A Thai Cooking Lesson - Jamie Oliver's 'Recipease'

Jamie Oliver's 'Recipease'

Last week I ventured out of the office for a cooking lesson at Jamie Oliver's 'Recipease' restaurant, a birthday present courtesy of my University housemates. And I'm happy to say that this is something I would definitely recommend to anyone who cares about food (which I'm assuming you do, or you would not be reading this blog!)

The Jamie Oliver revolution is currently leading from the front of our food industry: he's got his own business, restaurant chain, books, online video database (foodtube), television production company (Fresh One Productions), his own programmes, AND he still manages to be churning out new recipes when he gets a spare moment. Pretty impressive. And what's great is that he's recognised (and is actively trying to help) a problem which is damaging our nation: bad food.

When entering Recipease, you are entering the world of Jamie. His name is everywhere: on all of the food products, his books (obviously), the knives, the furniture, even the aprons. We had a browse around what was on offer (we received 10% off, which reduced the price to an amount which made you gasp just that bit quieter) before meeting our chef who would take us through the lesson. In front of us were a whole array of fresh ingredients, as well as all the utensils we would need to cook our three-course meal. Jamie was kind enough to throw in a glass of wine for free, which is potentially a disastrous combination. That being said, I took a swig and picked up my freshly-sharpened knife to begin.

What was so great about the lesson was that we were taught not only how to cook the Thai recipes, but also general cooking skills. Things such as knife skills (how not to kill yourself when using a very sharp knife and get maximum results from your newly learned chopping techniques), where NOT to cut an onion to save yourself the mid-chopping tears, the easiest way to peel ginger, and which sorts of garlic are the ones you shouldn't eat before a big date (you catch my drift).

We then started on our three course Thai meal. This included a sweet and spicy prawn soup, sticky stir-fried beef with chillies and Thai basil, and long-stem broccoli with shrimp paste and a Thai inspired salad, finished with a coconut rice pudding with caramelized pineapple. The lesson operated on a watch-and-copy basis, although I have to admit we did start to get a bit cocky and work simultaneously with the chef (not advised). Inevitably she ended up 3 steps ahead of us whilst we were still chopping our onion and trying not to cry.

We made our own fresh Thai paste, which I'd never done before, and this contributed to two of the three courses. We created our sweet & spicy stock by infusing things like chilli and lemongrass. We were in a right mess handling our beef, which we covered in flour before pan-frying for crispness - I was really excited to show off my Jamie Oliver frying-pan 'toss', which I thought I'd mastered, but the pressure of the chef watching me meant I spilt a bit and felt embarrassed (I blame the wine.) After making a huge mess, being very immature with our fresh prawns and bantering with the chef, we produced a three course Thai feast.

We then sat and ate our Thai creation, taking any remains home with us to eat another time. The whole atmosphere Jamie has created is welcoming and social, tables scattered around, rustic handwritten chalk boards surrounding you, and a good playlist to cook along to (he might not have made that though.) All in all it was a fantastic new cooking experience which I would certainly do again (we're already eyeing up the Sushi lesson and the Mexican Feast!) Make sure you go - soon!

Our three course Thai Feast

Sugar vs Fat: Is there an answer on the Horizon?

Twin doctors Chris and Xand Van Tulleken go on month long high-fat and high-sugar diets

Last Wednesday evening, BBC Two brought us the latest take on our nation's obesity epidemic. Two twins, identical in genetics as well as body composition, abused their bodies on a month-long dietary experiment to tackle one of the hottest questions in nutrition: Which is the enemy - Fat or Sugar?

The battle across the pond leave Americans thinking sugar is the enemy, whilst us Brits put the blame on fat. These two twins decided to wholly devote their diets to one or the other for an entire month, to try and draw conclusions over which country is right. The concept was interesting, despite the experiment demonstrating some extreme eating habits which no one would ever do. One twin was only allowed to eat foods which were high in sugar and had virtually no fat (sweets, carbohydrates, fruit), whilst the other had to eat high fat food with virtually no sugar (butter, eggs, meat, cheese, no fruit/veg allowed.) Would you do either? No, I don't think so.

