college kids and food

Question
So, tonight, I was talking to my boyfriend online, between doing homework and whatnot, and he mentioned he had just come home from the store.

For conversation's sake I asked what he bought, and replied with:
xxx (9:36:35 PM): various beverages for my room, pop tarts for breakfast and ritz bits for snacking
xxx (9:36:37 PM): ie nothing healthy

I was like...well good job *sarcasm*. While thinking, and eventually saying that I was certain there was cheap not unhealthy food.

There is, isn't there?

It is practical to buy things that aren't perishable as fresh ingredients don't work so well; as I'm uncertain of their current mini-fridge situation. But he is a college student and thus has little money. Double majoring and for some reason decided to take 19 credit hours this semester; so doesn't have a lot of time for cooking.

So something quick and cheap and more healthy than pop tarts and ritz bitz...

Any suggestions or anything would be nice!

Thanks

Answer
Dear Alexa, The simplest answer is go to a healthfood store and pick up snacks there! They tend to have a wide variety these days. Think of crackers with spices and herbs, cheese on top rather than crisps though! For even organic chips/nibbles are not good for a staple diet. Get some cream cheese and nutpaste spreads, sesame paste, or tofu spreads/sandwich spreads and eat lots of wholewheat, rye and other types of fresh bread. A good loaf of decent yeast bread will keep for up to 3,4 days; sourdough at least a week. You can also buy pre-baked in plastic (get several packages! and you'll be able to have a decent breakfast or lunch any day).
You can also get liverwursts and lean cuts of ham if your not a veggie, and sure it doesn't keep for ever but if you shop once a week you should be okay.
Tins of tuna, sardines, mackrell work wonders too. Open, chuck over pasta, with a pot of tomato sauce (tons of varieties and if you buy organic: less salt/sugar).
On your weekly shop buy one bag of pre-cut lettuce/raw veg and make sure you cook in that same night: that way you at least have one day of vits and minerals!! (very sad, but ok we are talking to a student here...). Think of buying frozen peas and tins of corn: again good combinations with those tinned fish and whipped up within 8 minutes. Pre-boiled packets of rice, bulghur, couscous with all the trimmings are made organically these days too: just warm up. Get packets of soup (lentil, thick veg, or chicken etc): if you buy good quality it can be nutritious and delicious. You can buy 100 packets and they'll do you for a whole trimester!
I think a mini fridge can hold veggie burgers and other meat substitutes which keep for longer than cuts of meat and do taste "fast" if you like that. Also: you can't cook them wrong.
Of course all this does require the motivation to eat a meal a day, or pull out a plate or cutting board to spread yourself a sandwich. If you only have a microwave (horror of horrors!) you can warm up lots of (fairly) decent food and at least not die of coronary disease at age 22!
Just DON'T buy junk food. And the best way to do this is go organic: it's too expensive there!!

I wish you lots of luck as motivator. Good on you for taking this task on! He'll thank you for it when he looks fitter, gets better grades and lives to see 30!
Take care, Evelyn

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