The idea of healthy living is something many college students don't think about. It seems it often comes down to a feast of Ramen noodles and a cheap beer to satisfy a growling stomach.

Walking into a grocery store alone can be quite an overwhelming experience. When time is a precious commodity and you just spent you last dime on your new Husky gear, mac 'n' cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner seems to be a wonderful option.

But living on a budget and eating healthy is possible — you may just have to look outside the "blue box."

"The first thing you want to do is go for quality," said Diana Crane PCC communications manager.

If you buy local food with the least packaging and processing, you're going to get the best value, she said.

Crane suggests that buying dry food in bulk is another great way to cut costs.

Nut butters, grains and pasta are all really easy to buy in bulk because you can buy as much or as little as you need, she said.

"[Bulk] is also great for spices if you're experimenting with cooking, because you often don't need a whole bottle, and they can get really expensive," she continued.

Looking for store brand food is another great way to save money on healthy food.

Whole Foods (1026 NE 64th St.) offers many options in their store brand, 365 Organic Every Day Value, which is considerably cheaper than alternate organic brands.

"They carry a lot of organic food," said senior Chris Fox, an economics major visiting whole foods for the first time. "But when compared with organic food elsewhere, there isn't much of a price difference. We like it much better here."

Whole Foods also offers a variety of classes for shoppers to take, ranging from healthy food options to preparing gourmet meals. There is something to be said about the atmosphere of an organic, or local, grocery store.

"We came here looking for something different," Fox said.

But super markets aren't the only way to get healthy food on a budget. Public markets and open-air shopping has been an option for city dwellers for a long time, but Rising Sun Farms and produce (6505 15th Ave N.E.) brings a new meaning to the phrase, "a good deal."

Rising Sun Farms, is an open-air produce stand with very reasonable prices. Almost nothing is more than $1 per pound.

Rising Sun keeps prices low by maintaining a low overhead, owner Bud Goodwin said.

Goodwin keeps the overhead low by buying all of the produce himself and delivering it when he can, cutting out the middleman when at all possible, he said.

Washington doesn't always have the most accommodating weather to always buy locally, but there is a constant effort.

"We try to get our food from Washington, but depending on the season, that can be difficult," he said.

The type of produce available at Rising Sun varies depending on the season, but it is open year-round.

"We buy low and sell fair," Goodwin said. "It's just a business like any other."

Though the selection of food, other than produce, is limited at Rising Sun, it is just the kind of place you need if you're looking for healthy food on a budget.

There are three things that can really help in a search for quality, inexpensive food, Crane said.

"Buy fresh, buy local and buy raw [when] possible," she said.