Whilst maintaining their new diets, the twins conducted some other experiments to test their theories, such as a physical endurance test which was won by Twin sugar, as they proved you can excercise much more dynamically on sugar than you can on fat. Then there was the hunger test, which demonstrated that fat suppresses hunger whilst sugar doesn't, so Twin fat conquered. The science behind the latter experiment was related to the 'hunger hormone' (called gherlin) which is affected differently by fats and sugars: Twin sugar had a high carbohydrate diet, finished his meal and still felt hungry, whereas Twin fat felt fuller quicker, and therefore couldn't finish his meal. So despite being able to excercise more dynamically on sugar, you will ultimately eat less if your diet consists of more high fat foods to suppress hunger. Conclusion drawn. Or not: they established that one gram of fat has twice as many calories as a gram of sugar - back to square one again.

One stomach rumble and several contradictions later, my brain had been engulfed by scientific jargon and had almost switched off. The Twins had both lost weight on their obscure diets, and the television audience were huffing and puffing at the frustration of it (whilst tucking into their low fat yoghurt.) Twin sugar and Twin fat just could not come to a conclusion. And then, suddenly, they ditched the original sugar/fat hypothesis and realised the programme was not about sugar vs fat, but about rats and cheesecake. Here's why...

One scientist conducted his own experiment to find the true answer to the fat vs sugar debate. He fed his pet rats pure sugar and pure fat, and found they had a natural cut-off response to it so didn't return back for more. But, when he combined the two (he used cheesecake) the rats became addicted and couldn't resist going back for seconds, thirds, fourths (I know some of you are still with me here...) The deadly 50/50 combo is what sends us into addictive behaviour, as one of the programme experts explained: when someone says they're craving sugar, they're not craving a bowl of sugar are they? The same applies to someone tucking into a knob of butter - it just wouldn't happen. However, combining the two sends the human appetite into a frenzy: the ice cream, the biscuits, the cake, the creamy desserts. This is what causes our weight gain, they concluded.

So, whilst Twin sugar and Twin fat had endured a month of frankly revolting and borderline dangerous eating habits, the whole experiment was undermined by one scientist and his rats. But I suppose the message was to not be afraid of high sugar and high fat items, but do be afraid by the addictive 50/50 composite. So try to lay off the cheesecake.

You can watch Horizon: Sugar vs Fat on BBC iplayer here, for a limited time only.

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!

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. 

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!

BBC 'The Men Who Made us Fat'

I watched the BBC's 'The Men Who Made us Fat' series a while ago, and am only now blogging about it. Presenter Jacques Peretti looked into the illusions the British public are under when buying and eating food everyday.

I found this programme particularly interesting, although I must admit I did switch off occasionally when he delved into deep historical content of our food production industry over the past 30 years. However, all in all it was a very interesting if not shocking programme, which I think is certainly relevant to not only students, but anyone looking to lose weight. I will be blogging about particular parts of the programme that interested me the most.

Firstly, he met with an MRI Professor who looks at peoples internal body fat (that which is not visible.) I thought this section related particularly to boys, who claim they can 'eat what they like' because they 'are skinny and don't gain weight'. And, in fairness, I've always taken the mentality of 'It's not how much you weigh, it's what you look like'. I was wrong. Here's what happened: Jacques Peretti went through one of his MRI scans, and him being a fairly average sized guy, if not on the slightly thinner size for his age, came out with shocking results. The average man of his age and size should have around 2 litres of fat in their bodies. Peretti, however, had 4-5 litres. He, and the viewers, were stunned! I'm sure everyone can think of someone they know who eats junk food like a horse and never gains weight, so warn them! These hidden fat deposits put them at risk of diabetes and heart disease more so than someone healthier!

Secondly, Peretti looks at how the idea of snacking has dramatically affected our country's health climate. Who knew that only a few years ago, it was frowned upon to eat anything between your 3 meals a day. Once chocolate bars were invented, no one knew what the limit was so ate and ate and ate! The easy thing for students is this: students are poor, therefore can't afford snacks, therefore don't eat them!

