Christmas leftovers: Bubble & Squeak

Bubble & Squeak

Christmas is the most expensive time of the year. The decorations, the presents, the endless booze, the trips to the pub - everything adds up. The festive cheer shared with family at Christmas is priceless, but unfortunately the food bill isn't. And most hosts will agree they will always overbuy, as it's better to have 'too much than too little.' So when you hit your post-christmas blues, pick yourself up by using up your leftovers and save your hosts a whole load of money! It's like Christmas dinner all over again - what's not to love?

Cooking Instructions:

1. Peel, chop, boil and mash an extra potato (or more, depending on how many you're feeding) - you need a lot of mash!
2. Chop up all your leftovers - turkey, gammon, roast potatoes, parsnips, mash, swede, and not forgetting the sprouts. Add small amounts of the bread & cranberry sauce.
3. Start frying the meats in a pan until it starts to brown, then add everything else (excluding the mash) and fry for 5 minutes, then add the mash and smooth it out to cover the base of the pan. 
4. The bottom will slowly become crisp, at which point you can create a hole in the mixture and break an egg into it. This will cook in between the bubble & squeak. 
5. Scoop the mixture out, it'll look messy and taste amazing. Crispy on the bottom, soft in the middle. Runny yolk of the egg to go with it. 

Next time you go to throw out your Christmas food, think again. This is something I did for my family for the first time this year, but it went down so well I think it'll be an annual money-saver!

Salmon, Coconut and Lime Parcels

Salmon, Coconut and Lime Parcels served with stir fried vegetables and rice

Here's a recipe I found on Tesco real food which I chose to accompany with as many vegetables as I could find in my fridge! I'm going to suggest a really simple way to cook this original recipe which allows you to add lots of vegetables without any extra effort! Also, the beauty of this dish is that you have the option to have rice, noodles or no carbohydrates at all. And taking only 20 minutes to put together, this super healthy supper has got to be tried.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Salmon Fillet*
• 1/2 x Courgette
• 6 x Spring Onions
• 1/2 x Pepper
• 1/2 x Lime
• 1/2 x Chilli 
• 1/2 Can low fat Coconut milk

Price overall: £4.60

Per portion: £2.30

*Remember to use Frozen salmon fillets which are cheaper per portion!

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 Degrees.
2. Slice all the vegetables lengthways thinly, as you would for a stir fry.
3. Tear two large rectangles of foil and place a Salmon fillet in the centre of each one. 

Salmon Parcels: before and after

3. Cover the Salmon with the sliced Pepper, Courgette, Spring Onions and Chilli, and pour half the Low fat Coconut Milk into each parcel to surround the salmon.

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until salmon is cooked through and vegetables are tender

5. Serve with either Noodles or Rice and squeeze over your Lime for an extra bit of flavour just before you tuck in!

Cooking all the vegetables in the parcel means you have no washing up - wahoo! And the salmon poaches in the coconut milk and the vegetables are steamed on top. Delicious!

You have so many options with this dish, and it's perfect if you've had a few unhealthy days and want a bit of a detox - throw in extra vegetables like Pak Choi, Okra and Mushrooms (there's no such thing as too much veg!) Serve with brown rice or wholewheat noodles if you need the extra energy kick. 

Thai Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Thai style Chicken with Cashew Nuts

So the reason why my blog has been abandoned for a short while is because I've been in Thailand! However, I've come back armed with new inspiration for great tasting food, whilst keeping my money-saving student head screwed on. Here's a brand new Thai style dish which is light on the stomach and wallet and really tasty!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

•  2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Small Onion
• 4 x Spring Onions
• A handful of Cashew Nuts
• 1/2 Chilli
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 100g Brown Rice*

*Brown rice is the healthiest option, but, if you're happy to spend slightly more, my version was made with some Thai style Lemon and Herb infused rice (see here). My pricing will be based on brown rice costs.

Price Overall: £1.92

Per Serving: 96p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the Cashew Nuts gently in oil until toasted brown. Remove from pan.
2. Fry the chopped Onion and thinly sliced Chicken in the wok until brown.
3. Add the Soy and Fish sauce and stir fry
4. Immediately add the chopped Spring Onions, chopped Chilli and browned Cashew Nuts and stir fry for 1 minute. Serve with rice.

At under £1 a portion, this Thai delicacy is well worth a try! This 15 minute meal is also perfect if you're tight on time. Bored of the same old stir fry? Definitely give this one a go. 

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Salad

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Salad

As much as I've described this as a 'summer vegetable salad', that doesn't mean it isn't tasty all year round. This is a hot salad with a light Orzo pasta, which stays by you without bloating you. Plus, it's packed full of all things vegetables! Which is good news!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Pepper
• 160g Green Beans (Half a normal pack)
• 160g Broad Beans*
• 150g Orzo Pasta**
• 75g Feta (Optional)

* Buy these frozen to avoid them going off! See here

** If you're not sure what Orzo pasta looks like, see here

Price overall: £2.53

Per portion: £1.26 

With feta: £1.54

Cooking Instructions:

1. Slice the Pepper into chunks, pour over a little olive oil and roast in the oven at 180 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, griddle/pan fry the Chicken breasts in a little oil until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. This will take around 15 minutes.
3. With 10 minutes to go, cook the Orzo Pasta according to packet instructions. 
4. With 5 minutes to go, add the Green Beans and Broad Beans to the Orzo Pasta and continue to cook until soft.
5. Finally, drain the Orzo Pasta and Green & Broad Beans and crumble over the Feta (Optional), remove the roasted Pepper from the oven and add to the mixture. Slice the cooked Chicken Breast and place on top of the salad.

