The holiday season ushers in snow, the end of the semester and visions of hot cocoa and homework-free days. It also brings the harsh reality that I spent all of my money on Christmas presents. For a college food columnist, the last few weeks of class bring the anxiety of not being able to afford to eat out.

So this week I won’t be discussing restaurants or desserts or sandwiches. Instead, I’ll be giving advice on someplace we can all afford to eat from – the grocery store.

For most on campus, Fresh Madison Market and Capitol Centre Market are the only options for groceries. While they definitely have the convenience factor, I’m going to tell you a secret about campus grocery stores: They’re out to make a profit.

Without competition, campus grocery stores have no incentive to go lower on prices. While they do a tremendous service to students by offering groceries within walking distance, in some respects they straight up take advantage of students’ limited mobility. But have no fear, being willing to catch the bus to Woodman’s or even Trader Joe’s can cut down on costs and increase variety.

At Fresh Market, a box of Kashi cereal is $5. Yes, it is organic, and yes, you can expect to pay more for it than Cheerios. But at Woodman’s that same box of cereal is $3.50. While not all products have such extreme price differences, 25 cents here and a dollar there add up quickly when you do your weekly shopping.

Woodman’s is a great alternative to campus stores because of its low prices and large selection of brand-name goods. You want Lay’s Potato Chips, they have ten varieties; you want spaghetti sauce, there’s a whole aisle stocked with Ragu, Prego and DiSalvo’s. At Woodman’s, even the personal care products cost less than they do downtown – a Crest toothbrush is a full $2 less than at Walgreens. While the locations are a bit out of the way and the store doesn’t accept credit cards (though debit is fine), the prices really do make it worth the trip.

One area where Woodman’s is perhaps not the best choice is its produce department. The prices are low and they do carry some hard-to-find fruits and veggies, but the quality is just not always there. If you’re into organic, Trader Joe’s has a much better selection, though Fresh Market may carry similar, slightly lower quality options for better prices.

One thing Trader Joe’s does have that no other grocery can top is frozen foods. Most of us can’t or won’t cook but want more than a frozen pizza or Hot Pocket. Luckily, Trader Joe heard this plea and delivered. At his store, you can buy frozen sweet potato gnocchi with butter and sage for $2.99, frozen ready-to-eat edamame for $1.69 and frozen enchiladas, egg rolls and samosas for under $4. While the store does sell single-serve items, most are good for at least two meals.

If you’re looking for Tombstone Pizza or Texas Toast, you won’t find it at Trader Joe’s, though the store does offer its own versions of both. It definitely is not the place to go if you’re brand loyal, but if you can overlook a name you’ll wind up getting food that is mostly preservative – and artificial ingredient – free at a good price.

Fresh Market is great for its take-and-eat items, and Cap Center is good for when you’ve run out of Wheat Thins and milk. But there can be more to grocery shopping than paying too much for your Lean Cuisine. While many students will be headed home to enjoy free groceries for a while, using that free bus pass when you get back will let you hold onto more of your Christmas and Hanukkah cash. You might even find a new stay-in meal favorite.

Allegra Dimperio ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism.