Is there more to life than pasta? A student’s guide to cooking up a feast

Before joining University, you hear plenty of horror stories about just how bad student cooking can be. You’ve probably heard some yourself – the flatmate of a friend who only ever ate pasta, or the older brother who lived off tinned soup. Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that it doesn’t have to be this way.

 

 

Eating well, and cheaply 

Whilst Edinburgh is heaving with great places to eat, most of your meals at Uni will be prepared at home. With that in mind, I have a few tips to share to make your food prep a breeze:

 

1. Make a weekly shopping list (and stick to it!)

Sit down and plan some meals ahead for the week. It’s always useful to plan for meals you can eat quickly or on-the-go, for those hectic mornings and busy evenings. As I’m quite a keen cook, I’ll also plan some more complicated meals for when I want to spend an evening in.

Planning ahead has a couple of benefits. Firstly, if I have the ingredients in the house, I find I’m more likely to cook proper meals. Secondly, a weekly shop ends up a lot cheaper, and more efficient – it means less trips to the shops later on in the week to pick up those forgotten extras.

 

2. Don’t be afraid to shop around 

Whilst your Uni accommodation may be just round the corner from a Sainsbury’s, some of the pricier supermarket brands may not be the best place for your weekly shop. Make the most of the budget supermarkets such as Lidl, or consider doing a food shop online. It’s also a good idea to be extra savvy with offers and your student discount.

 

3. Cook for other people

If you enjoy cooking complicated meals but it seems like a little too much effort for one, invite your friends over. Not only is this a great way to socialise, but you’ll likely be invited round for another free meal later on down the line!

 

And lastly…

 

Remember that you’ll likely be cooking in a shared space, so be nice to your flatmates – tidy up after yourself, and maybe even share a baked good or two!