Freshers week is well and truly in sixth gear now, so you should be starting to get a good feel for your surrounding city and flat mates, and with that in mind, we think it’s about time you hit the shops for something other than a bottle of vodka or beers. Believe it or not, at some point during your uni life, you’re going to need to use the dreaded oven once or twice, and your student budget is going to be pulled through the ringer in order to eat like a king, so this is why you should stock those cupboards and freezers up.

Whether you’ve had the chance to or not, now’s the time to put a quid in the trolley (if someone in your flat hasn’t already stolen one) and do the supermarket dash, as food is not only the key to getting your body in gear for uni life, but it also cures hangovers too! So, without further or do, here are five tips on packing your kitchen for survival on a budget…

The big freeze? Yes please.
Your uni digs are certainly going to have a whopping great white thing stationed in your kitchen and at the bottom of that, there is going to be a thing called a ‘freezer’. Ideal for storing an array of fresh foods for a long period of time through the process of freezing, these are you best buddies in terms of money saving and eating well. Stash chicken breasts for that all important protein boost from a meal, hoard loaves of bread for early morning toast or just simply keep your veggies here, the freezer is a wicked companion for preservation.

Get what you need.
One area where not only students, but the general public go wrong is that when they go for their routine shop, they buy enough stock to feed an army. There is no need and in the majority of times, the stash that has been forgotten about at the back of the fridge gets dumped, equalling wasted money as well as good grub. Just buy what you need for the week and plan you dinners in advance, and this way not only will your belly be looking healthy, but so too will your bank balance.

Can you dig it?
Okay, so it’s probably not the most nutritious way to balance your diet out, but one thing is for sure, it’s a million times better than not eating at all. When you race down the local shop isles, pile into some tinned meals and ingredients, and from there, you’re guaranteed they’ll still be in date at the end of the uni year. We wouldn’t recommend these as a go-to bit of grub every day, just one that you can plough into when you haven’t got the time or money to munch on anything else.

Buy dry and keep looking fly.
From pasta and rice, to herbs and spice, make sure you’re buying bag full’s of the stuff, as not only does it last an eternity in a uni cupboard, but it’s the ultimate starter ingredient for any student chef. Who doesn’t love a hearty bowl of pasta? And top that with a few of your herbs, spices and a tin of heated tomatoes and your well on your way (almost) to become the flat Gordon Ramsay. What’s more, pasta and rice are easy to cook and go with just about anything you can get you mitts on.

Come dine with me.
You all know the famous channel 4 show. A house full of people all gather round a table and scoff their gullets full of (sometimes) great food, so what’s wrong with having a flat ‘family’ meal to save some coin? Not only do you get the chance to mingle with your associates even more and find out who has the most annoying eating habit, but you can collectively chip in to buy a luxury meal for the crew. Just a couple of quid each and the whole flat could be chomping into a tasty Indian, and if that’s not to your fancy, why not cook a roast? We highly recommend you do this in Freshers week!

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