Lastly, Peretti analysed the marketing strategies of our major food producers. After snacking was brought in and the Freezer was invented (establishing what we know as the normally unhealthy 'ready meal' into people's kitchens), the public suddenly found themselves becoming fat. One American scientist came to the conclusion that fat content in foods was what was making people gain weight, so there was a sudden demand for 'low fat' products as we still see on our shelf today. A British Scientist believed that sugar as well as fat contributed to weight gain, but his ideas were shot down by authorities, claiming he did not have enough evidence. So, the major food producers began releasing 'low fat' meals and snacks, plastering the words across their packaging so it was the first thing the consumer saw. However, with no one reading the small print, they packed double the amount of sugar into it, meaning people would eat as much as they like thinking they would lose weight, when it actually did the opposite. This is an important thing to bear in mind! Something which is marketed as healthy isn't necessarily healthy! Peretti gave the example of a 'Pret a Manger' sandwich has more calories in it than a Big Mac at McDonalds, and an Innocent Smoothie more calories than a can of Coke.

Some Supermarkets began to approve the 'Traffic Light' system, which alerted the consumer whether the product was high in one area or low in another area. For example, a product high in fat would appear in Red under 'Fat' or a product low in sugar would appear in Green under 'Sugar'. 

Unfortunately, not all Supermarkets wanted to introduce this, as they feared they may lose profit from it. In my opinion, this is a ridiculous opinion to have of the system. And makes me angry to think that some food manufacturers and retailers appear to not want to help our current obesity problem. It's all very controversial, but bringing it back to a student-beneficial scheme, the Traffic Light is something to look out for in Asda, Sainsburies, Co-op, Waitrose and M&S.

I would recommend this program to anyone who has an interest in food, health and well-being!

You can gain further information about this program here 

'1 of your 5 a day'... Or is it?

Or is it?

After watching Channel 4's Dispatches program 'Myths about your 5 a Day', I've felt the need to blog not only about the Food Industry's power to brainwash the public's idea of what constitutes 'Healthy Eating', but also the publics ignorance of what constitutes healthy eating.

I do not and never have claimed to be some kind of health guru, but I'd like to think I have a fair idea of what constitutes a healthy, balanced diet. But the idea of '5 a day' definitely scares any Student studying at University. Hopefully this blog post will help those who did not manage to watch the program tonight, who may still be in the dark with exactly what constitutes 1 of your 5 a day.

The Government have said that they 'are powerless to prevent firms claiming products are healthy, even when packed with sugar, salt and fat' (taken from this article.) In my opinion, the Government are scared to challenge the powerful Food Industry, and, with too many people concerned about covering their own reputations, no one has intervened with the labels that are being placed on our food, onto our supermarket shelves and, ultimately, into our bodies.

Food companies are claiming there are 1 of our 5 a day in ready meals such as Sausage and Chips and All Day Breakfasts. They are allowed to do this because each meal contains 80g of fruit and/or veg. However, the consumer (us) fail to recognise what isn't being advertised on the front: these ready meals contain our whole recommended daily allowance of salt. All gone on one meal. Shocking? Yes. Clever marketing and advertising? Definitely. Also, products labelled as 'lunchbox' snacks such a yoghurt covered dried fruit (claiming to be 1 of your 5 a day) have been proven to be made up of 50% sugar. Experts have concluded that any fruit that has been altered or had things added to it takes away any nutrition from the original thing. And students are certainly one of the vulnerable groups of people which succumb to the ready-prepared, ready-to-eat ready-meals out of ignorance and, unfortunately, sheer laziness. 

Discussions on twitter have come up with suggestions of teaching children in schools, getting into their heads from a young age so that, come their University days where they will be cooking for themselves, they will know what to do. And, ultimately, if people stop making these 'impulse buys' rushing through supermarkets, grabbing meals that look healthy, companies will stop producing the products. 

Here's my tip: Don't eat anything out of a packet. Eat Fresh. There are too many false presumptions amongst students about Fresh Food being expensive - it really isn't! Take some ownership on what you put into your mouths and enjoy trying out new recipes - it's your health, and you are the only person standing in your way.

A New Dining Experience

El Piedro, South Tenerife

I have just returned from a weeks holiday with housemates in South Tenerife. One of our nights we stumbled upon what looked like a recently opened restaurant and, with us being money-conscious students, we were looking to take advantage of any opening prices they had to entice various tourists such as ourselves. What we actually ended up with totally exceeded our expectations.

