When moving out of home for the first time, you’re faced with a lot of challenges, and cooking your own meals is definitely one of them. Self-catered accommodation is a common occurrence at universities up and down the country, so you’ll be expected to not only attend your classes (yes, you will!) but also fuel your body for your studies.
Not sure what to cook, or even how to? Don’t fret, because we’re here to help. We’ve compiled a list of five easy, cheap meals that are ideal for students living in student accommodation.
Best easy meals while in college accommodation
It’s easier – and cheaper – than you might think to prepare, cook and enjoy a meal while living in student accommodation. Most students will worry about what they’ll eat, with many turning to takeaways or frozen pizzas and noodles. While they can be a tasty treat once in a while, you’ll save yourself a lot more money and ensure you’re getting your five a day with the below meals.
Pasta Bake
The first recipe on our list of cheap student meals that you can master with little effort is a pasta bake. During your studies, you’ll likely eat a lot of pasta because it’s low-cost, quick and easy to make and you can mix a wide variety of ingredients with it.
All you need for a pasta bake is cupboard staples like pasta and tinned tomatoes as your base and then you can get creative with different cheeses, vegetables and even meats like pepperoni, ham, and chorizo.
Once you’ve prepared the pasta, mix everything and pop it in the oven for around 20 minutes. You’ll be tucking into low-effort, delicious food in no time!
Soup
Yes, a tin of Heinz soup can come in handy from time to time, but you could always make something much healthier – and something that ticks off your five a day. Buy food that’s good for you, including a selection of vegetables that you can mix to create a divine, hearty soup.
If you’ve never made soup before, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed when considering making one now, but they’re easier than you think.
Minestrone soup, for example, is a healthy, cheap meal that’s filled with carbohydrates that energise you. If you make a lot, you can freeze it too, leaving even less preparation time the next time you fancy some. Frozen vegetables are good to have in your arsenal, too, as they can be quickly used for a tasty soup.
Traybake
If you’ve found yourself in a pinch and with just a few ingredients in the cupboard, you can make a traybake! They’re super easy to make because you throw everything into a roasting pan, season it and chuck it all in the oven.
A few minutes later you’ve got a delicious, healthy and hearty meal. Plus, eat straight out of the tray and you’ll save on washing up!
A traybake could be full of vegetables or mix in some marinated meat. Do you have a small chicken breast and some BBQ sauce? Lather the meat in the sauce, mix it with some vegetables and you’ll soon have one of the easiest, most delicious student meals you could put together.
Jacket Potato
There comes a time in every student’s life when they look in the cupboard and see a tin of beans and some potatoes and all there is in the fridge is some cheese and butter. Doesn’t look like much, right?
Well, mix it all together and you’ll soon have a steaming potato dripping in delicious beans, mixed in with butter and cheese – yum! This meal not only takes a few minutes, but it’s cheap and filling – great if you’re running late for an afternoon lecture.
Omelette
The final part of our list of the best student meals while living away from home is the omelette. Eggs are cheap and a great source of protein with plenty of minerals and vitamins too. Turning a couple of eggs into an omelette, alongside some tasty ingredients like ham and cheese, is a quick, cheap and easy meal that’s ideal for students.
Mix the eggs and egg whites with seasoning in a bowl and then add to a pan that’s already warmed up some oil. Cook over medium heat until it’s almost set and then add your ingredients. Cook it all together until its set and then serve – it couldn’t be easier!
Enjoy good meals at the best student accommodation in Bolton
Now you’ve got a basic set of meals in your armoury, you’re ready to move away from home and start the next chapter of your life. If you’re studying in Bolton then consider setting up camp at Orlando Village – the best student accommodation in Bolton.
We have a range of bedrooms available to choose from with high-quality amenities and facilities on-site. Enjoy your new-found cooking skills in a clean, modern kitchen on our campus.
If you want to see what’s available at Orlando Village, simply get in touch with us today and we’ll talk you through everything.
