Cooking | Self Care

Cooking can be a chore sometimes, particularly when you’re not feeling 100%, you’re stressed, or have any type of routine change. It’s so easy to put cooking and properly nourishing yourself to the bottom of the priority list. However, it’s one of the most important aspects of self-care, and there’s only a few things you need to remember to make sure you’re doing exactly that! 

Have you ever thought about 'meal prep'? In the long run, you will save money, as you know exactly what you need to buy when you go food shopping, and you can also work out how far you can make the food go that you buy. You  are also ready to eat and only need to heat it in the microwave for you to have a nutritious meal, saving you lots of time. 

If you need some ideas on what food to cook, look out for the Students' Union and ResLife’s cookery classes. 

When cooking, you need to make sure you are being hygienic and factoring in allergens (if cooking for other people). Remember things like using separate chopping boards when slicing vegetables and raw meat, as well as washing your hands before handling food. If you are cooking for a group of people, make sure you know if anyone has any allergies, and if they do, make sure they know what you’re cooking, and which ingredients you have used before they taste or try anything you have cooked. Storing food is extremely important for food hygiene. If and when you can, store meat separately (on a separate fridge shelf) from vegetables. 

Knowing how to save food and make it last longer is a great budgeting tip when cooking and making food. If you make too much food one time when cooking, you can store it in some tupperware and freeze to reheat and eat another day. Knowing the correct portion sizing is good as you are less likely to waste food. Making sure you have a balanced and nutritional plate of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables is key to staying healthy and having a balanced diet.  

Top tip: If a food item has a label with ‘Use by’, this means that you must consume the food by that date, however so long as you freeze it, your food will last longer. Once you have defrosted the food, you must eat it for it to remain safe to eat. When your food has a ‘Best Before’ label, this means that beyond the date stated, your food is still safe to eat, however the quality of taste may have decreased.

Don't forget, cooking can just be fun, so have a go at our Give it a Go Recipies!