| As a new student, you're probably living away from | | | | 6. Protein is also important, so make sure that you eat |
| home, and cooking and budgeting for yourself for the | | | | plenty of baked beans, chicken, fish and eggs. Pulses |
| first time. What sort of things do you need to know, | | | | are also important for those people who don't eat |
| and how can you make cooking fun? | | | | meat. Milk is also a good source of protein, so a glass |
| 1. Make sure that you eat properly and within your | | | | of milk is a healthy option at any time of the day. |
| budget. While you might be tempted to live off | | | | 7. It's essential that you at least try and get your 5 |
| takeaways in the first month or so, you'll soon be living | | | | portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Having a glass |
| off toast come the end of the term! | | | | of fruit juice, an apple or a banana during the day, as |
| 2. Plan your meals a week in advance and budget | | | | well as a healthy lunch and evening meal should make |
| accordingly so that you don't need to go shopping | | | | this much easier to achieve. |
| several times a week. This will help you save a | | | | 8. Wash up after every meal. Although you might think |
| fortune! | | | | that the bombsite kitchen is found in every student |
| 3. Special offers can be a great way to save money | | | | home, it's very unhygienic and can lead to all sorts of |
| on the things that you buy anyway. Don't be tempted | | | | unwanted illnesses. |
| to buy things that you know you'll never eat, just | | | | 9. Get some recipe books, or write down some of |
| because they're cheap. Make the most of your | | | | your family favourite recipes. An improvised book |
| freezer, by buying in bulk and freezing what you don't | | | | stand can make reading a recipe easier. It's much |
| need now. Also, you can make meals or part meals in | | | | quicker to use a book or a piece of paper than having |
| bulk and freeze what you don't use now. | | | | to keep running backwards and forwards from the |
| 4. Use fresh food rather than processed or ready | | | | computer! |
| meals, as it will be cheaper, and you'll know exactly | | | | 10. Having the right cookware is important, and it's |
| what's in your meals. Fresh food is better value, and | | | | much easier to cook when you have the right size |
| better for you too. Why not use your local | | | | pan, or the right tool for the job. If you're not sure what |
| greengrocer or butcher, or visit a local market rather | | | | you need, why not look for a starter pack that will give |
| than being tempted by everything else in a | | | | you what you need to get started in the kitchen? |
| supermarket? | | | | Cooking should be fun, and doesn't have to be difficult. |
| 5. Carbohydrates are important for energy, and to | | | | By starting with simple pasta or rice dishes, you'll soon |
| keep you feeling full during the day. Feeling fuller for | | | | become better in the kitchen, and enjoy making your |
| longer will stop you wanting to snack. Pasta, rice and | | | | own meals. As well as eating more healthily, and |
| potatoes are a great basis for a meal, and are very | | | | saving money, you'll also feel a great sense of |
| versatile. What about curries, or lasagnes, as well as | | | | achievement, and you might even impress your new |
| spag bol? | | | | friends too! |