The Art of Student Shopping

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to my first blog post, hopefully many of you will be able to relate to the pressures of a student budget, but if not, I'm sure you can take away some useful cooking tips.

I love eating and cooking, however making healthy, tasty meals comes at a cost! Since starting University, I have learnt to adapt my eating and shopping to keep within my student budget. Here are my first 2 tips for good food on a budget...

1. Shop Smart 

One of the first harsh realities I discovered as a student was I couldn't afford my families weekly Sainsbury's shop. Students aren’t made of money, so my first advice is to locate your nearest cheaper supermarkets, like Aldi and Lidl. They offer non-branded products, for a fraction of the prices at bigger supermarkets. 

At first, I was sceptical about the quality and taste of some of the alternatives, being somewhat of a food snob, but I'm glad to say I have been pleasantly surprised!

Another great place to grab some bargains are supermarket reduced sections.

Again, I was sceptical, however after shopping around and perfecting my timing, I've snapped up some excellent quality food that will still last a few days. Don't be afraid of sell-by dates, most foods usually last longer than you'd expect!

Top tip: Don’t forget the longest sell-by dates are at the back of the shelf, so keep digging!

2. Only buy what you need

In first year, I got into a bad habit of doing big shops regularly, which often resulted in throwing food out. Nobody gets their budget right first time! A good way to avoid over buying and spending is planning. Look at recipes and make lists, then you’ll avoid buying unnecessary amounts. Remember you're only 1 person! 

Top tip: Never go shopping on an empty stomach. 

If you want to hear more shopping and cooking hacks, stay tuned for next time!

Thanks for reading.