There you go! It may sound more complicated than it really is, just keep an eye on your timings and nothing will go cold. But on that note, this meal can easily be stored as leftovers for a library/work lunch the next day if you don't manage it all! One of my favourite recipes recently which I would definitely recommend to students.

Re-fried Bean Quesadillas

A quick lunch: re-fried Bean Quesadillas

This super cheap recipe doubles as a lunch or dinner, and can easily be made for one or many people! The absence of meat makes it cheap and quicker to make. And the spices mean it packs that Mexican punch to excite your average mealtime.

Things you'll need:

Serves 3

• 6 x Wholemeal Tortilla Wraps* (two per person)
• 1 x Can kidney beans/mixed beans
• 1 x Small Onion
• 1 x Clove Garlic
• Tsp Cumin
• Tsp Paprika
• Grated Cheddar (Optional)

* If this is for lunch, one tortilla per person is fine. If you're hungry or this is a main meal then use two per person. Remember to go wholemeal!

Price overall: £1.44

Per Portion: 48p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Chop and gently fry the Onion and Garlic until soft
2. Add the Beans and heat through. Then crush them with a fork into a paste
3. Season with the Cumin and Paprika, and salt and pepper if you fancy. Stir altogether
4. Tip the mixture into the middle of a Wholemeal Tortilla Wrap and then either fold in half or, if using two, place the other one on top.
5. Then place the Quesadilla in the same frying pan and cooking either side for 2 minutes each until crispy and golden brown. Serve on its on or with a salad.

Fed up of the same old sandwiches? At a fraction of the price, you have to give this one a go! If you want to go all out, add jalapenos/chillis, sour cream and/or salsa as well. A super tasty casual meal for any lunch or dinner time.

This recipe was taken from BBC Good Food

Alcohol: Making the right choices

Following on from one of my first blog posts, and a concern of mine which prompted me to begin this blog in the first place (University: to drink or not to drink), I'm now taking this concept further. Myths around our alcoholic beverages, the right choices, the wrong choices, the better choices: you want to get drunk, not fat. This post, as with all my others, is directed at Students. As discussed in my first alcohol post, consumption of alcohol is a part of University life and one which is enjoyed immensely by the majority of students. I would never have considered cutting alcohol out altogether during my studies, but sometimes there's not always a need for it, and you can save yourself money and calories.

Alcohol Habits
Firstly, ask yourself the question: how many days of the week do you consume alcohol? If the answer is four-five times a week, you might think about linking that to your weight gain or lack of results despite exercising. As an ex-student myself, there was a period of time where my flatmate(s) and I would have a crate of beer in our halls at all times. However, it meant we found ourselves dipping into it almost every night, and spending up to £15 a week on it. When we decided to stop, we found ourselves going for alternative options, saving ourselves money and calories. A simple solution, if you think about it, and you'll notice the difference almost immediately.

The best way to limit your alcohol intake is to try and limit your drinking to nights out only, as opposed to casual drinking at home. My nights out were Wednesdays and either Thursdays or Fridays. I started thinking of these days as my student 'weekend', and therefore those days were acceptable for me to drink what I like. Sooner or later I found that I was only drinking 2-3 times a week, automatically limiting my alcohol intake and feeling much more energetic and alert on a day to day basis.

Which alcoholic drinks are the 'healthiest'?
Now, in my opinion it seems ridiculous to put healthy and alcohol in the same sentence, because here's your answer: they're not. However, in terms of making the better choices, here's some helpful information.

Beer
Beer is probably the worst (outside of certain cocktails) for calories per glass. A pint of Larger ranges from 170 calories (Fosters, Becks Vier) to 250 calories (Stella, San Miguel). Generally the 5% lagers will have more calories than the 4% ones, unsurprisingly. Bottled lagers such as Budweiser and Carlsberg Export are around 135 calories. There are, of course, 'Light' beers, which range from 90-100 calories. But in my opinion you do compromise on the taste. If you're only drinking 2-3 times a week, you may as well drink something you enjoy. So bare that in mind if you're thinking of sinking a few pints down the pub.

Wine
Wine has been known to be marginally better than beer, but it obviously depends on your quantities. A standard pub serving of red wine comes in at 120-140 calories. And a standard pub serving (175ml) of white wine comes in at 130-150 calories. But if you're planning to sink the whole bottle, we're talking 700 calories. So by the glass, it's better than beer, but when you have the temptation of the whole bottle it could be a different story.

Spirits
This is the main one, especially for students. Spirits on their own are pretty low in calories (most are under 100 calories). However, mixed drinks have the potential to become calorically disastrous. Once you start adding mixers to your 100 calorie shot of alcohol, things soon start adding up. Mixers such as fruit juices (Cranberry/Orange) can contain up to 136 calories on their own because of their sugar content. A jagarbomb (jagarmeister and red bull) contains 156 calories. The other mistake people make is reaching for the cordials, which are hidden sugars likely to increase your drink in calories. Try diet sodas, slimline tonic or soda water as a mixer for a drink just over 100 calories.

Use the Drink Aware website for more information on calories: here.

