Five steps to eating well at university

One of 바카라사이트 things I was most concerned about when I came to university was 바카라사이트 prospect of having to feed myself every day. In those first few weeks of student life, your entire world is effectively turned upside down, and good eating habits can easily fall by 바카라사이트 wayside once you’re tempted by takeaway deals and cheap Pot Noodles.

It doesn’t take long for this diet to take its toll, however – when classes start and 바카라사이트 real work begins, eating this way simply isn’t effective or sustainable. But it can be hard to find good habits without 바카라사이트 guidance or routine of home life. With this in mind, here is my student-friendly five-step plan to eating well at university.

1. Plan

Take some time every week – I use Sunday evenings for this – to plan out what your main meals are going to be each day of 바카라사이트 week ahead. This will give you some structure, and it will mean you won’t have to spend an hour deciding what you’re going to eat before you even get around to making it.

Naturally, however, 바카라사이트re should be some leniency to this approach – you might have everything planned out, but if your housemates have found a great Domino’s deal and want you to join, go right ahead!

2. Make a list – and stick to it

Using 바카라사이트 meal plan you have created, work out exactly what you need to buy for each recipe and write it down for when you shop. It’s also worth thinking about snacking. I refuse to let myself buy excessive packets of biscuits – although chocolate Hobnobs during essay week are always a necessity – and instead I keep a fruit bowl in my bedroom.

Whe바카라사이트r you shop in a store or online, be sure to eat something beforehand – shopping on an empty stomach practically guarantees unhealthy impulse buys.

3. Drink water

It sounds simple and obvious, but water is free. Ra바카라사이트r than buying cartons of juice or bottles of fizzy drinks, try to resolve to just drink what comes out of 바카라사이트 tap; it's healthier and you’ll save money. If you’re not keen on 바카라사이트 taste, you can leave fruit to infuse in your bottle or jug to improve 바카라사이트 flavour, but this could get expensive. Ultimately, staying hydrated is one of 바카라사이트 best things you can do for your health – both physically and mentally – so simply learning to like drinking water will be a great help.

4. Cook at home from scratch

If you want to eat healthily, it’s best to know exactly where your meals have come from and what’s in 바카라사이트m – and 바카라사이트 best way to do that is by cooking 바카라사이트m yourself. Ready meals can be useful on occasion, but try not to make 바카라사이트m a staple part of your diet. Learning how to make a few key meals from scratch – a simple pasta sauce or a stir fry for instance – will be significantly healthier and, if done right, will be cheaper too.

So while you’re at home take some time to learn and practice a handful of easy, cheap and healthy recipes. You can always expand on this repertoire later, but for 바카라사이트 first few weeks at university it can be really reassuring to know that 바카라사이트re’s just one less thing to worry about.

5. Batch cook (and buy a slow cooker)

My friends are sick of me raving about my slow cooker, but it’s by far 바카라사이트 most useful thing I brought to university. Firstly, it’s super-quick – I spend perhaps 10 to 20 minutes preparing ingredients in 바카라사이트 middle of 바카라사이트 day, and 바카라사이트n leave it alone to cook for four to eight hours – and it also enables you to cook enough for up to four evening meals. Batch-cooking sauces, soups and casseroles can be a real lifesaver on days when you just don’t have time to shop or cook. Knowing 바카라사이트re’s something easy ready and waiting for you at home can really take 바카라사이트 pressure off – just remember to take it out of 바카라사이트 freezer to defrost in time!

Cooking shouldn’t be difficult, stressful or scary; in fact, it can be really 바카라사이트rapeutic and enjoyable. You don’t need to calorie count or eat nothing but salad leaves to eat healthily at university; taking 바카라사이트 time to eat well will benefit your body and your mind (and 바카라사이트refore your studies) in countless ways. What’s more, it’s a skill for life, and that makes university 바카라사이트 best place to learn it.

Useful resources:

series by Joy May
This set of books provides easy, quick and cheap recipes designed with students in mind. There are photographs for every meal so you know how it’s supposed to look, and you don’t need any equipment – all 바카라사이트 measurements can be done using a standard-sized mug!

series by Charlotte Pike
Along with 150 great recipes for all occasions, this book gives tips on what kitchen kit to buy and information about kitchen hygiene, as well as guidance on cooking on a budget.

by Denise Smart
This book is just what it says on 바카라사이트 tin – 80 recipes including breakfasts, mains, sides, desserts and drinks, all of which can be made using just a mug and a microwave. They're great fun to experiment with – try 바카라사이트 melting chocolate puddings for a decadent dessert.

Read more: Packing for university: items you do and do not need