Dorm Room Eating 101: Best Days to Buy College Food

Heading to college? Take a crash course in saving money, plus earn cash back with Ibotta along the way. 

It’s time to hit the books, school is back in session! Our own Ibotta team did some homework recently, taking a look at what shoppers age 18 to 22 purchase the most during the school year. It turns out, you can save money by simply shopping for things on different days of the week! For example, we discovered that not only is Sunday the most popular day for college-aged students to purchase groceries, it’s also the cheapest day to buy coffee, sports drinks, and pizza (talk about necessities).

We also took a look at which states have the savviest college students (those who earn the most cash back with Ibotta). The top three states include Idaho, Utah, and California. Did your state make the cut? If so, make sure you tell your professor you deserve some extra credit this semester. Take a look at a few more fun facts below, save some money each week, and be sure to start with Ibotta to get cash back on each trip.

Fun food facts

• Average food cost per day on college meal plan: $18.75

• Average food cost per day when eating at home: $11

• Top items purchased by college-aged users:

  • Boxed meals

  • Beverages

  • Pasta

  • Candy & gum

  • Frozen foods

• 2.1 million Ibotta shoppers are 18-22

• College-aged students shop most on Sundays, and are more likely to shop after 6 pm

• Best days to buy college-friendly foods:

  • Ramen: 4% cheaper on Tuesdays, vs. Wednesday, the worst day to buy

  • Chips & popcorn: 2% cheaper on Thursday vs. Sunday, the worst day to buy

  • Soup: 2% cheaper on Saturday vs Monday, the worst day to buy

  • Mac & cheese: 3% cheaper on Thursday vs Tuesday, the worst day to buy

  • Pasta: 2.5% cheaper on Thursday vs Monday, the worst day to buy

  • Sunday is the best day to buy coffee, sports/energy drinks, and frozen pizza

Ready to hit the store? Check out some of our favorite cash back offers in the app and make some money on top of saving it.

Haven’t tried Ibotta yet? Download the free app today and get cash back on in-store and online purchases straight from your phone.