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A Student’s Guide to Cooking

Next to tuition, textbooks, and housing, food is a major expense. While tuition and textbooks top students’ payment lists, AbeBooks helps students buy cheap textbooks. When it comes to food, many students rely on easy, quick meals from takeaways. Nutrition takes a back seat to easy and seemingly inexpensive food. However, takeout is more expensive in the long run than cooking meals yourself and it’s also unhealthy.  Eating healthy boosts the immune system and boosts concentration during long revision sessions.

Whether you’re new to cooking, know the basics, or about to go pro, here are a few inexpensive books to make cooking easy and save money.

New to Cooking

It's time for students around the world to make their mothers proud and learn how to cook. Worried, scared, and never been in the kitchen? Don't worry; these recommended cookbooks have more than enough tips and recipes.

• Jamie's Ministry of Food: Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours by Jamie Oliver
• The Absolute Beginner's Cookbook: Or, How Long Do I Cook a 3-Minute Egg? by Elanor Clark
• Nosh 4 Students: A Fun Student Cookbook by Joy Alison May
• The Student Cookbook
• The Really Useful Ultimate Student Cookbook by Silvana Franco
• The New Students' Cook Book by Carole Raymond
• Students' Microwave Cook Book: Stylish, Tasty, Nutritious and Cheap Recipes by Carolyn Humphries
• Vegetarian Nosh 4 Students by Joy May

 

Intermediate in the Kitchen

• Beyond Baked Beans Budget: A Student Cookbook by Fiona Beckett
• The Healthy College Cookbook by Alexandra Nimetz
• Hard Up and Hungry: Hassle Free Recipes for Students, by Students by Betsy Bell
• The Pauper's Cookbook by Jocasta Innes
• Sam Stern's Student Cookbook : Survive in Style on a Budget by Sam Stern

 

Advanced Chef

Skint students can still eat well. These cookbooks offer culinary heaven without breaking the bank. The recipes are more complicated, but it’s worth the effort.

• Great Value Gourmet: Meals and Menus for £1 by Paul Gayler and Philip Wilkins
• Posh Nosh: Cooking for Special Occasions by Cas Clarke
• Supergrub: Dinner-party Bliss on a Budget by Malcolm Gluck, Silvena Rowe
• Sophie Grigson's Feasts for a Fiver by Sophie Grigson

 

Quick Recipes for Students on a Budget

Living on your own for the first time? Skint and starving? Here are some desperate measures for desperate times - recipes of horror from the staff at AbeBooks.

1. Cracker nachos: Place stale water crackers evenly on plate. Cover in cheese slices. Put in microwave for 30 seconds. Eat. Regret almost immediately.
2. White bread hot dogs - sausages wrapped in white bread, ketchup optional
3. Anything involving baked beans and tuna
4. Celery with peanut butter and raisins
5. Cold pizza (also perfect when you are hungover)
6. Marmalade sandwiches
7. One can baked beans, one package crisps - mix and eat (heating not necessary)
8. White bread with popcorn

 

Looking for more ways to save? Check out our other Student Lifestyle pages:

• Top 10 Worst Jobs Held by AbeBooks Staff
• Quick Recipes for Students on a Budget (or Desperate Measures for Desparate Times)
• Hangover Cures
• Money Savers for College Students