amy

hello! so after surviving cooking for myself in my first year at uni, I thought I’d share some wisdom with people who are about to start themselves! here are a few of my top tips - I hope they help! 

buy a steamer basket!!! you can get them for £3 from ikea and are an absolute dream for steaming vegetables/potatoes easily. just put an inch or so of boiling water at the bottom of a pan, pop in your basket filled with veggies (carrots, baby corn, broccoli, etc.), pop the lid on and wait a few minutes to get perfectly cooked (and not mushy) veg! 

freeze your bread! I love to buy pre-sliced seeded loaves of bread but I typically wouldn’t manage to eat a whole loaf before it turns mouldy. chuck your loaf in the freezer then simply defrost in the toaster (press the snowflake button)! 

go to your local supermarket in the evening!! if you’ve not got much in for tea, go to the shops on your way back from uni in the evening and have a look at the reduced stock! you can find some really great things that can last you a while (especially if you then freeze them); pre-prepared stir-fry kits, sliced bread, pittas, crumpets, salads, pre prepared fruit and ready meals are some of the stuff I see regularly for half the normal price!

don’t underestimate potatoes!! sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are such a good staple; jacket/baked potatoes and chips/wedges can be the base for practically any meal so make sure you always have a few lying around.

cook in large batches!! this is a lifesaver, especially in winter! I love to cook large batches (10+ portions) of bolognese, quorn chilli, and soups on a sunday afternoon, then I let it cool and portion it out into freezer bags. having a constant source of healthy and home-cooked meals ready and waiting in your freezer is amazing when you can’t be bothered to cook or don’t have much in!!

bulk buy!! if you see a really great offer in the supermarket for things like pasta, rice, toilet roll, hand soap, canned food, alcohol, etc. then take advantage! this can save you a lot of money and means you have stuff stored up for when you’re in your overdraft!

shop at a local greengrocers!!! seriously, this can save you SO much money (and reduce plastic packaging)! I love to buy potatoes, broccoli and apples from my local greengrocers as they’re way cheaper and nicer than the supermarket. they sometimes have really cheap berries too (depending on if they’re in season)! they often have cheap biscuits and nuts too so be sure to check your local one out!

do an online shop with your flatmates! this is a great way of getting cheaper supermarket prices and deals without the faff of actually getting out the house. if there’s a few of you doing it together the delivery charge is barely noticeable and the pure joy when the shopping arrives (especially when you forgot you ordered chocolate!!!) is honestly worth the tiny ordeal of waiting around for it. 

pre-prepare your meals!! for example, one evening I will cut up a tonne of veggies (courgette, sweet potato, onion, pepper, aubergine, broccoli, etc.), add some oil and seasoning, then put half in a zip lock bag (and put in the fridge) and then oven roast the other half. this supply lasts me several days and means I use the veggies before they go off! you can eat them hot or cold (after cooking) with cous cous, pasta, chicken, etc. 

make packed lunches!! I know this requires planning and effort but in the long run it’ll save you a lot of money and potentially be a lot healthier than buying a chicken + stuffing sandwich every day at uni!

buy frozen fruit! I love to buy frozen raspberries - they’re great on cereal, with yoghurt, and by themselves! they often work out to be a lot cheaper than fresh ones too!

make your own takeaway! takeaways are a necessary part of uni life but your waistline and bank account won’t thank you for them!! so instead, you could try to make your own with your flatmates! you can buy really nice frozen spring rolls from places like aldi and also some great curry and stir-fry kits too - give it a go!

eat vegetarian!! I’m not a veggie but I hardly ever buy meat at uni because I cannot afford good quality meat and I don’t like being pressured by use-by dates. instead, I love to buy vegetarian alternatives; quorn ‘chicken’ pieces, quorn mince, and sainsbury’s frozen veggie meatballs/burgers are some of my favourite staples!! give them a try - they can last forever in your freezer and don’t need to be defrosted beforehand!