Most students lack the know-how to plan their diets or to cook a large enough variety of dishes to sustain themselves. According to Nutrition Journal research, 45% of students reported being able to cook only a limited range of meals from raw ingredients. Add to that the stress and energy needed to study, and it’s no wonder many students resort to fast or instant food to make due. Let’s discuss how you can become a better cook as a student and manage your food intake by preparing tasty meals easily.
1. Make Weekly Meal Plans to Manage your Diet
As a student, you are probably short on time and money to stock up on cooking supplies as if you were living in a house permanently. You can manage your food intake better by writing grocery lists and cooking plans a week in advance instead. This will allow you to buy only the things necessary to make several dishes during the week. For example, Mondays can be pasta days while Thursdays can be stew or salad days. These plans should account for the snacks and fruit you want to munch on during study breaks.
2. Stock Up on Basic Ingredients
No matter what you end up cooking, some ingredients are universal to all dishes. Things such as oil, salt, pepper, vegan milk, or even flour and pasta should always be somewhere in your pantry. You can rely on WritingUniverse to write and format a list of basic ingredients, which you are sure to use as a student. Write or cross off any ingredients you have present and keep sticky notes on a fridge or front door to stay up to date. Once you have these things in stock, coming up with easy-to-do recipes when you’re hungry shouldn’t be too difficult.
3. Buy Fresh Produce and Nuts from a Local Market
No matter where you study, odds are that a farmer’s market is somewhere nearby. Buying fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other ready-to-eat foods are cheaper and often healthier than visiting a supermarket. Local farmers will always have the best ingredients for you to use, and they might even advise you on how to cook them properly. Nuts and dried fruits from farmer’s markets are an amazing source of energy and a healthy snack for whenever you’re hungry.
4. Cook and Freeze Food to Save Time
If you have a freezer in your dorm room or apartment, you should make good use of it. As a student, you are bound to be short on time whatever you do. Cooking for one day a week and freezing your food for quick meals is a great time-saver. By working with the best professional essay writer, you can find on the web, you can write your papers and find time to cook without problems. You will have access to ready-made cooked meals whether you’re just finished with classes for the day or feel hungry during the night.
5. Invest in a Quality Deep Pan
Students are often short on room space just as they are short on time. This means that you should equip your student kitchen with as much multi-purpose cooking equipment as possible. Getting a deep non-stick frying pan will allow you to make dozens of different dishes with a single kitchen utensil. A frying pan will allow you to make stir-fry, cook steaks, and even boil pasta or make sweets. Most importantly, it will help you save precious kitchen space and ensure that you use the utensils you have at hand.
6. Make Fruit and Veggie Salads Standard in your Diet
You need to eat fresh fruit and vegetables to get the necessary fibers and healthy fats during the day. Fresh fruits and veggies can be eaten without any additional cooking, but you can turn them into amazing DIY salads with little effort. You can boil some chickpeas, add pasta, tuna, or even croutons, and have a meal ready in a matter of minutes. Salads can also serve as sides for whichever cooked meal you decide to eat that day. Always have a piece of fruit nearby for a healthy snack, and you will feel much better for it.
7. When in Doubt, Look for Quick-and-Easy Recipes Online
Sometimes you might want to simply cook something tasty without hours of planning and brainstorming. Looking up online recipes is a neat idea which you can take advantage of thanks to the internet. Simply think about what type of food you’d like to eat, and there are bound to be cooking recommendations just around the corner. This is a good way to save time and learn new recipes without extensive research or preparation.
Eating Well as a Student (Conclusion)
Feeding yourself as a student can be both enjoyable and educational as long as you go into it prepared. While ordering pizza or Chinese once in a while won’t harm you, you can’t rely on these foods for sustainable student living. Equip your cooking nook instead and start exploring your culinary sensibilities while you’re still a student.
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