To sum up, here's a list of tips to consider:

1. Try to limit your drinking to your big nights out (2/3 times). If you happen to have 3/4 big nights out a week, then move onto the next step for alternative advice.

2. Set a budget. If you only take out £20 cash, you will only spend £20 cash. Don't do the typical mistake of taking out your card and waking up with heartbreaking figures written on receipts.

3. Go for a smaller one. If you go for a single rather than a double, or bottled beer instead of a pint, you're automatically cutting down whilst still being involved.

4. Stay hydrated. Don't go for alcohol if you're really dehydrated. You'll drink it faster and therefore more of it. Quite a few studies suggest drinking a glass of water with each drink you buy, which doesn't suit everyone. But ensure you hydrate properly before you start drinking.

5. Take it a day at a time. If you currently drink 4-5 times a week or more, try cutting out one day a week until you reach your target. For example, make tuesdays a non-alcohol day. Every day you do is a step in the right direction. 

One-pan Salmon with Roast Asparagus

One-pan Salmon with roasted Asparagus, Potatoes and Tomatoes

This is such a simple meal which requires no effort at all. And what's best is that it's quick, cheap and healthy if you pick the right ingredients. I've taken this recipe from BBC Good Food (here) and barely needed to change anything! Some recipes include squeezes of lemon or more exotic looking vegetables, but sometimes simple is best, and this recipe is delicious and perfect for a mid-week meal.

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

• 2 x Salmon Fillet*
• 2 x Small Baking Potatoes
• 10 x Cherry Tomatoes
• 200g Asaparagus (Chop the bottoms off)

* Buy salmon fresh from frozen in these packs - works out cheaper per portion!

Price Overall: £4.20

Per serving: £2.10

Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cookings Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees. Slice the Baking Potatoes into bite-size chunks and scatter in a baking tray with some oil, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until starting to brown.
2. Toss the Asparagus in with the sliced Potatoes for a further 15 minutes.
3. Throw in the Cherry Tomatoes and nestle in the Salmon Fillets and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes until salmon is cooked through. Then serve.

At just over £2 a portion, this dish is affordable, delicious and so easy to make! You're guaranteed to have your housemates jealous when you pull this colourful fun dish from the oven.

Gordon Ramsay's Pork and Sauté Vegetables

Gordon Ramsay's Pork and Saute Vegetables

This dish is inspired by a Gordon Ramsay recipe, but I have replaced the original meat ingredient (Veal) to Pork because it is cheaper and more readily available from supermarkets. There are no carbs in this dish, you can easily add potatoes or rice if you wanted to, but I went without and doubled my veg intake instead and felt perfectly satisfied. I improvised a sauce to go with the Pork which soaks up all the juices - really easy and delicious! 

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Pork Steaks
• 1 x Courgette
• 1/2 x Aubergine
• 1/2 x Pepper
• 200ml x Creme Fraiche*

* I also added chopped apple to my sauce, just because it goes really well with Pork! But if you want to really cut your costs, don't bother with the sauce, it's completely up to you.

Price Overall: £3.36

Per serving: £1.68

Cooking Instructions:

• Place the Pork Steaks in a frying pan with a little oil. Fry for around 10-15 minutes, turning half way until golden brown on both sides.
• Meanwhile, chop the Courgette, Aubergine and Pepper into 1cm cubes. 
• Place the vegetables in a frying pan with a little oil and fry for 5 minutes until just tender.
• Just before serving, add the Creme Fraiche to the Pork in the pan and scrape any juices from the bottom of the pan, the sauce should be a creamy brown colour. Serve with your saute vegetables.

Always remember, white meat tends to contain less saturated fat than red meats, so it's always good to vary your diet and have a night off from chicken with a dish like this! Plus, the vegetable quantities I've stated above can easily be changed if you want to pack more goodness into your dish, or if you're worried the lack of carbs will leave you hungry - just add more veg! This student take on a Ramsay recipe is quick, delicious, and has little ingredients to shop for. 

Spicy Turkey Chilli

Spicy Turkey Chill

A low fat alternative to beef which still provides tasty chilli flavour. Turkey, in comparison to beef, is leaner and cheaper. This recipe also constitutes as low carb because you have the option to add them or not. It can be accompanied by rice, a jacket potato, pitta bread, wedges or (as I chose) a flatbread. Whether you need the energy fuel or not, here are the details of this lean, low fat retake on the traditional Chilli Con Carne!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 250g Turkey Mince*
• 1 x Pepper
• 1 x Onion
• 1 x Can Red Kidney Beans
• 1 x Chopped Tomatoes
• 1/2 x Chilli Pepper
• 1 x tsp Cumin
• 100ml Beef Stock (Optional)**

* These days, Turkey breast mince is the same price as minced beef. However, Turkey thigh mince is a lot cheaper!

** Some people might miss the normal 'beefy' taste of their chilli, so add a stock cube to enhance some of that flavour instead.

Price overall: £2.41

Per Serving: £1.20

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat Oil in a Large Pan. Add the chopped Onion and fry until golden. Then add the Turkey Mince, break the mince apart and cook until browned
2. Add the chopped Pepper and Chilli Pepper until soft
3. Add the Cumin, Red Kidney Beans, Chopped Tomatoes and Beef Stock (Optional) and stir altogether. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

A relatively quick, cheap and tasty meal which is suitable for any night of the week. This is also a good dish to cook up for a group of friends or cook larger portions to freeze for another time. So next time you fancy a bit of warm comfort food but don't want the extra sat fats, make the substitution from beef to Turkey.

