By: Bell Jackson

Living on your own can be tough. You may have a place to yourself, or at least, without your parents, but with great independence comes great responsibility.

I am a senior Graphic Design major with a minor in Public Relations, and I have been going to the University of Montevallo for the past three years. 

As a freshman, I found out the hard way that feeding yourself can be challenging. A sure-fire way to get your three square meals as a college student is to invest in the UM’s meal plan and visit the cafeteria every meal. 

However, I never lived on campus and thought a meal plan would be a waste. I thought I could survive on a 22-cent packet of Ramen everyday. And while so far so good, I do like to change things up. 

If you’re looking to treat yourself to a day of dining out, I will tell you how I did it for $21.30.

Breakfast

According to registered dietitian Andrea Dunn, RD, the purpose of breakfast is to break the overnight fast, but it’s not necessary in the morning. “At some point in our day, all of us do that, whether it’s at 7 a.m. or noon,” she said.

I’m not usually a breakfast eater, so I’m going to grab some coffee. I headed to C’s Cake and Coffee House to start my day. 

I ordered a white chocolate mocha, which cost $3.95. The barista, Melissa Wise, suggested that I add a pump of lavender. This did add $1.00 to my total, but it was delectable and gave me a boost of happiness, so it was worth it. 

Cynthia Bertelone, the restaurant’s owner, says all students receive a 20% discount when they choose not to use their Flex Points. I ended up only paying $4.35 after tax.  

This plate has fried rice, Mongolian beef, sweet and sour chicken, green beans an egg roll and a cheese rangoon.

Lunch

A hidden secret of Montevallo’s food scene is China Garden on Railroad Avenue. They have a lunch buffet Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and it costs $7.20. 

China Garden serves many different Chinese dishes such as lo mein, sweet and sour chicken, Mongolian beef and more. 

I got two plates, neither of them piled very high. I am someone who gets full after two bites, but my idea was that if you’re a person who likes to feast, this place is for you. 

After tax, I paid $9.35 for all of this food. At China Garden, you can surely get your money’s worth of food at the lunch buffet. They also have an option for customers to fill up a to-go box of the buffet instead of dining in. 

Dinner

Takeout orders from El Agave also come with chips and salsa.

I decided to stop by one of Montevallo’s favorite restaurants: El Agave. This locally owned business is known for their margarita special and college-friendly atmosphere.

The Google reviews for this restaurant are high, with a total of 4.2 stars. One reviewer, Gregg Loggins said, “Affordable prices, attentive staff, great food, and huge margaritas make El Agave one of my new favorite Mexican restaurants.”

I usually order a steak quesadilla with beans, but I decided to look at the deals the restaurant offers. The combination meals range from $6.25-$6.75. 

I went with the burrito, rice and beans combination. I enjoyed it, but I find that you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. I decided to order takeout, and my meal was $7.60.

Effective Nov. 2, El Agave will now be closed on Tuesdays. 

I spent a total of $21.30 on food during my day of eating out. My original budget was $20 or less, but my main goal was to highlight the affordable eating establishments in Montevallo. Though dining out for every meal is not financially realistic, I hope these recommendations inspire you to support businesses in your college town when you do decide to dine out.

DISCLAIMER: I did not include the amount that I tipped. Don’t forget to tip your severs.