Thursday 23-09-2021 - 13:19

Where to shop

• Go with your flatmates saves if you need to get an uber, no better way to make friends than a trip to Asda) 
• Try to avoid shops that may seem convenient but get expensive as it Asda up, co-op Birley is a classic case of this.
• Get ‘just in case meals’. Food that if you’ve had a long day in Uni or a long night out, you can quickly heat up; this will help your money go further if you’re getting fewer takeaways. This can be meals you’ve made extra portions of or even a ready meal you pick up whilst doing your weekly shop. 

Storing food

• If you are living in student accommodation, fridge and freezer space is at a premium. So, make sure you plan before your big shop! This way, it reduces waste and gives you more space to store your essential meals! 
• If you leave it on a counter, don’t count on it being there when you get back, so when you get back to your accommodation, don’t leave those brownies your grandma baked for you lying around; you might be disappointed with what is left when you come back to grab one. Store your food in your cupboard, fridge or room, unless you’re a kind soul wanting to share! 
• Reheating, if you are prepping your meals to have spare portions, well done! But it’s important to know how to defrost those meals! Take out your freezer meal the day before you might need it, and do NOT leave it to defrost outside of the fridge. Instead, keep it inside the refrigerator to slowly and SAFELY defrost within the fridge. This will allow all the food to be equally defrosted a safe to reheat. 

Ways to keep Meal Costs down 

• We all know there are times where you can’t eat meals at home, and you may be going out, but first look for restaurants that offer student discounts or discounts through NUS or TOTUM. Always keep your student card with you; you never know when it can save you some money!
• Nutritious meals such as soup and chilli are easy to make and can serve multiple portions that you can store in the fridge or freezer and get out whenever you need a meal but can’t cook at that time 
• If you want more recipes, free resources such as BBC Good Food, pages such as The Starving Student and cookbooks such as 'Nosh For Students' are great resources that give amazing