Student Food

TSR Wiki > Life > Food and Drink > Student Food

This article is a collection of general tips for student cooks. If you want recipes, the TSR Recipe Book has many recipes ideal for students. If you want to further discuss food and drink, or share a recipe, try the Food & Drink forum. We also have a Alcohol Guide for freshers

Equipment

A complete list of suggestions to take to university is available from TSR's What To Take To University guide.

Here are some essentials that most people need at some point.

• Small Frying Pan
• Wok or Large Frying Pan (with lid)
• Saucepans (small, medium and large, all with lids)
• Small Casserole Dish
• Baking trays
• Mixing bowl
• Chopping board
• Knives
• Scissors
• Wooden Spoons
• Spatulas
• Slotted spoon
• Tin Opener
• Bottle Opener
• Corkscrew
• Vegetable Peeler
• Cheese Grater
• Potato Masher
• Egg Whisk
• Lemon Squeezer
• Tongs
• Microwavable Bowl
• Measuring Jug
• Sieve
• Colander

• Tupperware (plastic) tubs for storing left overs.

These will be indispensable because they let you cook larger meals and store some for another day. Write your name on the lids and the tubs to prevent them going missing or getting mixed up in the fridge.

Getting hold of cheap kitchen equipment

Start by asking your mum if she has any stuff she doesn't want anymore. This could work two ways:

1. She gives you decent stuff she already has.
2. She will buy you stuff she already has but thinks is "too good" to give to you.

Next, join your local Freecycle group and ask. Many people have stuff in their kitchens that they never use, but could be useful to you.

Storecupboard

It's useful to keep certain items handy at all times, because they're used in many different types of recipes. With these basic ingredients, you can pretty much knock something up any time you are hungry.

• Oil (vegetable, olive, sunflower etc)
• Herbs & spices: garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, chilli, paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric etc etc. Get more if you cook more. Dried is fine. Pesto is handy.
• Salt and pepper
• Flour (plain and bread flour)
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Pasta (spaghetti is by far the cheapest type of pasta)
• Potatoes
• Rice (the bigger the bag, the cheaper)
• Tins of beans, tomatoes, more beans, spaghettios
• Cheese of some variety
• Ketchup
• UHT milk. Yes, it is URGH to some, but believe me, when your eyeballs are bleeding from last night's beer fest and you have no fresh milk in the fridge, you will be grateful for the milk for your soothing tea to stem the flow of blood.

Basic Food

• Pasta
• Jacket Potatoes
• Omelette
• Toasties
• The student classic, Stuff on toast

For other Recipes, visit the TSR Recipe Book.

Places to buy food

Tesco

The Tesco Value range is a godsend to students everywhere although it is a bit of a gamble when it comes to satisfying taste buds. Tesco.com will deliver a good few miles away for between 3 and 6 quid depending on the time. Do a big shop at the beginning of term (or before parties when you really CAN'T carry that much beer!)

Sainsbury's

Slightly more pricey than Tesco, but also in many cases slightly better quality, Sainsbury's isn't the ideal student supermarket. Unfortunately for some of us it's the only option. In Sainsbury's buying in bulk really does make a difference as, unlike Tesco who seem to be standardising prices, Sainsbury's really do take the economy line where buying three times as much loo roll means you only pay twice the price! The new Sainsbury's Basics range is quite good value and has the advantage over Tesco Value and ASDA Smartprice in that it actually tells you why it's in the Basic range. The reasons are usually minor and the food is good quality.

Asda

Like Tesco, Asda also has its own low price range 'Smartprice'. Sadly, where Tesco Value really is cheap-but-ok, Smartprice falls down occasionally. I would steer clear of Smartprice vegetables unless you're planning on using them THAT day! Try to save your money by buying Smartprice things that are going to be casseroled/cooked with sauce/boiled to a pulp in true student style and buy normal Asda's-own for things that need to be kept, or are going to be cooked as they are!

Worth noting however is the Asda range of stir-fry sauces which are ridiculously cheap, but also ridiculously good at turning slightly wilty salad into tasty stir-fry!

