 

[curlykid]

there's a trader joes in Framingham (down rt 9 if you have a car)
there's also one in Shrewbury (also on rt 9, i think it might be closer to the grafton campus than the Framingham Trader joe) its an awesome store!

also if you are into health food, there's Whole Foods, which is next to Trader Joe's in Framingham and also one in Bellingham (i'm not sure which is closer), but Whole Foods is very expensive

 

[tygris]

I HATE RAMEN NOODLES. They make me hungrier than I was before I ate them. 😛

Haha, I believe that's the MSG and the partially hydrogenated oils at work... nice to know I'm not the one that this happens to!

 

[equineaggiegal]

I have made it my mission to learn to cook after my 2nd year at college. The best cook book out there for non-cooks and cooks a like is The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. Its done by the folks from a cooking show on PBS. They test products and recipes (without bias) so you dont have too. Very simple to follow and a lot of quick recipes. Everything they have suggested has been spot on.

I actually checked out 3 of their books from the library before purchasing to test a couple recipes out. But you can just photocopy the recipes if you like. You can register for free current season recipes online @ www.americastestkitchen.com. They also suggest meals you can freeze. I am a food network lover too. Lots of free recipes there.

I suggest the farmers market, buying from the bulk bens (like at whole foods or a health food store), doing the double coupon thing, and stocking up on non-perishable items while on sale. I try my best to avoid over processed foods. Learn to love quick cooking things like couscous, beans, and thinly sliced meats. I have found it cheaper to buy bag-o-frozen chicken and share it with roomies. I have tried to cut out soft drinks too when I cant find them on sale. I make my own sweet tea (Im from the south) or I stick to water or OJ which always seems to be on sale. Oh and alway buy bulk spices from places like Wholefoods- they tend to be 1/2 the price and you get more for your buck.

Goodness I could go on forever... we feel your pain.

 

[eaglemeag]

Thanks equineaggiegal... those were some great ideas and I'll see what I can do with them! 🙂

 

[equineaggiegal]

My pleasure 🙂 Thanks

 

[vesper9]

I use lots of internet sites too, like http://allrecipes.com/ or the food network for meals that I can't find in my little books. they have a bunch of recipes labeled "quick and easy" which I browse when I'm trying to think up stuff to make for a week's dinner. good luck and have great fun at tufts (I think I remember them having nice sammiches)!

👍 ah you beat me to it!

this site is the best! especially because I can never think ahead more than a few hours in terms of dinner. Towards the end of my day at work I just login and look though my recipe box or do a quick search (ingredient search is brilliant for when you only have a few things around and do NOT want to go to the store). The recipe reviews was the biggest plus for me initially b/c they easily tell you is something is good or not, plus great tips for how to make a recipe better or a cooking technique easier.

In the past 2-3 years that I've used this site I've totally built up a recipe box/collection and I'm now finding myself much more able to "whip something up" out of random ingredients.


oh and I've even taught my boyfriend how to buy products based on per oz prices!