How to eat healthy as a university student? Mmm 'Pot Noodles' quickly becomes eurgh...not 'Pot Noodles' again!
Freshers' week at university is always epic. New faces, new places and new activities. Freshers' week quickly becomes a freshers' month and your student life is a whole new world....until you reach that point of realisation. You wake up one morning, look in your cupboard and go 'eurgh, I can't live off of Pot Noodles and takeaways for the next 3 years of my life!'
It's when lectures begin and the 9am starts are a reality, you then realise that eating this way isn't sustainable. That's why we've put together our list of student-friendly tips of how to eat healthily at university.
Plan your meals in advance
You should try to allocate some time every week to plan your meals for the upcoming week. This will help you to be able to figure out the ingredients which you need for your next shop and will stop you from overspending on unnecessary items. You may want to look at some recipes to get an idea of the key ingredients needed so you can stock up on these. Try to stick as closely as possible to this list so that you're not spending too much!
Gastrostudent provides new recipes every month for students to try! See something you like? Simply select the recipe and add it to your recipe box. We'll deliver all of the ingredients that you need for that recipe- saving you time and money!
Time saving food hacks
Ask any uni student- food preparation is a lifesaver. The student lifestyle is spontaneous. But, you'll always need to find time to eat- so any shortcuts to make cooking as quick as possible are a must have to survive! Try preparing vegetables in advance- for example, you could dice an onion and freeze it in a bag- just make sure you defrost before your meal in the evening! You could also look at batch cooking- a great way to save money and time as a student. Take a day out of your weekend to cook in large quantities. You might want to cook a lasagne which is often enough for 4-6 portions. Once cooked, cut into portions and place in a container in the freezer. Once you're ready to eat it, pop it in the microwave until it's piping hot. Just make sure that you consume within 3 months!
Gastrostudent's ingredients are pre-portioned so this reduces food waste and our little food hacks save you time in the kitchen....win win!
Count your macros
'Macros' is a shortened term for 'macronutrients'- a simple and effective way of monitoring your intake of protein, carbohydrates and fats. To maintain a healthy lifestyle at university, students may keep track of macros to help make smarter and healthier food choices. For example, student athletes may look to increase their protein intake to achieve their goals. Protein is an essential nutrient for the body to repair and promote muscle growth, but also has the benefit of making you feel fuller for longer.
At Gastrostudent, we've done the hard work for you- each recipe is categorised based on its nutritional benefit so that you can make smarter decisions which align with your goals. Each student recipe includes the total carbohydrates, fat, protein and calories so that you can make a smarter decision, knowing that the recipe meets your needs.
Stick to a budget
According to recent surveys, university students spend £45 per week on food: £30 on weekly shopping and £15 on takeaways.
Gastrostudent's subscription box (for 1) is available for £29.95 per week, which includes 5 meals and a choice of breakfast to keep you going throughout the week. With the added convenience of having your food delivered to your door at university, Gastrostudent is great value for money and ensures that you always have food on the way to you (which means one less thing to think about!)
Do you have any tips for uni freshers? We'd love to hear your best tips and food hacks. Comment below and let us know your best student food hacks!
Uni food just got serious
Sign up for Gastro Rewards- earn points, save up and get FREE food