Morrison's

Morrisons recently took Safeways over to become the fourth largest supermarket in the UK. Morrisons Website

The cheap end of its range goes under the name of "Bettabuy" (Most packaging is red/blue and white) and its expensive ranges go under the name of "The Best" (Packaging is black and Silver).

Morrisons home section does retail very cheap crockery, pans, etc. Ideal for those needing stuff for uni accommodation.

Iceland

Iceland sell alot of frozen takeaway-style meals, perfect for keeping in the freezer for your "I can't be bothered cooking" moods. They also offer a free home delivery service (when you spend over £25) so you don't have to try and carry all your bags back home/on the bus. The groceries sold in these stores can be quite pricey though so you may want to come here purely for frozen foods!

Markets and Independent Shops

Farmers Markets and various independent shops are worth a try for the purchase of cheap products such as fruit and veg, herbs and spices. Butchers and Fish Mongers can also undercut the supermarkets. Even better if you can bargain a bit.

Supermarket Prices

For a comparison of the price and taste value of various basic food ranges, see the Supermarket Price & Taste Showdown

Money saving tips

• Go to supermarkets in the last half hour before closing time because that is when a lot of the items will be sold at reduced prices.

• Supermarkets are clever and will try to make you buy more than you would normally. For example, I buy a litre of juice every two days, and that does me fine. However, if I buy two litres, then I will drink it more quickly and end up buying two litres every three days. Don't let the offers increase your consumption.

• There's a big difference between "1/3rd off" and "3 for 2". Ask yourself:
  • "Do I actually want two more of these?"
  • "If I didn't buy two more, would I miss them?"
  • "Am I just being made to spend more here?"

• Use the calculator on your phone to find out whether special offers are actually worth it, or whether another brand/size will be cheaper.

• Always look at the unit price.
  • That is, the total price divided by the weight (or volume).
  • So for example, if 250g (0.25kg) of cheese costs £1.50 then the unit price = £1.50 / 0.25 = £6/kg (which is cheap, for cheese).
  • Supermarkets often do this for you - the unit price may be printed on the shelf ticket next to the total price.
  • Use your phone's calculator to work it out if you have to.
  • You'll also find that you can save a lot by buying larger quantities. However, make sure you have space to store it, and that it won't go off before you have a chance to use it.

• Don't go shopping when you are hungry - you will buy way too much, and you'll buy extra milkshakes, chocolate bars to keep you going.

• Buy bread and freeze half the loaf, unless you're planning to eat the entire loaf in 2 days.

• Make large batches of food such as spag bol sauce and freeze it (in single portions) to defrost later when starving.

• Share food with your flatmates. Take it in turns to cook for each other. You will save money by buying/cooking more at once, plus you'll get to try more different food :).

Making Good Food Last: Tips to eat Tasty food cheaply

Maybe you want to have a change away from your Tesco Value meals or the usual boring meal? Maybe you want to splash out every Friday/Saturday night on something you'll really enjoy?

Takeaway Dinners

Assuming you don't have a large appetite and your local takeaway isn't too stingey with its servings, takeaway dinners for one can usually be spread out over 2 meals. You may have it for dinner tonight and save the rest for dinner tomorrow night, or even lunch tomorrow (or breakfast if you wish). This seems to work best with Chinese and Indian food which can often taste better when kept in the fridge for a day/night and then microwaved. However make sure you store left overs well - especially rice. This page has some tips for storing your food safely.

Old El Paso Dinner Kits

These dinner kits can be spread over 2 days and possibly even three with the correct use of containers and carefully splitting the ingredients within. Burrito, Fajita, Enchilida and Nacho dinner kits cost approx. £2.65 and require meat (except from Nacho kit) to go with these (chicken, beef, or quorn for vegetarians). Vegetables and cheese can also be added to make the meal tastier and more nutritionally balanced. These dinner kits are not only tasty but filling too. Students may wish to splash out on refried beans, jalapeno peppers and various other additions.

If you like the dinner kits or Mexican food in general, it is cheaper to buy the wraps and sauce powder separately, rather than buying a dinner kit. Asda fajita seasoning mix lasts ages - you only need to use half the packet or less when making one meal.

See Other Food Articles

• Nutrition
• TSR Recipe Book