Shopping and Cooking on a Budget
by Ruyi Wang
Cooking for yourself can feel daunting if this is your first attempt. Between managing your degree, extra-curriculars and social life, it could be easy to fall into expensive decisions of ordering takeaways or relying on ready meals if you don’t have money-saving habits to fall back on. But cooking doesn’t need to be complicated or costly. With a few simple routines, you can make your weekly shop go further and still eat well. If you're completely new to cooking, have a look at our Student CookbookLink opens in a new window, where you can find loads of easy and cheap recipes to get you started!
Before diving in, a quick note: I am somewhat of a rigid eater. I don’t mind repeating meals and often rotate between two favourite dinners for months at a time, which makes planning and budgeting much simpler. That said, everyone’s different, so find a rhythm that works for you (and please don’t feel guilty about the occasional pizza break – I certainly don’t).
Get to Know Your Local Shops
If you’re new to campus or to cooking for yourself, start by exploring the supermarkets in Cannon Park (if you don't know how to get there, see our How to get to the shops video!Link opens in a new window). It’s a short walk from central campus and has a few options, the main ones being Aldi and Tesco. Spend half an hour browsing, and you will quickly get a sense of what’s affordable and what suits your taste.
I personally shop at Aldi more often, as it consistently offers good value on everyday items like pasta, rice, tinned goods, and frozen vegetables. Shopping there also makes it easier to stick to a list and avoid impulse spending.
Build Simple, Repeatable Meals
When planning meals, consider what reheats well or still tastes good cold. That flexibility will really help on your busy days. I tend to organise my lunches and dinners around a basic protein + veg + carb formula. Some easy combinations for me include:
- Chicken and broccoli on rice
- Bacon bits and veg tossed through pasta
- Stir-fried tofu and mixed veg with noodles
Once you have found a few combinations you enjoy, shopping becomes much simpler. You will know exactly what to buy each week based on what’s running low.
Try One ‘Base’ Ingredient
If you enjoy cooking, investing in one or two staple ingredients that add flavour can make all the difference. For me, that’s Thai red curry paste (sold at Seoul Plaza in Cannon Park). It’s versatile, lasts for ages and makes an instant sauce when combined with coconut milk (available at both Aldi and Tesco). I use it for a quick curry: just add whatever vegetables or protein I have, serve over rice and dinner’s sorted.
Make Your Freezer Your Friend
Buying in bulk is often cheaper, but it only helps if your food keeps. Freeze what you can: bread, leftovers, or extra portions of cooked rice or pasta. Frozen vegetables are also great for quick stir-fries or pasta dishes. Having a few frozen meals ready to go can be a lifesaver during deadline season.
Keep It Flexible
Eating on a budget doesn’t mean eating the same thing forever. Try new ingredients, recipes or even the occasional takeaway. We have a Cooking Basics YouTube playlistLink opens in a new window is you need some inspiration. You might discover a new favourite dish, or at least appreciate next week’s curry even more.
For additional money-related support, please contact Student Funding Support, located in Senate House.
Email: studentfunding@warwick.ac.uk
Phone: 024 7615 0096 (8:30am-5pm, Monday-Thursday; 8:30am-4pm Friday)
In-person support hours: 10am-3pm, Monday-Friday
