Food
Food shopping is an unavoidable necessity when you’re living away from home. It can often feel like a chore, but if you embrace the idea that cooking can be fun you may actually enjoy it. It’s much cheaper and healthier to cook for yourself than rely on takeaways and convenience foods.
Try and test our advice, and please suggest any other tips we haven’t mentioned. There are also some recipes in the student life section
Useful tips
- Check online for the latest supermarket offers.
- If you are a novice in the kitchen, it may be worthwhile investing in a cookery book. You can often pick up cheap, but good quality secondhand books in charity shops.
- Look at price per 100g to compare different prices.
- Multibuy essentials.
- Always buy unpackaged fruit and vegetable – better for the purse and possibly the environment.
- Buy in bulk with others to save costs.
- Make a shopping list and stick to it.
- Never shop when you’re hungry.
- Treat with caution some enticing supermarket offers. It may seem like a bargain, but will you use it?
- Shop after 7pm or Sunday afternoons when there may be bargains on offer.
- Grow your own vegetables – you only need a windowsill or a few garden pots.
- Keep a written record of your spending.
- Make bigger portions of food and freeze them.
- Have meat-free days – good for your health and your pocket or substitute with beans and pulses, which are filling and cheaper than meat/fish
- Always check sell-by dates, especially for perishable goods
- Do some research as to which fruit and vegetables are in season
If you’re making a shopping list, always check the store cupboard essentials as it’s handy to have surplus in stock eg baked beans, cereals, tea, coffee, sugar, pasta, rice, soup, tuna, oil, salt, pepper, herbs and spices, tinned tomatoes.
Ando don’t forget cleaning products and toiletries, as these often cost a great deal more at the local ‘convenience’ store.
Eating on a budget
Sainsbury has put together a useful guide on how to eat healthy on a budget. They say that choosing a healthy diet does not have to be more expensive.
You can save money by only cooking what you need. www.lovefoodhatewaste.com is a good website where you can calculate how much you need to cook so there is little or no wastage.
Cook books and cooking
There are plenty of cookery books aimed specifically at students. Here are some of the mort popular:
- SORTED: a recipe for student survival - cookbook by Barry Taylor and Ben Ebbrell
- Student Cookbook For Dummies by Oliver Harrison
- The Ultimate Student Cookbook by Fiona Beckett, Signe Johansen, Guy Millon, and James Ramsden
- Nosh 4 Students: A Fun Student Cookbook. by Joy May
- Essential Student Cookbook: 400 Quick and Easy Cheap Recipes. by Cas Clarke
- The New Students' Veggie Cook Book by Carolyn Humphries
Supermarkets
A lot of money can be saved by cooking at home. Below are some local supermarkets.
Aldi
The German supermarket chain is famous for its monthly 'Aldi Super 6' offers. You can find excellent low prices but the famous brand names are much harder to find.
Asda
A favourite amongst students because of its low prices. Its home brand 'smart price' offers good value at a very low price.
The Co-operative /Somerfield
If you like Fairtrade and food ethics The Co-operative is the place. It is ranked the top ethical supermarket in the UK .
Iceland
If frozen food is your thing, this is the place for you, where bargains can be found in the freezers.
Lidl
Another German supermarket chain where you can pick up a bargain. It offers quality produce at a low price.
Morrisons
Offering value for money with both known brands as well as its own (Morrisons value).
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's like us to 'try something new today' and promote a healthy and balanced diet. It is committed to providing clear and transparent labelling so we know what kind of food we eat. Its own home brand (Basics) offers very low prices.
Taj
Well morth mentioning for its wide range of international foods and varied fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. Prices can sometimes be a bit higher than supermarkets but if you are after something unusual or occasional, you could find it here.
Tesco
The UK's biggest supermarket chain. It has its own brand (Tesco Value) as well as all major brands.
Waitrose
For students who love cooking and can afford spending a few extra pounds on quality. Even though it keeps its quality high it does its best to keep prices on everyday items low. Its essential range offers relativly competitive value. It also has free home delivery for orders over £50.