Today's average college student is all about the word 'instant'. Between smartphones, wireless internet, everything we want is available to us 24/7 and we like it that way. We want it now. Heck, we even want our food now. Perhaps this is why Top Ramen and fast-food chains are appealing meal choices. Very few college students ever think about the possibility of growing their own food.

Many people might think that gardening and growing your own fruits and vegetables is for hippies and retirees. Why would anyone bother with the painstaking task of cultivation, growing and harvesting when we can drive down the street and pick up all our produce, anytime of the year, at the local grocery store? Although gardening may take a little work and time, the rewards of growing your own food far outweigh the costs. Here are some reasons why all college students should be growing their own food.

You Don't Need a Yard

Most college students do not have a conventional area in which to plant a garden, the truth is that most of us are crammed in the dorms or in apartments. This turns many students away from the idea of gardening because they think they do not have a place to put a garden. However, there are other options! Many towns have community gardens with plots that are often well maintained. Another option is having a patio garden in which you plant vegetables or fruits in pots and place them on your front porch or steps. Vegetables like carrots, lettuce and tomatoes grow very well in patio gardens

Growing your Own Produce is CHEAP!

Growing your own food is astronomically cheaper than buying produce at the grocery store. Seed packets usually cost anywhere from fifty-cents to three-dollars. Each seed packet will usually have enough seeds to last multiple years and will grow many plants, which will produce multiple fruits or vegetables. Meanwhile, at the store produce prices are very expensive. For a struggling college student, growing your own food can definitely save you some money and help you eat better!

It Tastes Better

If you ask anyone who has ever grown their own food, they will all tell you the same thing; homegrown fruits and vegetables have more flavor and taste better. Often times, produce in stores has been picked before it ripens on the plant and then is artificially ripened. This causes loss of flavor and texture. Grocery-store produce has also, usually been bred to get larger. The larger fruit often lack flavor and let’s face it, food taste better when you poured your love and work into making itgrow.

For the average college student, growing your own food may seem challenging and the truth is that tending to plants does take a little time and effort. However, by purchasing a few pots or searching out your local community garden you can get healthier and better tasting food for a fraction of the grocery-store price. The work is well worth the reward.