How My Daughter Became a College Gourmet on Less Than $100 a Week

Budget cooking lessons from a college student who eats like a chef and wastes nothing

Proud Mom Moment

Every parent thinks their kid is the best—but I truly do have the greatest daughter in the world. Meet Zoë. She’s 20 years old, living in South Florida for school, and somehow managing to out-cook most adults I know—all while sticking to a budget and producing no food waste.

It all started when I texted her a picture of a meal I had made from pantry and freezer staples. She had just house-sat for me while I was away in South Florida paddle board racing (where I won first place in both events). I’d stocked up my fridge and pantry before leaving, including chickpea flour pasta I was curious to see her use. She didn’t—so I experimented with it myself.

Mom's chick pea pasta meal made with jarred stewed tomatoes from my peanut butter addict client and other leftovers in the fridge.

Soon after, Zoë started sending me photos of her own meals. They looked like something straight out of an Anthony Bourdain travel special—beautiful, colorful, and clearly made with skill. Turns out, all those years I had No Reservations and The Layover playing on TV might have been excellent parenting after all.

Budget, Local Sourcing, and Zero Waste

When I asked where she got her ingredients, Zoë told me she shops at Aldi and BJ’s Wholesale in Tampa. Aldi claims to locally source much of their food. She spends under $100 a week on groceries—enough to feed herself and her roommate multiple meals.

Her golden rule: use everything you have. She bakes whole chickens, separates the white and dark meat for different dishes, and uses the bones for broth before composting. Vegetable scraps are planted, rooted in water, or frozen for future broths.

She preps a carb—like rice or quinoa—alongside a protein so she can quickly whip up stir-fries, soups, salads, or fried rice. Her approach is minimalist, flexible, and stress-free:

“I don’t use recipes or shop with a list—it just adds unnecessary stress if you’re missing something.”

Breakfast: Yogurt, tahini, almond butter, blueberry goat cheese, apple, dates, nuts, pumpkin seeds, mint, and coconut flakes

From Tiny Kitchen to Big Flavor

Zoë’s cooking journey began in her first year of school, living in a tiny home without a dishwasher. Despite the cramped space, she started creating these incredible meals. She also shares her kitchen now with her best friend and “sous chef,” Jax.

Her love for diverse food was shaped by her childhood in The Netherlands, surrounded by friends from different cultures. Whether it was beer and snacks or a sit-down dinner, food was always an event.

Evening Meal: Chick peas, rice, tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, lime wedge to squeeze over dish

Zoë’s go-to approach starts with a versatile protein—often chicken or beef. One of her favorites is roasting a whole chicken in the oven. Once it’s cooked, she separates the white and dark meat into individual containers for easy grab-and-go meals during the week. The bones never go to waste—they’re simmered into a rich, homemade broth before being discarded- a tip learned from Jax’s mom.

She treats vegetable scraps the same way: nothing gets tossed unless it’s truly inedible. Herb stems, onion ends, and carrot tops are either planted in soil, rooted in water to regrow, or stored in a freezer bag until it’s time to add them to the stockpot for more broth.

Alongside her protein prep, Zoë always makes a batch of a simple carb, such as rice or quinoa. With these two staples—plus a few fresh vegetables from the fridge—she can quickly create stir-fries, salads, fried rice, soups, or any number of meals without starting from scratch.

Zoe's other meal creations with a protein, a carb, and veggies.

I wanted to ask Zoë another question about how she stays so lean and fit in college.

“I’m no expert on health but I just eat a balanced diet and I fasted for a while. Now I am not as strict with fasting as I was, but it has made me better regulate my bloodsugar so now I don’t get hungry every 2-3 hours. I also walk, or jump on a trampoline, or do yoga every day.”

Zoë cooking for her Mimi and Baba.

Healthy, Fit, and Balanced

I had to ask how she stays so lean and healthy in college.

“I’m no health expert, but I eat a balanced diet and practice intermittent fasting. I walk, jump on a trampoline, or do yoga every day. Fasting helped me regulate my blood sugar so I’m not hungry every 2–3 hours.”

She’s living proof you can be a busy college student, eat delicious food, and stay healthy without breaking the bank.

Zoë’s Top Kitchen Hacks

• Keep three different fresh herbs in the house for versatile cooking.

• Buy bulk items that won’t spoil quickly.

• Use a pressure cooker to make broth in under 45 minutes.

• Prep protein and carbs ahead of time to make multiple meals easily.

Do you want more hacks on how to eat well, stay healthy, and spend less?
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