From Pot Noodle to Pro: How I Learnt to Cook at University

Whilst pasta and noodles are students’ first friends at university, this carb-based diet can get a tad repetitive! By no means am I Gordon Ramsay, yet I would say my meals have developed beyond adding hot water to instant noodles. I will therefore share some tips to help you transform from Pot Noodle to Pro (although I would still recommend having it stored as an emergency supply!)

I am sure most students have experienced their fair share of rubbish meals when budgets are tight. For example, I have witnessed unusual meals of broccoli with hoisin sauce alongside two lonesome Yorkshire puddings. I am a survivor of my own disasters in the kitchen, as I once melted my spatula into my carbonara, resulting in a yummy meal of microplastics! Ultimately, cooking is a fairly new skill for 18-year-olds, and I am sure Gordon started off somewhere small.

The internet has become a useful tool for learning to cook. Through a quick internet search, millions of easy recipes appear.  Since I am not one to improvise with the random ingredients I have in my fridge (an onion, a cup of yoghurt and some mouldy ham), it is a lot more beneficial to search for recipes and note down the ingredients before your food shop. There is nothing worse than strolling the aisles of Aldi and coming home with just potatoes. Despite looking like a grandma, pulling out my paper list full of all my ingredients for the week has become a lifesaver, and savagely crossing through items makes my day! 

A few easy dinner ideas include chilli con carne, spaghetti bolognese, chicken wraps, and curries, which can be adapted for any dietary requirement. Even if these meals go on rotation for weeks, it does not matter as long as they satisfy your rumbling stomach. You do not want your belly crying out in a lecture!  Batch-cooking is efficient for students. Nothing beats the feeling of microwaving a meal in less than 5 minutes after a long day.

Remember, practice makes perfect! Although cliché, it is through the mistakes that we can learn and grow as cooks. For example, my friend melted her kettle on her stove by accident (a rather dangerous one)!  18-year-old me would be fascinated that my future consists of spicy tacos and chicken gyros, and not just pesto pasta. Whilst I will not be opening a restaurant any time soon, it is safe to say my meals have transformed from edible to enjoyable!