Affordable Meal Ideas for Budget-Conscious UK PhD Students | brokeGIRLrich
While I may not be the most financially constrained student, I’ve definitely recognized that food tends to be a major challenge in my budgeting. This is likely because it’s easy to categorize food as a necessity.
However, cutting back is entirely feasible when you need to. Here are some tips I’ve picked up on how to eat affordably as a UK PhD student.
RAMEN
I distinctly remember being 20 and having a roommate who was so tight on cash that she basically lived off Ramen noodles. We had an enormous case of her favorite flavor in our kitchen corner, and it gave me cause for concern at times.
Don’t be like Laura—avoid relying solely on Ramen.
That said, incorporating Ramen into some meals can work. A year ago, I was home for the holidays and discovered that my dad’s go-to snack in cold weather was Ramen. I teased him about it, but after trying it for myself, I found it surprisingly enjoyable.
While I wouldn’t eat it every day, I can comfortably have several Ramen meals each week. In my flat, we call them noodles, and my partner now knows the difference between when I ask for noodles versus pasta.
There are countless flavors available, but I admit I’m not very adventurous. I did have a taste test of all the chicken-flavored instant noodles I could find at Tesco and Co-op. I have strong preferences: Indo Mie Chicken and Zifon Golden Chicken are the clear winners. Zifon, which looks like it says Zloty on the packaging, is Polish.
Both are also the cheapest options, and after taste-testing noodles priced as high as £2.00 per package (daylight robbery), I still believe Indo Mie delivers a nice spice while Zifon offers a delicious garlic chicken flavor. You can find both for around £0.50 to £0.70 per package.
FOREIGN FOODS
Speaking of those Polish noodles, the foreign foods aisle typically offers the same products at a fraction of the price.
There may be a language barrier, especially if you have allergies or need to scrutinize ingredients, but if you’re open-minded and willing to use Google Translate, you can find significant savings in these sections, particularly in areas with large immigrant communities.
If you’re like me and have a family that enjoys ethnic cuisines, you might be surprised to find familiar foods in the Eastern European section. I can navigate Cyrillic well enough to grab what I need. Interestingly, packages in non-Latin alphabets tend to be even cheaper.
One of my favorite finds is the (previously £1.00, now £1.20) perogies. A single pack can easily feed both me and my partner, who has an endless appetite for them. The packaging can be a bit confusing if you’re not already familiar with the flavors (usually cheese and potato, cabbage and mushroom, or a meat mixture).
POTATOES: THE UNEXPECTED HERO
My fellow budget-conscious friends, we are overlooking the power of potatoes. They deliver so much value at a low cost. Both regular white potatoes and sweet potatoes are quite affordable. While jacket potatoes are popular in the UK, they aren’t as common in the US.
They’re cheap and versatile, folks!
CARROTS AND PARSNIPS
For some unknown reason, carrots and parsnips are incredibly inexpensive. I regularly find large bags of carrots for between £0.15 and £0.45, with parsnips being similarly priced. Contrary to popular belief, parsnips aren’t just the white counterpart of carrots; they pack a caloric punch and are mostly carbohydrates.
A handful of basic spices can help create endless combinations with these vegetables and potatoes. Unfortunately, I haven’t found a Trader Joe’s around here, but I try to stock up on their seasoning options when I visit the US. If America isn’t on your agenda, the UK offers plenty of seasoning choices, and a small investment here can significantly enhance your budget meals.
END CAP SALES
If you can locate where your store keeps items nearing their expiration dates, you can score amazing deals. In big cities, frequent grocery shoppers without cars often benefit from snagging those last-minute bargains. Items are still perfectly good to eat if you cook them that night.
Additionally, many of these items can be frozen for future use. I grew up in a household that kept bread in the freezer, which helps minimize waste since I’m unlikely to finish a whole loaf before it goes bad.
SWEETS
I’m frequently surprised by how affordable custard creams, bourbon creams, and other biscuit-style treats are. If you’re after something sweet, the lower shelves of the cookies aisle can yield substantial value.
Furthermore, places like Asda and Sainsbury’s have smaller portions of candies priced between £0.30 and £0.60 if you’re craving something specific.
SHOP HIERARCHY
One significant insight I wish I had understood sooner upon moving here is the hierarchy of grocery stores.
If you have access to a local market, you can often find the freshest fruits and vegetables at a lower cost, though payment may be cash-only.
- 1. Lidl and Iceland are the cheapest options.
- 2. Then Asda and Aldi follow closely behind.
- 3. Tesco is next in line.
- 4. Sainsbury’s comes after Tesco.
- 5. The Co-op is pricier than these.
- 6. Finally, M&S and Waitrose are significantly more expensive.
