By: Megan Bier

Portland State is a foodie’s dream come true surrounded by food carts with authentic cuisines, various restaurants, and a place to buy coffee pretty much around every block, but what isn’t necessarily a dream come true is the cost of all of these delectable items. I know this first hand, trust me I ate good my first year as a student here and although I could direct you to the best place to get Pad Thai near campus I didn’t have any extra money to my name. I’m not saying that it isn’t good to treat yourself to the great food around campus every once in a while, but I have found that packing lunches can be a great thing for your wallet and your taste buds.

Since this school year has started I have been determined to save money and to try to pack food to bring on campus as much as possible. At first I thought this would be hard especially with all of the amazing food surrounding me, but I’ve actually almost started to prefer it. Not only am I saving money but I also feel like I’m eating healthier as well. From pita bread, veggies, and hummus to homemade yogurt covered pretzels I’ve made bringing my own food to school a good experience and you all can too.

Sometimes it’s as simple as making a little extra food while making dinner the night before and bringing left overs to campus. I personally have loved researching different healthy lunch ideas and by doing so have broadened my knowledge on nutrition and have learned so many new fun recipes. You could even get a friend- group potluck going and have each person bring different things from home. Whatever it takes to make your college experience healthier, cheaper, but still in good taste.