The Student Room Group

catered or self catered?????????

So I really don't know what to choose and helpful advice would be really appreciated. I can't cook, but at the same time I would like to learn how to cook. I am somehow really picky with my food and I enjoy making my own salads and smoothies. The thing is that I heard the planned meals are also great as a social aspect because you would go with your flat mates and others to this huge place where everyone eats and stays together.

:frown:
Original post by EC
So I really don't know what to choose and helpful advice would be really appreciated. I can't cook, but at the same time I would like to learn how to cook. I am somehow really picky with my food and I enjoy making my own salads and smoothies. The thing is that I heard the planned meals are also great as a social aspect because you would go with your flat mates and others to this huge place where everyone eats and stays together.

:frown:

I cant cook at all and I have gone for self-catered , It depends on you tbh , plus it'll help your cooking skills if you did go for self-catered?
Reply 2
You're self centred.
Go self-catered then buy meals when you don't want to cook? then you get both basically
Self-catered. If you're a picky eater and you don't like the food available in the canteen it's a waste of money to go catered.
Reply 5
Original post by Lychee627
I cant cook at all and I have gone for self-catered , It depends on you tbh , plus it'll help your cooking skills if you did go for self-catered?

I'm also worried about not having time to do it or discovering that I'm so terrible in the kitchen I won't be able to eat anything I cook....
The social aspect is irrelevant. You'll stilll be living with your flat mates and have to share kitchen/common room areas anyway.

Self catered is usually cheaper. Your breakfast/dinner is usually at set times and it sucks to have to fit your schedule around these timings. If you miss it, you will have to cook by yourself anyway.

Also, what if the food is crap? I found the food to be quite repetitive in halls and youll get sick of it fast if thats the case.
Self catered. You're more flexible with when you can eat breakfast & dinner.
Original post by EC
I'm also worried about not having time to do it or discovering that I'm so terrible in the kitchen I won't be able to eat anything I cook....


Tbh making food doesnt take much time , you can order out a few days too , plus self-catered is cheaper and with catered you have to eat at specific times and thats usually a lot harder to get around your schedule, tbh I would recommend self-catered imo :yep: Ps im sure you'll learn how to make stuff as time passes by :h:
Reply 9
I don't even understand why catered is even an option in universities. If you can't learn to cook and be an independent adult you shouldn't be a uni student.
Reply 10
Original post by hezzlington
The social aspect is irrelevant. You'll stilll be living with your flat mates and have to share kitchen/common room areas anyway.

Self catered is usually cheaper. Your breakfast/dinner is usually at set times and it sucks to have to fit your schedule around these timings. If you miss it, you will have to cook by yourself anyway.

Also, what if the food is crap? I found the food to be quite repetitive in halls and youll get sick of it fast if thats the case.


Thanks a lot. These are great points. I've been trying to choose my accommodation options for hours now and I'm so stressed, especially because apparently the first option will be chosen by a random generator, they said it's only fair like that. :cry2:

Thank you everyone. @Lychee627 @Kravence @Paralove @squirrology :love:
Reply 11
Original post by Async
I don't even understand why catered is even an option in universities. If you can't learn to cook and be an independent adult you shouldn't be a uni student.


For people who can't be bothered to cook, considering it's really popular too..
Reply 12
Original post by EC
For people who can't be bothered to cook, considering it's really popular too..


That's shocking that it's a popular option, I thought more students would have their :innocent::innocent::innocent::innocent: together. If I were you I would go with self catered anyways, it's a lot better, you learn to be independent and learn new things. Uni is not just about studying, it's also about self growth and maturing as an adult. That includes, your attitude, learning to cook, manage your money, bills and keeping clean.
Reply 13
Original post by EC
I am somehow really picky with my food


To be honest, that's a great reason to avoid catered. There won't be a vast range of choices available - it won't be like home-cooked food either. If you go self-catered, you'll only be paying for the food you want to eat and you won't be tied to fixed meal times.

Few people can properly cook when they start uni. If you're game to give it a bash - and occasionally be prepared to go out for chips when it goes wrong - then that's a cheaper and more convenient option.

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