Save time, money and effort

Meal planning may seem like a chore, but it's so worth it. From avoiding food waste to saving money, planning ahead can offer so many benefits so you can make the most of your time as a student. 

Don't know where to start? Read our top tips below! 

Start with your favourite dishes

Keeping it simple is key to getting started. Include at least a few go-to dishes in your plan, ones that you already know how to cook and what ingredients to buy.

Once you get into a good routine, you can always explore new recipes and get more adventurous with your cooking. 

PRO TIP: Create a one-stop shop for recipes you find that you want to try out, whether that's on your favourites in TikTok or in your phone notes. 

Check what you already have

Don't waste money by buying ingredients you already have in your refrigerator and kitchen cupboards. Look at the 'use-by' dates and see what needs using up so you can plan dishes around these and avoid food waste. 

Now, you can start making a grocery list. 

PRO TIP: Put new items to the back of the fridge/cupboard and older items to the front. 

Make meals with the same ingredients

Talking of saving money, make your shop even easier by planning meals that use some of the same ingredients. This doesn't mean they all have to taste the same, the possibilities are endless. 

For example, instead of frying your veggies, why not roast them? Instead of sticking with salt and pepper, spice things up with a bit of cajun. 

Cook in bulk

Save more time during your busy uni weeks by using the weekend to cook and prep your meals. This includes washing and chopping any veggies you know you'll be using to freezing ingredients that might go off before you use them. 

This way, you can simply toss the ingredients into the pan when needed or refrigerate/freeze full meals to eat throughout the week. 

PRO TIP: Don't forget about the leftovers. Use up leftover veggies in your next dish like an omelette or salad or freeze until needed to reduce food waste. 

Using these simple but effective tips, you're sure to be a meal planning pro in no time! 

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