Zesty Fish with Crushed Potatoes and Peas

Zesty Fish with Crushed Potatoes and Peas, Spinach and Capers

I really really enjoyed this dish! It was light, full of flavour and I used ingredients I wouldn't normally cook with. The main difference with this recipe is the sauce: it's super thin and made up of only a few ingredients, much easier and saves on time. Adapted from recipe here on BBC Good Food.

Things you'll need:

(Serves 1)

• 1 x White Fish Fillet*
• 1 x Potato
• 3 x Tbsp Frozen Peas
• 2 x Tsp Capers
• 1/2 a Lemon (juice)
• 1/2 bag Fresh Spinach or blocks Frozen Spinach**
• 1 x Tbsp Olive Oil

* I used Trout but any white fish fillet will do. As I've mentioned on My Top 10 Money Saving Tips you can buy these fresh in frozen packs for much cheaper.

** Similarly to above, Frozen Spinach is cheaper and still locks in all the flavour. All that's required is heating the blocks in a saucepan to break them down.

Price per portion: £1.24

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix together the Olive Oil, 1/2 Lemon juice and Capers.
2. Peel and slice the Potatoes and put them in boiling water for 15 minutes (approx) until tender. 
3. With about 8 minutes to go, fry the White Fish, turning half way through until both sides are golden brown and the fillet is cooked through. Pore in the sauce mix at the last minute just to heat through.
4. Meanwhile, wilt the Spinach in frying pan with a little oil until it breaks down.
5. Mash the Potatoes and Peas together and serve with the wilted Spinach and pan-fried Fish.

Affordable, quick and super delicious! Try not to worry too much about timings, if your mash is ready before your fish, you can always have it ready to serve and cover it with tin foil whilst you cook the rest. I wish I could eat this all over again - give it a go!

Italian Steak Supper

Italian Steak Supper with Garlic Flatbread

Lets be honest, steak isn't something which you would expect to appear on a healthy student cooking blog: it's delicious but high in saturated fat, and it's commonly thought of as being an expensive luxury. However I've thought of a way of getting around it, inspired by a recipe in Ideal Home Magazine. This dish is light, summery and full of fresh vegetables - the Garlic flatbread is completely optional, as the dish stands well on it's own as well.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Frying Steaks*
• 2 x small Red Onion
• 1/2 Courgette
• 10 x Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 x Handful of Rocket
• 1 x Flatbread**

* Because you end up cutting the steak into slices, you don't need to worry too much about thickness, and standard frying steak will do (and is the cheapest option). Try Tesco's option, which can work out under £1 a steak!

** If you would like to have some carbohydrates with the meal, try one of these which we split between 3 people.

Price overall: £3.17 (£3.50 with Flatbread)

Per portion: £1.59 (£1.75 with Flatbread)

Cooking Instructions:

(If cooking a flatbread, preheat the oven before you start and cook according to packet guidelines.)

1. If you have one, use a griddle pan. Otherwise a regular frying pan will do. Heat some oil in the pan. Cut the small Red Onions in two and place in the pan. (If you have some skewers they will help hold the onions together if you slide them along it, if not then don't worry.) Turn the halved Onions every 1-2 minutes to brown all sides.
2. Slice the courgettes thinly and lengthways (as in the picture above) and add them to the pan alongside the onions. Cook for around 3 minutes on each side until they have that nice charcoaled effect. 
3. As the pan fills up, remove the slices of Courgette, place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Once you have space, add the cherry tomatoes. Keep moving everything around so each item is browned all over. 
4. Once your Tomatoes are cooked and removed from the pan (under the foil) add your Steaks. Cooking time is dependent on how you like your steak cooked, but stick to this as a guideline: 1 1/2 minutes each side - Rare. 2 minutes each side - Med Rare. 2 1/2 minutes each side - Medium. 3 minutes each side - Well done. 
5. Take everything off the heat and slice the cooked Steaks into strips. Place a handful of Rocket on each plate and top with your Courgettes, Tomatoes, Red Onions and Steak.

There you go! This is a real throw-together salad, with a nice mixture of hot and cold ingredients which work really well. And at this affordable price, it makes Steak student-friendly!

Smoky Beans with Basil & Bacon

Posh beans on toast, in other words.

Popped home for lunch? Feeling lethargic and need to conjure up some energy to get to a lecture or meeting? This 'posh beans on toast' lunch idea is high in fibre, which means energy is slowly released over the hours following lunchtime. You'll be feeling energetic in no time! Why not just grab a can of heinz baked beans, I hear you ask? Beans are low fat, that's for sure. But Heinz baked beans contain 10g of sugar which is 11% of your daily amount (see here), whereas this recipe contains 0g of sugar (see here). Plus with this, you get to add a whole variety of other flavours which are fresh and delicious. Easy choice, if you ask me!

Things you'll need:

1 portion

• 1-2 x Wholemeal Bread (depending on how hungry you are!)
• 1/2 can Cannelloni Beans
• 1 x Rasher of Bacon (Cut using scissors)
• 1 x Large Tomato
• 1/2 small Onion (Chopped)
• Handful of Basil (Optional)*

* The Basil I used was fresh, but this isn't always convenient for students as it goes off very quickly. It tastes great in this dish, and goes well with any tomato-based recipe (such as Somerset Stew or Spicy Meatball Ratatouille). So if you plan your weekly meals out, you'll use up your fresh basil without it going off.

