There's Nothing to Eat! 11 Stomach-Saving College Food Staples

My religion professor once said the following: "Now, when I look in the fridge and say 'there's nothing to eat,' it means I'm not hungry for anything. When you guys look in the fridge and say there's nothing to eat...it means there's actually NOTHING to eat.'"

He's right. Right now in my fridge, I have the following:

1) A container of week-old broccoli
2) An empty soda pop bottle
3) A package of microwave bacon
4) Left-over Thai food

This summer, I'm resolving to keep my fridge stocked, but I still have a budget. So, after doing some research, I found information on basic food staples to keep college wallets and fridges full:

1) Milk: It's getting more expensive these days, but it's essential for healthy living. Look for coupons.

2) Rice: It's great because it's versatile. Rice works with everything from meat to ramen noodles to beans, and a little spice goes a long way...but you don't have to take my word for it. Check out these great rice recipes).

3) Oatmeal: It may be disgusting, but it's healthy and great to buy on a budget.

4) Peanut Butter: A little peanut butter goes a long way. It works great with celery, sandwiches, and a number of unusual recipes (including peanut butter soup). If you're ambitious enough, you can even try making it yourself).

5) Bread! Bread is another expensive commodity, but it comes in plenty of different shapes and sizes. If you want to go cheap, plain white bread is fine, but pitas and english muffins can always spice up an otherwise boring shopping cart. If you aren't afraid of an investment, you might even consider an automatic bread maker. They cost $60-100, but if you normally buy a loaf every week for $3-4 a loaf, it'll start paying back in 6-8 months. Check out this great, inexpensive bread maker here).

6) Fruits and Vegetables: in season, fruits and vegetables can come at reasonable prices, but out of season, the $$ can really rack up. If you don't have the cash, go for canned vegetables and fruits, which last longer than their fresh alternatives. However, get fresh fruits and veggies whenever possible.
Extra tip: It might be wise to invest in a tomato plant or an indoor herb garden. They're easy to maintain indoors, and they can save you some cash when vegetables ripen.

7) Pasta: spaghetti is one of the cheapest things on the market, and it can easily satisfy an empty stomach.

8) Cheese: it may come with a price tag, but it's really filling, and it's versatile in breakfast, lunch and dinner foods. Try cottage cheese for an inexpensive alternative.

9) Soup: this stuff can last you forever if you buy in bulk. Ramen is especially useful, but you can always buy Campbell's soup in 6-pack clusters or on special sales. Learning to make your own soup can be beneficial as well -- chicken broth, meat and chopped-up veggies work out really well. Invest in some soda crackers as well.

10) Beans: this stuff is so cheap, it's ridiculous.

11) Meats: if you need meat in your diet and you have no money, look for canned chicken and tuna. They are great in sandwiches, and canned chicken is surprisingly good in chili. You may need to splurge if you want good meat, but hamburger is generally less expensive than, say, chicken breast.

All right, there you have it. Happy shopping! And remember: always buy a little bit more than you think you need!