Your Guide To Easy & Affordable Cooking With Your Housemates

We’re not lying when we say that time spent in the kitchen in your Student Accommodation will highlight your time there! 

The kitchen is where you will have many laughs, tell stories, cook delicious creations, and make memories with lifelong friends that you’ll treasure for years to come. 

In the beginning, it can be tricky to navigate cooking in a student flat - but by learning the basics of budgeting, buying foods that will last in bulk, and with some easy tips and tricks, you’ll be away laughing! 

Stock Up On The Essentials

Before anything else, it’s vital to purchase the essentials readily available in your pantry. 

The main dinner staples we would recommend are:

• Cooking oil
• Herbs, Spices, salt and pepper
• Stock cubes
• Rice
• Pasta
• Flour
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Potatoes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Canned tomatoes and beans
• Frozen vegetables 
• Soy sauce

Aldi Is Your Best Friend

If you’re not shopping at Aldi, what are you doing? If you want to leave the supermarket with change to spare, Aldi is your best bet. With various supersaver deals, budget-friendly frozen options, reasonably priced sauces and even cheap laundry and household cleaning options - this is where you’re going to want to do your weekly shop. 

Buy In Bulk 

Buying in bulk is a must for students who are on a budget. Bulk buying is the best way to some extra money on those grocery bills. By shopping at bulk food shops, you will have enough food to go around while reducing your packaging and food waste. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Season & Use The Spices 

Spice it up! The best way to turn something from bland to fab is to throw some herbs and spices into your dishes! Although it might need a bit of trial and error, to begin with, trust us - you’ll get there in the end. 

Use Canned Foods Wherever You Can

Canned, non-perishable foods are a must in a household of students. With most cans costing around 80-90 cents, it’s a no-brainer. Tinned foods like tomatoes, corn, beetroot, tuna, beans and lentils are great for student meals, you can add them to almost anything, and they will bulk up your meal which is perfect in a house of 4- 6 people.

Use The Slow Cooker

If in doubt, get the slow cooker out. The slow cooker is great to use in winter and is great to use to help tenderise less-expensive cuts of meat - which is another budget tick in our book. Slow cookers help to bring out the flavour in foods, and it also uses less power than a conventional oven or cook-top, which is another plus for students on a tight budget. 

Bulk & Freeze! 

You save money and time by cooking bigger batches of recipes and freezing what’s left over. Slow cookers can hold a lot of food; if you fill them up, you’ll likely have some food left over that you can save for the months ahead. Things like soups, stews and curries freeze well, and If you accidentally make too much - freeze it! Your future self will thank you.