Price per portion: 86p

*with Basil: 96p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Toast 1-2 slices of Wholemeal Bread
2. Meanwhile, heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and gently fry the Onion and Bacon until golden brown.
3. Then drain the Cannelloni Beans and add to the pan with the Tomato, roughly chopped. Mix together for approx 2 minutes.
4. If using Basil, tear bits of the leaves into the pan and stir with the other ingredients. Serve immediately on your toast.

Heinz baked beans are known as a staple student cupboard ingredient, but give this one a go - lower in sugar, more flavours, and another great cheap eat at under a pound a portion! 

Chicken, Pesto and Pinenut Wrap

A tasty lunch option

This is an easy, delicious lunch wrap which can be taken anywhere. With a few cupboard ingredients, tons more flavour can be added to the standard chicken wrap. Plus, this meal works out far cheaper than buying from a shop when you're out and about. Take 5 minutes out of your morning (or night before), put it in a container and have it when you like. No hassle, no stress, no money wasted.

Things you'll need:

Makes 1 wrap

• 1/3 Roast Chicken Pack*
• 1 x tsp Pesto
• 1 x Wholemeal Wrap
• Handful of Rocket Leaves
• Handful of Pine Nuts (optional)

* You have many options here. All major supermarkets sell ready made roast chicken pieces ready to throw in sandwiches/wraps like this. The cheapest way to do this lunch would be to use leftover chicken from a roast dinner. Plan ahead and save the pennies! However, for convenience purposes, pricing is based on the ready made packs provided by supermarkets.

Price per wrap: £1.07

Cooking Instructions:

1. Lay the Wholemeal Wrap down on the surface and spread 1 tbsp of Pesto over the base.
2. Lay the chicken in a line down the middle of the wrap and scatter Pine Nuts (optional) on and around the chicken.
3. Bunch the handful of Rocket Leaves on top of the chicken
4. Fold up the bottom of the wrap (so no fillings fall out) and tuck in the sides. 

A similar Tesco sandwich here is priced at £2, so it's definitely worth making you're own, especially given how easy it is! On the go, cheap tasty chicken pesto pine nut wrap!

My Top 10 Money Saving Tips

Money saving tips for student cooking

Throughout my blog I've provided various recipe ideas for students which are tasty, healthy, and most importantly don't break the bank. However, once a student is let loose in a supermarket, everything can go to waste. One example being falling victim to the 'impulse buy': seeing something temptingly unhealthy on offer and picking it up, all the while knowing that it's a.) not good for you and b.) making you spend more money.  Here are my top ten money saving tips for students when doing your food shop:

1. Plan your meals: Wastage is a huge problem in our food industry. The average household is throwing away up to £50 worth of food a month!(*) This is normally caused by food not being used and turning into a disgusting green unidentifiable object, but sometimes people are throwing away food which is perfectly fine to eat. 'Use by' dates are merely a guideline for the consumer, and supermarkets are legally not allowed to sell food within the days approaching this guideline. However, you'll often find that food is generally fine to eat for up to 3 days past this guideline date. A common student motto when it comes to food is 'If it looks fine and smells fine, it'll taste fine.' Secondly, the best way to get around wasting your food (and your money!) is by planning your meals. It takes no time at all, and making a shopping list means you're far less likely to buy things which aren't on it! Pick a recipe, make a list of the ingredients, buy them and use them! No wastage, no money lost, no hassle.

2. Bag big reductions: As soon as I enter the supermarket, the first place I go to is the reduced section to buy my meat. A bit of a no-brainer for students, I know, but some people are unaware of its existence. Reduced items are likely to either have damaged packaging or, more likely, about to pass their sell-by-date. Do not be put off by this! This food is perfectly fine to purchase on that day, but ensure that you either cook it that evening or, as I always do, freeze the meat until a later date! Secondly, time your shop with the evening reductions. Each supermarkets reduction times vary depending on their opening hours, but as a rough guideline:

Supermarket rough reductions schedule

Amount you may be able to save
	Up to 25% off	Up to 50% off	Up to 75% and up
Asda	12 noon	5pm	9pm
Morrisons	-	5pm	7pm
Sainburys	1pm	5pm	8pm
Tesco	8am	4pm	8pm
Co-op	8am	5pm	7pm

3. Portion Control: This is also linked to number 2, save on food, calories and ultimately your money by making sure you're not piling your plate up. You risk either overeating or being unable to finish everything on your plate and having to throw it in the bin. There are so many different bits of advice across the internet about portion control: tips and rules that you should abide by. But I find this picture was the most useful, and something I try and stick by myself:

If your plate looks like this, you're taking a step in the right direction to avoid food/money wastage and overeating!

4. Sugary foods - if you don't buy them, you won't eat them! It's as simple as that. Students actually do pretty well for this, tight budgets mean that sugary snacks and treats just aren't a priority. However, people do slip up. And quite often it'll be those students which buy the sugary snacks who are then having to live off high-salt/fat processed ready meals on the cheap, because they've spent all their money on their dessert (they're really not doing themselves any favours.) If you do often have a sweet tooth, there are so many other healthier options to satisfy it, one of my favourites being a low fat/sugar yoghurt if I'm craving something sweet after dinner. To avoid the temptation in the supermarket, do what I do and shop around the outside aisles. Outside aisles = fresh food. Inside aisles = sugary, non-perishable snacks. If you don't buy them, you won't eat them!

