What to do when cooking for the first time
Thousands of students are living on their own for the first time with little idea of how to cook for themselves, and little money to splash out on takeaways or restaurant meals.
Don't be afraid, have a go and use books and the internet
Don’t worry about being Gordon Ramsay or Nigella Lawson to start with. Get the hang of a few basic meals and leave the complicated stuff until you’ve gained more confidence.
There are many cookery books aimed at students, or you can pick up recipe ideas for free online. Don’t be afraid to vary recipes to suit your tastes and what’s available in your local shops, and feel free to experiment – a lot of classic food combinations were discovered by accident.
Tips for eating well on a budget
Shop at local markets, particularly towards the end of the day when you can buy cheap fresh fruit and vegetables
Avoid jars of processed sauces – they’re high in salt and expensive. Instead, make your own pasta sauces using tomatoes, onions, and a few herbs (you can buy dried herbs or grow them on your windowsill)
Make a large pan of chilli or curry and freeze portions of leftovers for days when you haven’t got time to cook from scratch.
Take advantage of buy one, get one free offers at the supermarket, especially for staples like pasta and rice (though remember your storage space may be limited).
Club together with your housemates to buy items of kitchen equipment. You don’t all need your own tin openers, cheese graters, sandwich toasters, etc.
If you’re sharing a kitchen, don’t spend too much on fancy crockery or glasses.
Accidents happen, and your food will taste just as good on a cheap plate anyway.
A lot of food gets wasted through poor planning – check sell-by dates and don’t buy more than you can use when it comes to foods with a limited shelf life.
If you’re vegetarian, make sure you get enough protein in your diet. Beans, lentils and other pulses are cheap and healthy alternatives to meat.
Plan and prepare as much as possible!
Finally, you’ll probably want to impress your friends with your newfound culinary skills. The key to stress-free entertaining is to plan and prepare as much as possible beforehand so you can relax with your guests over a drink.
Remember the meal doesn’t have to be perfect, but the evening definitely should be fun!