Leaving the comforts of your parents’ home cooking can be a shock at uni. Having to pay for your own food for the first time - and actually cook it - is daunting. But leaving home doesn’t mean leaving behind flavour and your food bill doesn’t need to eat you up with anxiety.
Without a steady income (student loans not included), being a uni student can be full of financial woes. It’s the first time in your life you’ll have to be totally economically independent and that can be pretty overwhelming. For many students, the approach is denial: the loan feels like money growing on trees, the overdraft is a bottomless pit of resources, and the best method is to swipe and not dare look at the account after. However, for sensible and savvy students, these three or four years will be a learning curve that teaches restraint, frugality and autonomy.
When it comes to food - it can feel like it eats away at your bank account. But don’t worry - there are many ways to manage your meals and show those receipts who is boss. After you’ve read this, your bank account could be looking plump, healthy and good enough to eat!
Take a look at our 22 tips for 20-somethings struggling with cheap cooking and inexpensive eating to learn how to budget on those food bills! It may help you with your spending and give you some food for thought!
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Being disorganised is costly when it comes to food. Forgotten food at the back of the fridge and impulse buys in supermarkets are the consequences of not planning ahead. By making lists for what you’re going to eat over the week and what you’re going to buy when in the shops, you apply military precision and speed to your food shop and limit waste!
Cooking is not only a valuable skill for life, it is the perfect saving solution. By not splashing out on ready meals or takeaways, you cut down the costs of consumption massively. Buying ingredients - rather than meals - is always cheaper as it can allow you to make multiple dinners and lunches out of the bare bones.
Apps like Olio and Too Good To Go are a great solution to both food waste and money waste. People and restaurants who have unwanted leftovers can advertise them for free or for a fraction of the price on these apps for hungry students such as yourself to gobble up.
Don’t neglect the reduced isle - it is full of hidden gems. Items that have been damaged or are needing to be eaten soon are often displayed on stands at a much cheaper price. So long as you eat the food quickly and don’t let it go out of date then you’re set!
There are so many foodstuffs that can be frozen and saved for later. Pre-frozen smoothie bags, spinach, cookie dough - whatever it is, don’t waste it, freeze it. If you have too much of a meal and can’t eat it in time before it goes off - freeze it. If you have ingredients you can’t get through due to a busy week, chop them up and - you guessed it - freeze them. Don’t forget to check what’s stored up in your freezer before doing a food shop or cooking a meal!
Bulk cooking is a way of bulking out the fridge and stopping you from buying takeaways and ready meals. When you have so much of that leftover chilli or pasta bake, you won’t need to need to order a subway or be tempted by a meal deal.
When it comes to money saving, go for bigger supermarkets. Though smaller convenience stores are often close by and easy, they can have a higher mark-up and a smaller selection.
Check out the stash in the cupboard regularly so you don’t buy things you already have. Making do with what’s already in your cupboards is also a fun challenge.
Hungry shoppers lead to hungry purses - don’t have eyes bigger than your stomach (or wallet) when it comes to shopping. When you’re hungry, you’ll fancy just about every option in the snack aisle.
Though this may sound like a pain, it really will stop you from buying that extra bottle of wine in the shops - thinking of carrying it is less exciting than thinking of drinking it. Most students don’t have the money for the petrol anyway!
Discover the supermarkets in the area by trying a few out and comparing the receipts. Not only will this let you know which ones to stick to in future, it may also get you money back: some shops will give you the difference if you can show the receipts!
Off the back of the last tip, if you have a Lidl or Aldi nearby, they tend to be the cheapest and most student-friendly. Just don’t be sucked in by that tempting middle aisle!
If you go shopping in a group, it can be easy to get distracted and forget your regimented list. Other people’s purchases may tempt you!
So that you’re not fighting for that last pack of biscuits, it’s best to shop when it’s less busy. When there are lots of people in the store, it can be flustering and you may end up wanting to leave as quickly as possible. This can lead to rushed decisions and grabbing the first product you see rather than price comparing.
First time deliveries come at a discount for some shops - shop around! If you get an online delivery to your door for the first time, the chances are there is a new customers’ deal with your name on it.
Keep an eye out in local newspapers and online for coupons!
Get a free loyalty card for your favourite supermarket and get swiping. You can store up points on your purchases and get money off future shops.
If you can cut down on your meat intake, you may also cut down on your food bill. By swapping for cheaper meat alternatives and trying out dishes that aren’t so carnivorous, you will watch your groceries bill decrease. The environment, the animals and your purse will thank you.
Pre-chopped or pre-grated is always worse value for money. If you can spend time on something, you can save money on it.
Review at the end of the week what food went quickly and what is still waiting for some love and attention - then apply those learnings to the next week. If you barely touched the spinach, don’t buy it again.
Don’t splash out on a ton of fancy drinks. As a uni student, part of the fun is finding cheap and cheerful booze that you can grin and bear during pre-drinks. And while we’re on the topic on preeing - don’t buy drinks in clubs unless they’re student discounted. Bars and clubs will offer you a cocktail for a tenner - and for the same amount you could buy a whole bottle of spirits to last a few weeks. If you do go out for drinks (as is expected at uni - you shouldn’t deny yourself of experiences!) stick to student digs where prices are cheaper than normal (mainly because they need to compensate for the state of the toilets...)
Though being a student seems like it comes with all sorts of financial limitations, it does also carry one huge advantage: student discounts are one of the best parts about your student status. Get organised with your finances using our DealFinder browser extension which will tell you how you can save money without you putting in any work. Don't forget to check out our in-store rewards and deals on our student discounts page, either.
Meal ideas:
This cheap and freezable curry is a great option to have a healthy but delicious start to the week. With warming flavours and rich tones, it’s a winner. Make this on a Monday for dinner and enjoy the leftovers for lunch and freeze any extras for a midweek meal in a rushed exam season! Vegetables are ridiculously cheap and easy for curries. If you have any pepper for Thursday’s chilli, or some chickpeas, why not throw some in here too to spread it out further?
Tuck in on Tuesday to this tomato soup using only three ingredients. Another classic for lunch, make enough to last you for easy sustenance between lectures.
Described as low-fat, low-calorie and low-cost healthy fast food, this ramen could answer your Wednesday’s hunger calls. With stock being a staple in all these recipes, the trick is to just keep a healthy spice and seasoning cupboard so you never have to buy packet sauces or pre-made spice mixes. This ramen only requires instant noodles, some veg, an egg and some flavouring from stock or from the packet that comes with the noodles!
This Thursday, why not whip up a quick chilli as another freezer staple. Beans are a cupboard essential that are cheap and great to bulk out meals on a budget.
Finally, for Friday, treat yourself to a pizza. No, not a takeaway but a flatbread alternative. Not every pizza has to cost over ten pounds.