5. Buy supermarket own brands: This is actually really important. Some students will come to University with the ideas in their head that they must continue to buy the brands that they're used to seeing in their fridges at home. No, no, no! This is the easiest way to rack up a hefty priced shop at the counter. Just because you're used to eating Activia yoghurt doesn't mean that Sainsbury's own brand is not just as satisfying. Try not to be picky, if you've got Wheatabix cereal priced at £2.39 and tesco everyday value range priced at 94p, it's a no-brainer! But watch out - the branded, high profit foods are strategically placed at your eye level: you see the brand, you recognise it, you buy it. Without looking up and down to the cheaper brands you're missing out on the better value product. Bear this in mind when you go to pick up that Heinz Ketchup or Uncle Bens rice: have a look up and down and you'll find something cheaper.

6. Utilise frozen meat packs: The reason the price of a meal goes up is nearly always down to the choice of meat. Vegetarian meals are more often than not far cheaper simply because of the absence of the expensive ingredient: meat! However, there are ways of not being sucked into splashing out on organic, free range items (sorry, but we are students!) Head to the frozen food section and look at the frozen fish and chicken portions. They'll look like this and this and supermarkets sell nearly all varieties of meat and fish in frozen form. I know the phrase 'frozen food' automatically conjures up images of processed meals, but these portions of meat/fish have been frozen from fresh, are great value for money and significantly cheaper than fresh meat. Each recipe on Easy Peasy Student Cooking is priced according to these frozen portions, instead of paying up to £2 for a Chicken breast, you can pay 40p instead! Alternatively, local butchers can often get you cheaper and larger meat portions than the supermarkets can offer you. So if you have one nearby, make sure you check them out!

7. Buy in-season food: Not many people would think of this, or be bothered about researching which foods are in what season! Buying strawberries in the depths of winter is going to prove expensive - this is an extreme case, I know, but it's the same for various bits of fruit and veg. Buying in-season food means it is mass produced and easy to get hold of, therefore cheaper. Here's a list and recipe ideas to make things easier:

January: Oranges, Kale, Parsnip, Pomegranite. Seabass, Mussels, Venison. Recipe: Healthy Fish & Chips

February: Cauliflower, Leek, Cabbage. Seabass, Mussels, Venison. Recipe: Chicken and Leek Pie

March: Spring Onion, Spinach, Leek, Beetroot. Seabass, Sardines, Mussels, Salmon. Recipe: Eat Yourself Thin Fish Pie

April: Spring Onion, Rocket, Spinach, Watercress. Lamb, Crab, Salmon. Recipe: Creamy Salmon Spaghetti

May: Asparagus, New Potatoes, Radish. Lamb, Crab. Recipe: New Potato Salad

June: Broad beans, French beans, Peas, Mangetout, Raspberry, Strawberry, Tomato. Mackerel, Lamb, Crab. Recipe: Asparagus, Courgette & Pesto Risotto

July: Apricot, Beetroot, Aubergine, Blackcurrent, Cherry, Courgette, Cucumber. Mackerel, Lamb, Crab. Recipe: Smoked Mackerel Salad

August: Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Marrow, Pepper, Broccoli. Scallop, Seabass, Lamb. Recipe: 5-a-day Beef Stir Fry

September: Carrot, Mushroom Pear, Plum, Pumpkin, Apple, Beetroot, Courgette, Cherry, Aubergine. Recipe: Beef and Vegetable Casserole

October: Apple, Mushroom, Aubergine, Fig, Beetroot, Celeriac. Pheasant, Lamb, Mackerel. Recipe: Beef Stroganoff

November: Cranberry, Apple, Parsnip, Cabbage, Celeriac, Pumpkin. Pheasant, Scallop. Recipe: Normandy Pork with Cider

December: Apple, Brussel Sprout, Celeriac, Cranberry, Parsnip. Pheasant, Turkey. Recipe: Mexican Turkey Nachos

8. Make your own: There are many food and drink items which you can easily make yourself for cheaper than buying them ready-made. Don't buy fruit juice or smoothies to try and shortcut your way to your 5-a-day: those items are full of sugar and more expensive than making your own (see my smoothie recipe here). Or that Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce which cost you £1.40 when you can make your own healthier version from chopped tomatoes, pepper, garlic and chilli for around half the price. Don't be lazy! You will save yourself money and calories. 

9. Cook with a friend or cook for two: nearly every item you will buy in a supermarket will be measured for two people. Avoid overeating or wastage by halving the price of the food shop with a friend, or cook for two and then freeze portions. The freezer is your friend, you can make a big portion of Warming Veggie Curry and separate it into two (or more) portions and freeze the remainders! Do not serve it all up, overeat and bin whatever you've leftover on your plate - use your fridge/freezer and save the portion for another meal!

10. One big shop, not lots of small shops: if you're someone who often finds themselves looking at an empty fridge thinking you need to go out to buy something for dinner, but you were only there two days ago? Yes, you know who you are. At University, I would shop once a week maximum, but normally a £30 shop would last me two weeks. Regularly popping into the supermarket means you're not only 1.) shopping hungry which means 2.) you are susceptible to impulse buys leading to 3.) spending more money. It's incredibly easy to head out to shop for your dinner and end up getting a £15 shop in because you don't have a list, don't know what you fancy and therefore buy things you just don't need. It pays to plan ahead!

