Just how much do you need for a student food budget at University? We take a look at just how much is enough without starving!

If you’re a 2015 fresher you may have just had your first student loan payment hit your bank account, and for a brief few minutes it feels like you’re the richest person around.

But quickly comes the rent, bills, books and all those Freshers nights out – before you know it you’re dangerously close to going into the red.

When it comes to budgeting at University, how much can you live on?

Student food budget: How much do you need?

Looking at a weekly budget then as a worst case scenario just £5 will provide more than enough instant noodles to keep you alive, if on a rather boring and unhealthy diet.

But you don’t actually need much more to enjoy some proper food – you can eat for just £10 a week if you buy wisely and carefully plan meals ahead of time. And no, you won’t be living off beans on toast.

At £20 or so per week your student food budget can enjoy a little more variety and more expensive dishes while at £30 or over you should consider yourself pretty privileged.

So much do you need? We’d say £15-25 per week is enough to give you a nice, balanced and varied diet – if you put the effort in. More than that and you really shouldn’t have any problems.

Student food budget tips

Here’s just how to make living off £15-25 a week doable as at first it may not sound that much at all.

Cook yourself and PLAN

Don’t waste money on things like ready meals, prepacked sandwiches or takeaways. Check out these student lunch ideas for University and plan your meals ahead of time.

Be smart with ingredients

Buy fresh food and raw meat that you can turn into a variety of meals. A crispy chicken dipper will always be that but a pack of mince can be turned in to Shepherd’s pie, burgers, lasagna, bolognese, chilli con carne, meatballs and even curry.

Use budget supermarkets

Aldi and Lidl are great for cheap stuff and also Iceland for freezer products.

Go veggie

Meat is pretty expensive and can be substituted in many cases for cheaper alternatives, try things like beans, quinoa and eggs in some vegetarian student recipes.

Buy and cook together

Cooking together is more social and cheaper. Try classic, homemade dishes like lasagna, toad in the hole and pasta bakes to prepare and share.