Student life can be hard…
On top of having to keep your grades up and maintaining a busy social life, you must care for yourself and tend to your own food because your parents are no longer around to prepare home-cooked meals. However, this doesn’t have to be a chore.
Aside from cooking microwaved popcorn, ramen noodles, and oven pizzas, learning to cook substantial, nutritious food is important as it will ensure you have the energy you need to lead a healthy student life. Taking up cooking is also a great way to add a new skill to your arsenal that will be useful for the rest of your life, as well as being a fun hobby that will save you the hassle of ordering overpriced food on the internet. So, for those that forgot to pack their family recipes in the suitcase to university, no worries, we’ve got you covered!
Below you will find some of the easiest, cheapest, and most timeless student recipes that will fuel your relentless nights of studying and partying!
So you’re ready to cook, but don’t know where to start? First, let’s make sure you have all the essentials. Here is what you will need to ensure your cooking-at-uni experience goes smoothly:
- Pans & pots
- Spatula, sharp knife, cutting board
- Mixing bowl & whisk
- Oven &
stove - Cooking oil
- Spices
Now that you have all your cooking utensils, make sure that you have all the ingredients listed in the recipe you choose before you get to cooking. That means you should make a list, go to the grocery store and check everything off the list while you’re there, then come back with all the ingredients ready to cook.
Once that’s done, follow the recipes below and the rest should be a piece of cake! (Quite literally)
1. Macaroni and cheese: a timeless classic!
For this recipe, you will need:
- Butter, flour, &milk
- Paprika & garlic powder
- Hot sauce, mustard
- Pepper & salt
- Elbow macaroni
- Cheddar & mozzarella
The recipe:
2. Pizza burgers: the best of both worlds
For this recipe, you will need:
- Ground beef + Garlic + Parsley OR premade burgers
- Salt & pepper
- Vegetable oil & butter
- Marinara sauce
- Mozzarella, parmesan, & pepperoni
- Buns
- Garlic powder, Italian seasoning
The recipe:
3. BBQ popcorn chicken: it doesn’t get easier than this
For this recipe, you will only need 3 things:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 bag BBQ chips
The recipe:
4. Chocolate soufflé: a dessert in 2 ingredients!
For this recipe, all you will need are:
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
The recipe:
5. Watermelon jelly shots: for when the party starts
For this recipe, you will need:
- Half a watermelon
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 tbsp agar flakes
- 300ml vodka
The recipe:
So let’s stop ordering mediocre takeaway and let’s start cooking!
All the recipes above should lay a solid foundation to your portfolio as a future broke student chef. But don’t forget that a recipe in the end is only a list of suggestions. Once you’ve got the hang of it, feel free to experiment, have fun, and create your own recipes to share with your friends and roommates! After all, nobody understands the phrase “caring is sharing” more than broke and hungry students. One easy tip: don’t be like Joey.
For more information on the topic of food and gastronomy within student life, you can refer to our latest blog post, or head on over to our webinar page about the Master in International Food & Beverage Management at ESCP Europe School of Business to watch the Online Open Day and learn what this unique degree has to offer. Maybe food will play a bigger role in your life than you initially thought