There you have it. Some may seem obvious, some you may have never thought of before. Hopefully at least one of these points has helped you when it comes to buying food. Happy shopping!

Healthy Hot Dog

Half-fat Sausage Hot Dogs

A great summer lunch option with any of that leftover BBQ meat in the fridge! There is nothing special about this recipe, anyone can make it, but people tend to fall down by simply picking the wrong things off the shelves. Sausages are not the best meat for you: ground meat wrapped in intestine doesn't exactly scream healthy. But no one can deny that they're delicious, and recently the UK supermarkets have decided to help us out by producing sausages with 50% less fat content - only 3.2g of saturated fat per 2 sausages. Great news. I jumped on this and found there was no compromise on taste whatsoever, and at 89p a portion, this recipe has made me some delicious, easy peasy lunches!

Ingredients:

Serves 1

• 1 x Wholemeal Baguette*
• 2 x Half-fat Sausages
• Handful of salad 
• 1/5 Red Onion (Optional)

Price per Hot Dog: 89p

* Sainsbury's 'Bake at Home' baguettes (here) are cheap and only take ten minutes in the oven. You only need to use 1/3 of one baguette for this recipe. Just make sure you pick the 'wholemeal' option rather than 'White'!

Cooking Instructions:

1. Pierce Sausages and place under a hot grill, turning occasionally until golden brown all over.
2. Meanwhile, place 1/3 of your Baguette in a pre-heated oven of 200 Degrees for 10 minutes.
3. Serve your grilled Sausages in your crispy Baguette with a Side Salad. (If using Red Onion, gently fry in a saucepan until crispy and top your Hot Dog.)

If you're a big Hot Dog fan, this recipe lends itself to be personalised whichever way you'd like with toppings. However, be wary of smothering anything with cheese, as your fat count will soar without you realising! Enjoy your hot dog as a lunch or light dinner option!

Normandy Pork with Cider

Normandy Pork with Apples, Potatoes in a Creamy Cider sauce

Excusing the poor quality picture, I can promise this creamy yet low fat dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser! I took this recipe from a Cook Yourself Thin book, available on Amazon.co.uk here. With this dish you can enjoy pork outside the sausage/bacon family, saving yourself any additional saturated fats or grease!

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Pork Fillet
• 1 x Onion
• 1/2 Apple
• 125 ml Cider
• 2 x tbsp Half Fat Creme Fraiche
• 1 x Potato (Optional)

Price Overall: £1.89/£2.14

Per Serving: 95p/£1.07

Approx, based on Sainsburys prices

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the Pork Fillets in a deep frying pan until golden.
2. Once the Pork is cooked, set aside. Add the Onion and Apple and cook until golden. Then add the Cider and bubble hard for 2/3.
3. Then turn down the heat and add the Creme Fraiche, Pork and chopped Potatoes (Optional) and simmer for 3 minutes (or longer until potatoes are cooked through.) 

The Potatoes aren't essential to the dish, but if you do use them you may prefer to parboil them before adding them to the pan to reduce your overall cooking time. But students - I know the idea of cooking with alcohol instead of drinking it seems mad, but the Cider makes the dish loads tastier (and because it's only a bit, it gives you an excuse to drink the rest with your meal) !

Chicken, Spinach and Creamy Tomato Pasta

Another creamy but low fat recipe for all you pasta loving students. I have adapted this recipe from one I found online here, but substituted many of the ingredients to make it cheaper and quicker to make! I have always encouraged whole wheat pasta over white pasta, but was unable to find it in my local shop! Buy whatever you prefer - the sauce will still taste great.

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 1 x Onion
• 4 x Handfuls of Fresh Spinach*
• 2 x tbsp Chopped tomatoes
• 2 x tbsp Low Fat Soft Cheese**
• 2 x 75g Fettuccine Pasta

*You can also use Frozen Spinach which keeps for much longer! See here
**I used 'LowLow' Soft Cheese, still a cheap option which packs in more flavour!

You also have the option to throw in extra veggies like fresh tomatoes or peas if you fancy!

Price Overall: £2.22
Per Serving: £1.11
Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cooking Instructions:

1. Boil the pasta according to packet instructions.
2. Meanwhile, fry the chopped Onion and Chicken Breast in oil in and large frying pan until brown.
3. Then stir in your Chopped Tomatoes and Low Fat Soft Cheese and reduce heat.
4. Just being serving, add your Fresh Spinach and stir in until wilted (This takes no more than 30 seconds!) Add more spinach according to preference.

Try 'LowLow' Soft Cheese in all major supermarkets

http://www.kerrylowlow.com/

Love this recipe? Share your attempt with me on Twitter: @Verityphillips_

And be in with a chance of winning your own 'LowLow' Vouchers to purchase in store!

Healthy Fish & Chips

Healthy Fish & Chips

Not many people can resist a greasy Fish & Chips every now and again. With this recipe, ditch the grease and enjoy more regularly without the guilt. I've substituted the deep fried batter for a crispy herb and breadcrumb topping, and the fatty chips have been replaced by roasted Sweet Potato wedges!

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

• 2 x White Fish Fillet*
• 1 x Sweet Potato
• Tsp Breadcrumbs
• Tsp Tarragon (Optional)
• 200g Frozen Mixed Vegetables

* I used Cod, but any white fish will work. The cheapest option is to buy them frozen (see here)
I also highly recommend Frozen Mixed Vegetables: they're a lot cheaper than fresh vegetables and still have all the goodness locked in the pack. (see here)

Price overall: £1.55
Per serving: 78p

Cooking Instructions:

1. Wash and slice the Sweet Potato into wedges. Put in a roasting dish with a splash of oil + salt and pepper (Optional). Put in the oven on 180 degrees. These will need 10 minutes cooking ahead of the fish.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the Breadcrumbs and Tarragon. Lightly oil the fish and then cover with the breadcrumb mixture. Put in the oven with the wedges for 15-18 minutes until cooked.*
3. For the last 3 minutes of cooking, put Mixed Vegetables in small amount of water in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 3 minutes on high. Then drain and serve with your Fish & Chips.

Enjoy fish & chips without all the extra calories and save yourself a stack of money! A really quick and easy alternative to satisfy your fast-food temptations.

Creamy Salmon Spaghetti

Smoked Salmon, Courgette and Pea Spaghetti

This meal is super quick to put together and under a £1 per portion! It's creamy and packed full of veggies, accompanied by wholewheat spaghetti, a complex carbohydrate which doesn't leave you with that bloated feeling. Wholewheat means it's packed full of fibre so you stay fuller for longer.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 150g Wholewheat Spaghetti (75g per person)
• Half a Courgette
• 25g Frozen Peas
• 1 x Spring Onion
• 80g Smoked Salmon
• Tbsp Low Fat Creme Fraiche

Total price: £1.46

Per serving: 73p

Approx, based on Tesco pricing.

Cooking instructions:

1. Cook the Wholewheat Spaghetti according to package instructions
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small frying pan and gently fry the chopped Spring Onion and sliced Courgette until tender.
3. Add the tbsp of Low Fat Creme Fraiche and stir in the Peas and Smoked Salmon. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Do not boil.
4. Drain the cooked Spaghetti, stir through the sauce and serve.

My cheapest dinner option to date, and it only takes 10 minutes to put together. This beats any processed creamy sauce you might pick up in supermarkets and is tons better for you! You can also experiment with more vegetables such as Asparagus and Leeks - the more veggies the better.

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Tarragon Chicken, Brown Rice and Vegetables

Tarragon is a herb which isn't used often, especially by students, but tastes great with Chicken! Combined with a low fat creamy sauce, this recipe can easily be put together quickly and any leftovers can be frozen for another day. This recipe goes well with any sort of rice, potatoes or crispy bread*, as well as lots of vegetables - as many as you want!

*This recipe is based on the above meal combination: brown rice and vegetables.

Things you'll need:

Serves 2

• 2 x Chicken Breast
• 100 ml Chicken Stock
• 200 ml Low-Fat Creme Fraiche
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 
• 1 tbsp Tarragon (Dried)*
• 50g Brown Rice
• Mixed Vegetable Selection (see here)

*You can use fresh Tarragon (in which case it's 2tbsp!) But dried works just as well and it more cost-efficient!
I suggest you buy the cheaper Chicken breasts which have been frozen from fresh (see here)

Price Overall: £1.30

Per Serving: £67p

Approx, based on Tesco prices.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Fry the chopped Chicken in oil until brown.
2. Meanwhile, put your Brown Rice on to boil (or potatoes)
3. Turn down the heat and add the Chicken Stock. When it bubbles, add the Low Fat Creme Fraiche, Herbs, Dijon Mustard. Stir in the mixture and simmer until the sauce has reduced.
4. Meanwhile, boil/steam your Vegetables. Then serve!

You need to think about your timings depending on what you're eating your Tarragon Chicken with! For example, Brown Rice tends to take a lot longer than normal rice, or if you're mashing potatoes you'll need to put those on earlier too. Read your timings on the packages and everything will work out fine.

This recipe is taken from the 'Eat Yourself Thin' cook book! You can view some of their other recipes online here.

Smoked Mackerel and New Potato Salad

Lunch Option: Smoked Mackerel and New Potato Salad

This light lunch is perfect to pack and take out on the go. Great for any hard working students who want a change from library sandwiches! Smoked Mackerel is also a fairly cheap option to go with and requires no cooking, you simply tear it up over the salad. The dressing is either light mayonnaise or low fat creme fraiche (depending on preference), meaning you get a nice creamy dressing without the calories.

Things you'll need:

Makes 4 lunches

• 1 x Pack of Mackerel Fish (I bought everyday value here)
• 1 x Pack of New Potatoes
• 4 x Tbsp Low Fat Creme Fraiche
• Handful Green Salad Leaves (per portion)
• Chopped Chives (Optional)
• Cracked Black Pepper (Optional)

Price overall: £4.91/£5.17

Per Serving: £1.23/£2.03

Cooking Instructions:

1. Half/Quarter the New Potatoes and boil for 15 minutes until tender. Then drain.
2. Meanwhile, mix the Creme Fraiche with the Chives and Black Pepper (Optional) and flake the Mackerel* into pieces, mixing half with the dressing along with the drained Potatoes.
3. Place the Green Salad Leaves on the bottom of the plate, then the dressing mixture and finally the leftover Mackerel on top. Add more Black Pepper is you would like!

* I suggest you use one Mackerel fish per portion (comes in a pack of 4)

It's that simple. An easy, affordable lunch that doesn't take too long to make. Can also be made the night before and kept in the fridge if necessary. Perfect to take out or eat at home!