We had a hot plate placed in front of us along with a selection of various meats: Duck, Pork, Beef, Tandoori Chicken, Miniature Burgers. We also each ordered a side ranging from Garlic Prawns to Smoked Cheese and Tomatoes on skewers, as well as a complimentary side salad each and sauces and chips for our group of Six. 

The next bit some lazy students might turn their noses up at, as some might argue that the whole point of eating out is so you don't have to cook yourself. But in this case, it was the opposite.

We had to cook the meat and side orders ourselves on the hot plate in any order we wished, sampling at least one of each meat. It was delicious, and a really unique and social dining experience. Something which, if they haven't already introduced in England - they should! The meat was cut really thin so it cooked within seconds and the side salad complemented it really well as a 'light' meal. The fries only allowed us to have a handful each, rather than served on individual plates. A perfect holiday supper for those hoping not to bloat in their bikinis! 

Prices are shown below:

Hot Plate + Meats + Side Salad + Fries to Share: 17 Euro = £13.50. 

We shared one of these between two, and then ordered one additional side dish at 2 Euros each.

Total price of main meal: Approx £8.35 (Excluding Drinks).

One Jug of Sangria (1 Litre) between 4 of us: 10 Euros = £8 (£2 each)

There's something about Nandos

What is it about Nandos when it comes to student eating? It seems to have become more and more student-friendly over the years. If it wasn't the free refills, which satisfy all your fizzy sugary needs, the introduction of the Nandos 'Loyalty Card' certainly sealed the deal. Obtaining a free quarter, half, and then WHOLE chicken got all students taste buds tantalising, demanding them to go back for more. The sight of the iconic 'Nandos Stamp' printed on your precious card warms the cockles of students hearts, as they get closer and closer to what all students love: Free Food. But this cunning marketing strategy would only succeed if the food was truly delicious, surely?

What is so great about Nandos food is that it can satisfy all tastes and choices. Whether you like your chicken steaming with spice, or just enough to excite the taste buds, Nandos has a variety of marinades to suit all. On top of this, the customer has the freedom to pick their accompaniments to their chicken. When the calorie-counters of us see the dreaded 'all meals served with chips' something makes us very frustrated, wanting to get all our monies worth by forcing down each one even when we don't really want to.

So, as a student health-conscious blog, I would recommend the spicy rice and corn on the cob to complement your free quarter, half, or whole chicken. You avoid the delicious (yet horribly fattening) creamy mash (yes, made with CREAM) and salty, deep fried chips with extra Peri-Peri salt. Your corn on the cob comes with butter but separate from it, giving you the option to treat yourself or not. Ultimately, it works perfectly for those students who LOVE Nandos but don't want to walk away feeling bloated and guilty. Of course Nandos is not going to aid any diet you are currently on, but this is my student-healthy (different from normal healthy!) tip for this restaurant. Because, lets face it, students could never deny themselves a Nandos!

University: to drink or not to drink

Some might say this photo appraises University lifestyle: a whole array of cans, bottles and  absolutely anything we might find in our cupboards all piled up after a weekend of drinking, fun and one hell of a hangover. And, after the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee weekend, this is what we were faced with. How did it make us feel? Perhaps slightly surprised, ill, impressed, or a combination of all three.

I came to the conclusion that drinking is a part of University, whether we like it or not. So, being someone conscious of keeping fit and active, I decided to change a different habit: food. An air of paranoia crept in on me in Freshers week, where I ate so healthily I even surprised myself. The thought of gaining weight through alcohol is inevitable, but through food? This can be changed, I thought. Of course I gave into the odd takeaway, Indian, Dominoes, Kebabs, and then spent the next hungover day surviving off chicken dippers and other awful substances. 

But since then I have make a conscious effort to eat better, wading through recipe books and online databases, making life easier for someone who doesn't have the time to do that and settles for McDonalds or KFC just out of sheer laziness. Well, your body needs YOU! And hopefully you can draw inspiration from this blog and apply yourself in a healthy and productive way whilst studying (or drinking?!)