The Essential Uni Food Shopping List

12 Sep 2024, by Evie Howarth, min. read

Your list of uni food essentials to stock your kitchen cupboard.

As students, sticking to a budget is really important.

Food is by far the biggest expenditure, so we’re here to show you the uni food essentials you need as a student. You can make a huge variety of nutritionally complete meals with our recommendations, too!

And while you’re at it, here are the uni kitchen essentials for students, so you can actually cook some meals.

Oh, we forgot. We’re not going to let you out into the uni world without some cheap and easy uni student meals and recipes for one; so you’re not wasting 1kg of pasta on one meal…

Jump to:

Uni food shopping list — ingredients
Meat, vegan & vegetarian alternatives
Diary & non-dairy alternatives
Fruit & vegetables
Tips to save on food shopping

Uni food shopping list — ingredients

Below are the uni food essentials that you need to make almost all of your meals as a student.

Garlic
- Did you know it keeps for a long time when it’s stored in the fridge?
Butter
- Use it as a spread or replacement for oil. They’re available dairy-free too!
Herbs and spices
- Herbs can be frozen or bought dried, making them last much longer
- Got green fingers? Take clippings of your favourite herbs to have an endless supply
- Plus, spices can be used to jazz up your regulars to keep things more interesting
Tinned chopped tomatoes
- Easy to bulk buy and save money. They’re versatile for all kinds of meals like bolognese, curry, chilli and more
Tomato paste or passata
- Another versatile ingredient to add flavour to your favourite dishes or use as a base for housemate pizza nights
Rice
- A staple in many households and it makes a great base for all kinds of dishes from sweet to savoury
Spaghetti and/or pasta
- Mega cheap to buy for pasta bakes, bolognese, or tuna pasta
Noodles
- The Pot-Noodle as a student stereotype still exists, so it’s very much a cupboard staple. We highly recommend getting own-brand versions though, or waiting until the OG is on offer before bulk-buying
Stock cubes
- Can be used to add intense flavour without much effort or as a base for gravy
Potatoes
- Can be frozen (make sure they’re cooked first!) and used for roast dinners, made into chips or as mash on the side
Frozen peas
- As with most frozen veg, they keep for a long time and are an easy way to add greens to your meals if they’re looking a little beige
Tomato ketchup
- It makes a surprisingly good marinade as well as a dip
Breakfast cereals
- These are cheap to buy and easy to make in the morning, or when you’re feeling peckish at night but don’t want to cook a full meal
Porridge oats
- We recommend these over cereals as they’re way better for you (and much cheaper), but we get it if the texture doesn’t sit right…
Honey
- Can be used to sweeten your morning brew or add as a marinade to all kinds of meats and vegan alternatives
Pesto
- Great for pasta recipes, stuffing or a marinade. Did you know you could make pesto eggs? It’ll change your life, promise. Follow Kate Hudson’s exact recipe.
A few frozen foods
- It’s easy to overspend here so be careful. Mini pizzas from major supermarkets like Asda, Morrison’s, Tescos and Sainsburys do these for 50p-60p a pop. Add a few of your own toppings for a different pizza each time!

If the thought of buying ingredients and cooking makes you eye-roll. Why not get them delivered to you with some really tasty recipes? Get a HelloFresh student discount with us!

Meat, vegan & vegetarian alternatives

The proteins! Here we’ve got a list of the cheapest cuts and/or styles of meats to buy on a budget. We’ve also popped in some vegan and vegetarian options too.

Chicken thighs
Minced beef
- A staple in all sorts of recipes like bolognese and chilli. It’s incredibly cheap to buy and comes in various sizes and percentages of fat content
Turkey mince
- A white meat (and sometimes cheaper) alternative to minced beef
Eggs
- Eggs are incredibly versatile and cheap to buy. Boil them for a quick snack, add them to salads, cook them for a fry up or top it on your favourite dish.
Tofu
- A soy-based meat alternative that absorbs the flavour of your cooking sauces. Great if you’re veggie, vegan, or fancy a change
Chickpeas
- Chickpeas are a great protein source for meatless dishes
Tinned jackfruit
- Though strange in texture, its tinned form is quite cheap to buy. It can be made into â€œpulled porkâ€ too
Plant-based sausages
- Save extra on your food shop if you buy the frozen kind
Fish and Fishless Fingers
- These remind you of home, let’s be honest. And they come in a vegan version too
Plant-based mince
- Frozen is cheaper to buy and they’re a great alternative to regular minced meat
Lentils
- Lentils are a legume packed with protein and are easy on the bank balance. Great for vegetarians and vegans.

Read: 5 Easy Recipes For World Vegan Month.

Diary & non-dairy alternatives

Major supermarkets all do their own brand of dairy and non-dairy products. They’re cheaper than buying the branded stuff and don’t taste that much different. These include:

Cows milk (whole, semi-skimmed, skimmed)
Soya milk
Almond milk
Oat milk
Cheese
- Check out the best toastie fillings and ideas for your lunch inspo

Want to save even more? Invest in UHT (long-life) versions of the various milk available in supermarkets too!

Fruits & vegetables

It’s a misconception that fruits and vegetables are expensive. In fact, buying them in season makes them miles cheaper.

It’s also possible to buy them frozen too! That way they’ll keep far longer and you won’t have to worry about them going off.

If freezer space is an issue or you’d rather have fresh ingredients, here’s a list of essential fruit and vegetables.

Vegetables

When buying fresh fruit and veg, always check if buying an individual piece works out cheaper. It typically does and reduces the likelihood of food waste.

Carrots

These can be cooked or eaten raw. Chop and add them to bolognese, or cut them into sticks to dip in a tub of hummus for a healthy snack.

Onions

These add bulk and flavour to a ton of recipes. They can also be used in salads and sandwiches raw.

Frozen veggies

You can find frozen peas, carrots, broccoli, parsnips, cauliflower, and much more. You’re less likely to waste these if you buy them frozen too.

Beans and pulses

Cans of beans are mega cheap, especially if they’re own-brand. Use them in chilli or add them over toast for a cheap student meal that’s still tasty.

Fruits

Bananas

Literally, one of the cheapest fruits to buy as a student. They average about 9p each.

Apples

Packed with vitamins, apples are really cheap to get hold of. Especially if you buy them separately.

Oranges

For your vitamin C fix, packs of oranges are really cheap to buy in most supermarkets.

Frozen fruits

Miss the taste of mangos or pineapples? Buy them frozen. They’ll still taste fantastic when defrosted, added to a fruit salad or blended into a nice chilly smoothie.

Tips to save on food shopping

These tips will help you spend less on your food shop and keep your food for longer.

Compare supermarket prices

As a rule of thumb, Aldi and Lidl are the cheapest places to shop. But they’re not always on your doorstep. However, you could save on your next shop with discounts from Tesco, Morrison’s discount codes, and other supermarkets with Student Beans!

We’ve got the cheapest online supermarket for delivery in 2024 to help you save even more of your student loan.