Eating well and keeping active

Eating well while at uni can be a challenge, especially if you are cooking for yourself for the first time. Balancing studies, socialising, making friends, and finances can make it difficult. However, a balanced diet can help you fight off illness, study better, maintain high energy levels, and support your mental health and general wellbeing. We’ve put together some tips to eating well on a budget and some tips on how to make affordable, healthy meals.

Eleven top tips for eating well on a budget

1. Create a budget for your food shop and try and stick to it.
2. Prioritise the large supermarket. These are cheaper than corner shops and have a larger range of items. This website shows the current cheapest UK supermarkets. Nottingham also has a discount supermarket, Nottingham Foodprint, which can help reduce costs.
3. Make a list before you go. Try and think of the meals you're planning to cook throughout the week and what you can bulk cook to make multiple meals.
4. Plan meals with your flatmates or friends. This can help save money, you can try new recipes, and it can help fill your social battery.
5. Take your own bags with you. The cost of bags can add up.
6. Use loyalty cards and download supermarket apps to save money. Most apps let you accumulate points and provide special offers.
7. Find the ‘reduced to clear’ section in your local supermarket. You can find good deals and help food from going to waste.
8. Try not to shop hungry! Most people fill their trolleys with food they wouldn’t normally buy when they are peckish.
9. Buy supermarket brands to save money. Often brand-named foods will taste very similar, if not the same, and can really help cut down on the cost.
10. Buy a reusable water bottle and utilise the water stations on all campuses.
11. Utilise your Student ID and download the Unidays and StudentBeans apps for discounts! Socialising and going out can be an important part of making friends at uni, but it can also be costly and the apps can show which restaurants in Nottingham offer discounts.

Eating Well on-the-go and at home

1. The beloved meal deal or ready meal can often be an easy go-to during student living but can be high in salt. Look for ‘good for you’ or ‘high protein’ meal deals, which will have more well-rounded nutrients and can now be found in many shops, including Tesco Express, which is just round the corner from the city campus.
2. Produce! Produce in the U.K. is really affordable, especially if you buy seasonal. Nothing beats strawberries in the British summer or root vegetables across winter. Use the BBC Good Food website and you can type in any item of food and a selection of recipe ideas will then pop up. You can even save recipes to your profile. Additionally, frozen fruit and vegetables are often cheaper and will last longer so don’t skip the frozen aisle.
3. Utulise student-friendly website for recipe ideas, such as The Student Food Project, StudentEats, and the NTSU Healthy Living webpages.
4. Download the Moves+ app to accumulate points that you can then redeem on campus. Never pay for a coffee (or a sausage roll) again!
5. One-pot meals can be easy, healthy, and save on the washing up.
6. Have a list of healthy snacks on hand for when you are in between classes, jobs, or just get peckish.
7. NTU and NTSU will often host events and activities that incorporate food. It’s a good way to save money and meet new people. Check out the upcoming events page to see when events are, such as picnics, Brekky Fridays, and more.
8. Drink water (especially if you are also drinking alcohol!).
9. Our HealthyNTU Blog, written by students, alumni, and guests has a few features on healthy eating for students. See our blog on stress free meals, simple Pad Thai recipe, and top tips from nutritionist and NTU alum, Jenna Hope.
10. Visit the popular FREE Student Brunch at the Nottingham Salvation Army, every Wednesday from 7 October from 10:30 – 12:00. Don’t forget your Student ID.

Food Vouchers

NTSU  Information and Advice Centre (IAS) partners with The Trussell Trust, a food bank that can provide vouchers to students in need. To access, this support,  you can make an appointment to visit IAS and they will help you fill out the correct forms.

Exercise and keeping active has many benefits, from improving your sleep and appetite to helping you clear your mind and feel more positive. To find the right type of exercise for you, look for something you enjoy that you would like to commit to on a regular basis. Sport and exercise can also be a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Remember, just 20 minutes a day is all you need to make a difference to your health and wellbeing.

NTU Sport have lots of sporting and active options for you to get involved with. Make the most of the opportunities on offer, including:

• Fitness suites
• Exercise classes
• Play for Fun
• Sport leagues
• Sports Clubs
• NTU Moves App

UCycle Scheme

The Cycling Hub is part of a thriving cycling movement in Nottingham. You can hire a bike ideal for cycling around town, with free D locks and lights, and access to our secure storage at all three campuses. To find out more, visit Cycling at NTU.

Mindfulness Walks

Our mindfulness walks are a great way for you to take some time out, clear your head, and get re-energised. Lasting around 20 minutes the simple step-by-step guides take you on a set route. They include mindfulness exercises for you to do as and when you feel along the walk.

• Clifton Nature Walk
• City Mindfulness Walk
• Brackenhurst Mindfulness Walk
• Mansfield Nature Walk

Check out the walks around Nottingham.

Also check out Mind Over Mountains who have created an innovative approach, which brings together walking in nature, mindfulness and professional coaching and counselling in support of good mental health and wellbeing.