<p>I'm planning on getting an off campus apartment next year and was wondering how much I should ask my parents to give me (or purchase myself) for basic food costs. I wouldn't have a meal plan so I'm not sure how much money I'd need. I'd be mostly going to a grocery store in Orange, California and would try to be saving money. So my question is, for those of you without a meal plan, about how much money do you spend per month on food?</p>
<p>That's going to depend very much on what you eat. Can you stand eating nothing but boxed noodles and rice? Then you'll eat muchly on the cheap, even when you add in the required variety of fresh fruits and veggies (and meat, if you're not vegetarian). Does all your food have to be freshly prepared? Well, it's going to cost a lot more. Do you eat out a lot? (You will more than you think.) </p>
<p>Personally, when I lived in Riverside, I think I spent about $200 (almost entirely in)-$400 (a lot of eating out) a month on my own food. That included a lot of 10/$10 boxes of pasta and Rice-a-Roni, bread, large (ie, last me the entire year) tubs of jam and peanut butter, tuna on the cheap, etc. I was always shopping for deals, too -- 10/$10 on apples, especially on things I could freeze and use as necessary. The hardest part about shopping for one is that you probably won't eat it all in one sitting, and it doesn't save for too long.</p>
<p>I'd like to purchase food that's more healthy and prepare some meals. Thanks for the info.</p>