Hello! I know I have been away for a while but I am finally back and I thought I would talk about something a little different... food. Being away from home, managing both time and a budget can all make cooking seem daunting. However, there are some really easy things you can do that make it a whole lot easier (and tastier).
1. Meal Plan
My first tip would be to plan out what you are going to have to eat every week. This can be a detailed plan or just a rough idea of the kinds of food you want to eat. I find it so much easier to do a food shop when I know what I want for a few days ahead. It also takes the pressure off of you in the evening when it comes to cooking dinner. I often find that if I haven't planned what I am going to eat I tend to go for quicker (and more unhealthy) options. But if I know I have something delicious planned, and I have all of the ingredients because I already went out to buy them, I am so much more excited to cook.
2. Don't Shop When Hungry
While this started as a running joke with a friend, it is also very true. If I hope when hungry I always seem to impulsively buy a random collection of things that I then struggle to put into balanced meals. And I often end up buying a lot of sugar. So, plan what you want to eat, make a shopping list, eat something, and then go shopping!
3. Have Go-To Meals
When it comes to planning what I want to eat, I like to eat as seasonally as I can within the constraints of being a vegetarian in Britain (especially in winter). I also have at least one day a week with lots of classes and so I find it really useful to have a few quick meals that I know I will enjoy and I adjust these slightly over the year. If you are looking for some inspiration these are:
- Pesto pasta (the veggie kind)
- Mushrooms and cabbage with pasta or potatoes
- Shakshuka (I know this one is actually a breakfast food but sometimes I like it in the evening, though it does also make an amazing brunch)
- Porridge (this one I do actually have as for breakfast)
- Cheese and salad sandwich (easy-peasy lunch)
4. Treats
And finally, leave some room for the occasional treat. I really like to have tea and a biscuit when I get in most days, so I always buy a packet of slightly fancier biscuits as part of my shop. Another treat I sometimes have is hot chocolate and film night at the end of a week (this one is especially satisfying after a Friday deadline).
One more social treat I like to do is go out for food with my friends. None of us really drink, so we tend to try out different food outlets on campus or cafes in the city as our main type of get together. This is a really fun activity that I look forward to each week. For all of my 'treats', I make sure I build them into my budget. One thing that helps is buying other foods when they are on offer. Additionally, even if you do eat meat, eating more vegetarian food is a great way to save some money.
I hope you found some of these tips useful. If you like this type of content, feel free to leave a comment with your suggestions. Thanks for reading!
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