A healthy body is a healthy mind… or something along those lines! When you first move away to uni eating healthy may seem like the least of your priorities, but it’s actually really easy to do and can be quite tasty. Cooking from scratch may take a little longer than having a microwave meal, but there are absolutely no hidden ingredients. You know exactly what you’re eating and you can choose how much or how little of something you want. A healthy diet and exercising regularly can maintain weight, blood sugars and can also increase concentration, which means you’re less likely to zone out in your lectures. Always a positive! So we’ve put together some student-friendly tips on how you can stay as healthy as you can, with as little effort as possible!

Plan your meals

Planning your meals in advance is a great way to help you stay on track and it can even save you some money. Because, after all, shopping on an empty stomach is never a good idea! Planning ahead gives you one less thing to think about when you’ve finished uni for the day and it may even give you something to look forward to. You could even make a double portion and have the leftovers the next day.

Buy one good pan

A good quality pan can help you cook better food and it doesn’t need to break the bank. A non-stick pan is great for cooking pretty much anything and it’s also really easy to clean. Bonus! Don’t forget, a wok can work wonders in the kitchen.

Learn a signature dish

Having a go-to dish in the kitchen is a great way to stay on track and it doesn’t have to be an overly complicated recipe. Not only can you rustle it up when you’re not sure what to have, but you can batch cook and even freeze it! Something simple like a tuna pasta or chilli con carne is a great place to start.

Learn from others

Watching others is one of the most effective ways of learning and in university there will be plenty of opportunities to do this. Try sitting in the kitchen when your flat-mates are cooking, not only will you pick up tips, but it’s also a great social opportunity to get know people better.

Visit the Big Apple Van

Every Wednesday, from 12.30 – 1.15pm, the Big Apple Van visits Hope Park campus. The van provides fresh fruit and veg to staff and students at cheaper prices and is a great way for you stay on track with healthy eating.

Meal ideas

Here are a few ideas of simple, quick and cheap meals that you can cook with minimal fuss:

• Pasta bake: This is a staple meal that most students love and you can change the recipe every time. Perfect for meat lovers or vegetarians, a pasta bake is a meal that’ll never get old and it’ll keep getting tastier each time you make it.

• Stir fry: A cheap, quick and healthy meal that’s easy to make and very tasty. If you like a bit of spice, try using chilli noodles to heat things up.

• Jacket potato: Arguably a student’s best friend! A jacket potato is incredibly versatile, inexpensive and perfect for lunch or dinner. Try having a different filling each time to keep it tasty and exciting, we’d recommend beans, cheese, chilli or tuna!

• Sausage and mash: This really is a great British classic and it’s a perfect meal to warm you up in the winter. It’s really simple to make and you can mix it up by using a variety of pork or vegetarian sausages.

• Pizza: Is there anything better in the world than pizza? We thought not! You can even make your own healthier pizzas by using a tortilla wrap as a base. Then simply add tomato puree and your choice of toppings.

Find out more about healthy eating at Hope by clicking here.