These may seem like basic tips, but not every student is aware of them:

Some people look down on frozen vegetables, but they are often the best option for students. Unlike fresh vegetables they won’t go bad quickly resulting in less waste. Nutritionally they are just as good, or better, than fresh vegetables since they have been flash-frozen soon after picking which preserves vitamins and other nutrients. Another benefit is that they have already been cut up meaning less preparation time.

These days meat is a horrendous price. Even items such as beef mince, which was once a cheap option, have become expensive. For this reason, it is a good idea to learn to prepare dishes that use pulses which remain affordable. For example, the beef in chilli con carne can be replaced with kidney beans, or alternatively you can use a small amount of beef for flavour and substitute the rest with beans. Another good option is a curry made with chickpeas.

Cooking does come with risks. Pay attention to basic kitchen safety to avoid the risk of cuts, burns, or other injuries. Some things to keep in mind include:

Cross-contamination is a huge risk when preparing food. This is when harmful bacteria is transferred from one food to another. Since the cooking process kills most bacteria, the problem occurs when the bacteria are transferred from raw food waiting to be cooked to ready-to-eat items such as a salad or cooked items waiting to be served. This risk means you should wash your hands before and after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.

Wipe down cutting boards after using them for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Also never place cooked food on a plate that has previously held these raw items. Cross contamination can also occur in the fridge, where juices from the raw items have dripped onto other foods. Be careful when shopping too, you don’t want raw meat or poultry contaminating fresh produce.

In the past some guidelines suggested washing raw meat and poultry, but current advice is to avoid this practice. The reason is it can actually spread bacteria to other kitchen surfaces via splashes of water. Most bacteria will be eventually killed by the cooking process, and washing won’t effectively remove it anyway.

The only way to be sure that food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer. There are various shortcuts but they are not always reliable, and require judgement that inexperienced cooks lack.

If you lack a food thermometer, here are some suggestions, just be aware that they aren’t entirely accurate. If in doubt, cook the item a bit longer.

Bacteria can multiply quickly between 5°C and 60°C. After approximately 2 hours the food could be unsafe to eat due to harmful bacteria multiplying from hundreds to millions. Make sure your fridge is sufficiently cold and not overloaded to the extent that cold air can’t circulate. This means that if you plan to store food like meat, fish, or poultry you need to cool it down as quickly as possible. If you want to keep food hot for serving later, it needs to be kept above 60°C.

In the past people have defrosted meat, fish, or poultry by leaving it on the counter. This is risky, because the surface of the food can warm quickly and enter the danger zone while other parts are still frozen. This can result in harmful bacteria that are common on the surface of the food, like E. coli and Salmonella, multiplying. A safe way to thaw frozen food is either in the refrigerator, using the microwave, or by using cold water.

If defrosting in the fridge, put it in a leak-proof container, and leave it for 24 hours. The exact time needed will depend on the amount of meat. It’s important to prevent raw meat drippings from contaminating other foods such as salad vegetables. Another way is to use cold water. Put the meat in a leak-proof plastic bag and put it in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes or so to make sure it stays cold. Don’t use hot water as that could put the meat’s temperature in the danger zone.

Although we have focused mainly on meat, fish, and poultry, other foods are also risky if left in the danger zone. This includes foods like cooked rice, potatoes, and pasta. Other examples are fresh produce that has been cut or peeled.

Food safety can be summarised by the Four Cs:

What equipment you need depends somewhat on how much space you have, and how complex the dishes you want to prepare are. For most people, the following is a good starting point:

These items can be found at big-box retailers, and even cheap ones will typically be of sufficient durability to last till the end of your student days.

Don’t forget the necessary tableware:

Most students will only do laundry once a week, so it is a good idea to bring 10 days of clothing to give you a buffer in case laundry day is delayed or you spill something on your clothes. Typically students wear casual clothes to university and most other destinations, but you should also think about specific occasions. For example, you might also want to bring evening wear or clothing and footwear for the gym or sports.

Take note of the climate where you are studying and pack appropriately.

The number one complaint from students would have to be noise. This could be in a private flat, student accommodation, or on campus. It’s recommended to take items with you, or buy them on arrival, that help reduce the impact of noise. Some of these might seem a bit extreme, but often desperate measures are called for: