Want to save money, cook more and settle in quicker?

It's time to stock up your kitchen cupboards! Student life doesn't have to be all about living off beans on toast, with the right essentials you can make so many delicious and nutritious meals that are cheap, low-effort and still tasty. 

Fill your bare shelves with these basics to get started on your student cooking journey...

1. Pasta 🍝

If this is the first time cooking for yourself, pasta is the best place to start. Super simple but extremely versatile, you can make so many delicious pasta dishes with few ingredients. 

Swap the sauce, change up your veg or try a new pasta shape (lasagna, spaghetti, ravioli, macaroni etc.) to spice things up throughout the week.

2. Rice 🍚

Another versatile carb that you can get creative with, rice is a must-have! Perfect for when you don't have much time, rice goes with pretty much everything - think curries, burrito bowls or egg fried rice. Save more pennies by avoiding the instant microwavable rice, the bags of uncooked rice go a lot further. 

3. Chopped tomatoes 🥫

If you love tomato sauces, canned tomatoes last a long time and can be used in a wealth of different dishes from chilli to curry. Pair it with your pasta to make a tasty meal on a budget, check out our veggie bolognese recipe for some inspo.

4. Tomato purée 🍅

Cheap and cheerful, add a spoonful to any tomato dish to enhance the flavour and use as a thickening agent. Struggling to get to know your flatmates? Plan a make-your-own pizza night featuring this ingredient! 

5. Flour 🍰

Not just for baking, flour can be incorporated into lots of meals especially when cooking from scratch. Try your hand at making your own bread, pasta, pastries or dumplings. Whether you want to thicken up a stew or make a great coating, this is a staple pantry item. 

6. Beans 🫘

The perfect source of plant protein, beans come in all shapes and sizes so there's plenty to try. Add chickpeas to your favourite salad, baked beans on your morning toast, kidney beans in your chilli or butter beans in a smokey bean hot pot. 

7. Potatoes 🥔

Fry it, mash it, bake it - the humble potato is a limitless component of any dish. Think homemade chips, mash, jacket potatoes, croquettes, crisps, roasties and more!

8. Noodles 🍜

With so many variations including udon, soba, rice and egg, cook up a quick stir fry in no time or take your skills to the next level with a comforting, homemade ramen or noodle soup during the colder months. 

9. Stock cubes 🍲

Speaking of soup, stock cubes are an essential element for pretty much any soup base and make a flavourful broth. If you only want to buy one flavour, vegetable stock cubes are the most versatile.

10. Spices & herbs 🌶

Spice up every 'boring' meal with some seasoning. Add salt and pepper to make any dish top tier, or experiment with flavours using:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Chilli powder
• Onion powder
• Curry powder
• Basil
• Parsley
• Thyme

Now you've sorted your kitchen cupboard, check out our list of must-have kitchen utensils and start cooking 🧑‍🍳

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