Tips for new Desis moving to London

Leaving your home to find yourself in the world is not easy, especially without the things you associate the feeling of home with.

For all the students who have moved to London and are new to the UK, this list will guide you on how to set your life up in London with tips to save some money on your monthly expenses and locations of all the places to find your favourite Indian snacks!



1. Browse the Reduced Section 💸

Something useful about the supermarkets in the UK is the reduced section for food and items which are nearing their ‘best before’ date. There is a considerable price drop making even some fancy grocery items quite affordable for students who are maintaining a tight budget for groceries.

The items in the reduced section are always quite fresh and last weeks if stored properly in the refrigerator/ freezer with all the necessary precautions!



2. Coriander savings! 🪴

For all the Indian students who are new to the UK, if you are struggling to buying groceries for just one individual and are confused about how much coriander you need, it is best to get yourself a little coriander plant.

For Desis, coriander is an integral part of the diet and purchasing a new bunch every week turns out to be quite wasteful as most of it gets wilted by the time one finds a chance to use it.

So, it is best to find yourself a little plant and use freshly grown coriander as per your requirement every week.



3. Grooming essentials 🧼

It is tempting to purchase all your grooming products during the weekly grocery run, but it is best to make these purchases in shops like Boots and Superdrug.

These shops not only provide you with a student discount of 10% on your total bill, but also have loyalty programmes to add your points for benefits in future purchases.

If you are lucky, you might also spot some random price drops on products you have been saving up for!



4. Midnight cravings alert 🤤

Most shops in the UK will shut down well before midnight and especially on Sunday, a day every shop closes around 4 or 5 p.m.

In this case local convenience stores are a blessing for the ones who have random midnight cravings. One such store is Camberwell Daily (2-minute walk from Brooke Hall) which has an incredible stock of ramen, and great deals for it too. They also have quite a good selection of naan and rotis if you feel lazy to prepare some on your own for dinner!



5. Indian groceries 🤩

When I first visited East Ham, I thought I reached the heaven of Indian snacks in London! The little child in me was ecstatic to see all the little munchies I had been craving for the past few months.

Even the smell in the store took me back to India, it will make one feel nostalgic for sure. From Maggi noodles to Haldiram snacks, fresh Indian veggies to flavourful spices, this shop had everything an Indian needs to feel at home.



6. Mithai (Sweets) Obsession 🍬

Finding the authentic taste of Indian sweets in London is a challenging task, but not when you are in East Ham.

The store I visited (Pooja Sweets) has a wide range of sweets and namkeen food items without which it is difficult for Indians to survive! Everything is made fresh in their kitchen and ready to be devoured by anyone who has a sweet tooth or a soft spot for Indian food.