Fetch’s College Student Grocery List

Planning meals and shopping on your own for the first time? This college grocery list breaks down exactly what to buy, how much to spend, and how to save money while living in a dorm or off campus. Whether you’re shopping solo or sharing with roommates, this checklist makes it easy.

Is it your first year away from home and you’re not sure what essentials belong on a college dorm grocery list? Or maybe you have your sights set on graduation and don’t have time to come up with your college grocery list. We’ve got you covered with the essentials: what you should have on your list, how much you should spend, how often to grocery shop and where you can save.

Earn free gift cards grocery shopping as a college student

Sure, college is fun, but university life can get expensive, even if we’re just talking groceries, and you’ll want to stick to a budget to make sure you don’t run out of money. Any bit of extra financial health can go a long way, which is why you should use Fetch to do your grocery shopping.

With Fetch, you’ll earn points on every grocery receipt, and those points can be redeemed for free gift cards. Those gift cards will help you save on your normal monthly expenses and even allow you to treat yourself to something fun (like the newest Xbox or Switch game) as a reward for shopping so responsibly.

Prefer to skip the trip to the store? Use Fetch Shop to do your grocery shopping online and earn rewards on your food haul without ever leaving the comfort of your dorm room or apartment. 

How to create a grocery list for college students

It can be tempting to think about how your refrigerator and pantry were stocked at home when making a grocery list as a college student, but your college dorm grocery list is probably going to be very different.

So, let us do the work for you. We’ve made a sample college grocery list that covers the essential categories with suggestions for each.

Produce

• Apples
• Bananas
• Pears
• Grapes
• Oranges
• Broccoli
• Carrot sticks

Dairy

• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt

Grains

• Bread
• Bagels
• Muffins
• Cereals
• Oatmeal
• Pasta

Protein

• Chicken
• Beef
• Deli meats
• Eggs
• Meat substitutes like tempeh or tofu

Snacks

• Chips and dip
• Popcorn
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Crackers
• Seeds
• Trail mix
• Cookies
• Granola bars

Drinks

• Soda
• Juice
• Coffee
• Tea

Frozen

• Single serve meals
• Fruit or veggie mixes
• Breakfast sandwiches
• Pizza
• Ice cream

Pantry

• Canned soups
• Canned beans and tomatoes
• Herbs and spices
• Pasta sauce
• Instant noodles
• Protein powder

Need to pare down your list a bit more this week? Try the 6 to 1 grocery shopping method to make sure you’re still prioritizing the right foods!

Printable grocery list for college students

College grocery budget: how much to spend

The average college student spends about $250 per month on groceries according to The Education Data Initiative, though that varies significantly with where you live (Hawaii students are looking at spending $451 per month on groceries while Vermonters average just $77 per month). Healthier eaters might spend a little more (though there are tricks to eating healthy on a budget, too).

If spending $250 per month on groceries sounds a bit low, it might be because college students also spend an average of $410 per month eating out. Whether you’re looking to cut back on spending or have extra cash to go out for dinner, each college grocery receipt you snap in the Fetch app puts you a step closer to a gift card for groceries or dining out.

How often should college students grocery shop?

You should be grocery shopping weekly in college, if not more often. Your parents might shop every two weeks or even just once a month back home. Here’s why you should grocery shop weekly as a college student:

• Fresh fruits and veggies can go bad quickly
• Your dorm fridge is tiny (and you’re probably sharing it)
• Your dorm room isn’t much bigger than that fridge, so no space for buying in bulk
• More frequent grocery shopping means smaller grocery bills each trip

Best grocery stores for college students

The best place to buy groceries in college is going to depend on a lot of things that your parents probably don’t consider when shopping for groceries at home:

• Do you have a car?
• How far are your grocery store options?
• Is there a convenience store near campus?
• Do you have a refrigerator in your room?
• Is there a microwave, stove or oven you can use?

All of this can impact where you do your college grocery shopping (and how much you usually spend). Here are some of the best places to buy groceries for a college student:

• Aldi
• Food Lion
• Lidl
• Market Basket
• Target
• Walmart
• WinCo

Dollar stores like Dollar Tree and Dollar General can sometimes be a good source of shelf-stable foods, too.

Make your college grocery list in the Fetch app

Here’s something they might not teach you in college: it’s easy to save up for books, gas money and party essentials when you snap your receipts in the Fetch app. Already know how Fetch can save you money? Did you also know you can build out your college student grocery list in the app so you can be sure to take advantage of all of the special offers and extra points?

Get started on your list and skip the dining hall next time!