thrive@eats

dear joan,
How can my college-age son eat nutritiously when he's away at school? He's on a tight budget and an equally tight schedule.

--worried mom

dear worried mom,
Since he can't take you with him, he can take some of your good advice. If he's living in an off-campus apartment, suggest that he stock up on frozen whole grain bagels, English muffins, and cereals as quick, no-brainer breakfasts. Store-brand or sale items can save him a bundle.

For a few bucks, he can buy enough brown rice and pasta to feed a dorm. When he makes pasta or rice, tell him to make extra, which can be quickly reheated for lunch the next day. Air-popped or stove top-popped popcorn in a covered frying pan with a little oil is cheaper than bagged microwave popcorn for those late-night munchies.

In the fruit and vegetable department, he could buy frozen orange juice, which takes minutes to make and can be much cheaper than ready-to-pour juice. Canned fruit packed in juice can also be easy on the wallet when fresh produce gets too pricey. Tell him to buy produce that's in season for the best buys. Potatoes, carrots, and bananas are usually easy on the budget year-round. House-brand or on-sale frozen vegetables are also reasonably priced and a dream for students with tight schedules because there isn't any prep: Just dump them into a microwave-safe dish and cook. Ditto for canned vegetables. Have your son reach for the low-sodium variety to harness the salt.

When it comes to dairy foods, buying milk in half-gallon containers is definitely cheaper than pints or quarts as long as he is going to drink it before it goes bad. Yogurt is a great between-class snack. Skip the costly eight-ounce containers, unless they're on sale, and have him grab the cheaper quart size. Canned tuna, peanut butter, eggs (no more than four yolks per week is recommended), egg whites, and beans are cheap, protein-rich staples. Look for lean meats on sale. Since the sum of the whole chicken is cheaper than its parts, have him buy a whole chicken rather than pieces. He can cook it on Sunday when he's studying (or watching TV) and divide the leftovers over the next couple of days for lunch or dinner, or freeze for another meal.

If he uses a full or partial cafeteria plan click here for ideas on low-fat, low-cal meal choices. Click here for more tips on dieting on a tight budget.

I hope he e-mails you often,