Image
From keeping to a budget to making recipes from their home country, international students tell us about how they cook while studying in the UK.
We asked our International Student Ambassadors what they like to cook. They tell us how they make delicious food on a budget and bring a taste of their home country to the UK.
1. What is your go-to meal when you want something quick and easy to make?
MONJA - My go-to is usually some kind of pasta because there are so many ways to make it and it does not take long. I normally make it with just a plain tomato or creamy sauce and add whatever vegetables or protein I have available. I am not the biggest meat-eater so that’s often tofu in my case.
SENA - Creamy peanut udon! Super easy since it’s just frying onions, adding tomato puree and vegetable stock. Let that simmer, add the udon and when everything is a good consistency add the peanut butter and maybe some sweetcorn. So yummy!
TONY - When I want something quick and easy, I get some sourdough. Toast it. Spread lightly salted butter on it. Add a slice of ham and cheese. And then add some vegetables on the side. It is pretty simple, but after a long day when I have no energy or will to cook, it is definitely a great option. And if I feel extra hungry, I cook some scrambled eggs with it.
VIVIANA - My go-to meal is actually from my home country Peru, and it is called “Lomo saltado”, which means meat in the wok. It is very quick since you only need 3 ingredients: meat, onions, and tomatoes. Basically, it is just cutting these 3 ingredients into big slices and then putting them in the pan with oil, then later on adding the soy sauce and, if you want, vinegar. It is very tasty and easy to make!
CLARE - My go-to meal when I want something quick and easy to make is noodles and vegetables, as it is simple to prepare, filling, and nutritious. I can also add beef jerky, spice or cheese for extra protein and flavour.
NORA - Pesto Pasta! It is such a typical student meal to make but I love it!
2. What is your favourite budget-friendly meal to cook as a student?
IDA - A vegetarian budget-friendly recipe I make weekly is wholewheat pasta in a tomato and onion-based sauce with butterbeans and black beans. I usually add some broccoli and spinach as well!
NIKOL – Rice! Sometimes pasta too. Both are super easy, budget-friendly, and you can make so many different meals with them.
SENA - Honestly anything from the reduced aisle in the supermarket. But otherwise probably homemade potatoes wedges with some frozen vegetable and some fried tofu. Definitely under five pounds!
TONY - My favourite budget-friendly recipe would definitely be a chicken tortilla. First, you dice some chicken breasts, season them properly, and cook them in a pan with oil. After that, you take your plain tortilla and fill it with anything you like. In my case, after adding some cooked chicken, I add cheese, ketchup, and mayo. Then I heat it up on both sides in the pan again to warm the tortilla and make it crusty, and to melt the cheese. Finally, I add some lettuce, and that’s it.
CLARE - My favourite budget-friendly meal is a homemade vegetable stir-fry with rice, as it is affordable, easy to prepare, and makes good use of ingredients I already have. I can also add egg or chicken for extra protein.
3. What meal from your home country or culture do you enjoy making at university?
IDA - Swedish meatballs with pasta. You can actually get 'Swedish meatballs' from the frozen section in Tesco!
MONJA - There is a dish called ‘štruklji’, which does loosely translate to dumpling in English but I wouldn't describe it as such. It is made from pulled dough and filled with either cottage cheese or a sweeter, fruity filling. I know how to make them, so when I have the time and energy to do so I make them myself, they can be cooked over steam or eaten cold.
NIKOL - I love making meatballs with tomato sauce or a breakfast dish called 'banitsa'.
Banitsa is a Bulgarian pie, usually filled with white cheese or yogurt. Nikol, on the left, and other Bulgarian students shared banitsa and other dishes from their home country at the Festival of Cultures.
SENA - I really enjoy eating ‘Abendbrot’ (translation= evening bread). It’s common in Germany to have a warm lunch but bread in the morning and evening. For the Abendbrot, it’s often brown and seeded bread (not white bread) with all sorts of things, like a cheese board, pickles, coleslaw, tomatoes - it’s like a little buffet with anything hot or cold you can put on a bread. It’s super easy, quick, cheap and I just love bread. I guess it would be called a ‘Girl Dinner’ on TikTok!
TONY - I definitely enjoy making some proper chicken Schnitzels. Some people might think it's strictly Austrian or German, but they are wrong. It also plays a notable part in Czech cuisine. And the recipe is also relatively simple. Start with chicken breasts and slice them horizontally in half. Then we put them in a bowl of flour to cover the whole surface. Next, we dip them in mixed egg yolks, then coat them with breadcrumbs. Finally, we put them in the pan with warm oil and fry them on both sides until they turn brown. It takes some time, but it is really worth it.
VIVIANA - I enjoy making a soup called 'Aguadito'. Especially in winter or if you are sick, this meal is very warm and helps digestion. It is also very nutritious since the broth is made of spinach and coriander, and it includes a lot of vegetables like peppers, carrots, corn, and peas, along with potatoes and chicken.
CLARE - I enjoy making pilau from my home country Uganda. It reminds me of home and allows me to stay connected to my culture. It is also a comforting way to enjoy familiar flavours while preparing an affordable, homemade meal.
Enable University alerts
Turn on notifications for critical updates like closures, safety alerts, and urgent service disruptions.