Student meal prep in Kamloops: when the cafeteria and takeout both lose

The student food problem

Campus food is expensive and closes early. Takeout adds up fast. Groceries are cheap, but who has the time to cook a real dinner at 9 pm after a lab?

Plenty of students end up eating cereal, instant noodles or whatever the closest drive-thru sells. Then wonder why they feel flat by midterms.

Be honest about cost

Cooking for yourself is the cheapest option. We will not pretend otherwise. A 5 meal pack at Health On Top is $85.99, about $17.20 per meal.

So when does it make sense?

• Exam weeks. When you will not cook anyway.
• Heavy shift weeks. When you work and study.
• Training blocks. When protein matters and prepping eats your Sunday.
• Splitting with a roommate. Two people can share a 10 meal pack at $159.99.

A simple student mix

• Cook two big batches of something cheap, like rice and beans or pasta, on Sunday.
• Add one Health On Top pack for the toughest days of the week.
• Keep a few easy proteins in the fridge, like eggs and yoghurt.

Mistakes to skip

• Skipping meals to save money. It costs you in focus and energy.
• Living on energy drinks. They are expensive and hard on sleep.
• Buying too much fresh food. Waste is a hidden cost for students too.

The short version

• Cooking is the cheapest way to eat. Prepared meals save time.
• Use a pack for your hardest weeks, not every week.
• Share, refer a friend and mix batch cooking with ready meals.

Quick answers