Being a student is about more than just getting through the days.
Last week, your UUSU officers shared some of their favourite tips and recipes to help you thrive in student life.
Being a student is about more than just getting through the days — it's about thriving! You deserve more than just survival mode. You deserve access to good housing, nutritious food, and fun days out.
We've collated many of the tips and recipes right here in one place!
Emily’s Poppyseed and Lemon Breakfast Muffins
Even if you never make a breakfast muffin, there is a very important point in this video.
Emily tells us that the ingredients can be pricey, you might walk past them in the shops and think it’s cheaper to grab something on the go. But, when you buy ingredients they will make multiple batches and will be useful in other recipes too. Baking ingredients often have a long shelf life, so you will have plenty of time to use them up!
Ingredients:
100g oats / oat flower (1kg oats = 90p)
50g ground almonds (5kg ground almonds = £5.80 | 100g ground almonds = £2.50)
1 tsp baking powder (150g baking powder = 57p)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (200g = 65p)
1 Lemon (30p)
1 tsp poppy seed (100g = £1.20)
50g vanilla protein powder (1kg = 28.50 | 450g = £13.00)
450g thick natural yoghurt / Greek yoghurt (1kg = £1.75)
2 eggs (6 eggs = £1.60)
80 ml honey (340g = 75p)
(prices from Tesco)
Total shop if you have none of these ingredients will total approximately £23.22 or £41.02 if you decide to buy bulk items.
This recipe works out at approximately 35p per muffin – you won’t get that on the go!
Simple recipe:
Combine all of the dry ingredients, fold in the wet ingredients (save the lemon for the end).
Divide into a cupcake tray, bake for 20 mins.
Once cool drizzle with honey and lemon.
Connor’s Overnight Oats Recipe
This is more of a free ball recipe – you can mix it to your desired consistency and depending on what you have handy. It would also be a great way to use up your left overs from Emily’s Breakfast Muffin Recipe.
Ingredients:
Greek yoghurt / protein yoghurt (1kg = £1.75 / 950g = £4.50)
Protein powder of choice (1kg = 28.50 | 450g = £13.00)
Oats (1kg oats = 90p)
Honey or topping of choice (340g = 75p)
(prices from Tesco)
Recipe:
Mix your protein powder in well with your yoghurt
Add oats and fold these in
Top with your choice of topping – honey is great!
Pop it in the fridge overnight
Shopping Tips
A weekly shopping can seem really expensive, especially as prices continue to rise. It can be scary to part with a large amount of money at the shop. However, having food at home will stop you from grabbing food quickly or ordering a takeaway when you get hungry – so it is better in the long run!
Emily gave some great tips in this video on making the most of your weekly food shop.
Top tips:
- Always bring a reusable bag
- Check out the reduced section
- Use seasoning packs to make your cooking experience easier (use recipes on the pack)
- Take advantage of the offers that are on
- Buy own brand – cheaper items on the bottom shelf
- Write a list and plan ahead
- Buy ingredients instead of ready meals
Saving the Pennies
The reusable cup! You can get 20p off any hot drink at Ulster University if you bring your own reusable cup.
Find out more from Emily here.
Loyalty Cards
Loyalty cards are so handy, they’re great for getting reduced prices and using the we dinger when doing your food shop. But there is so much more we can get from our Loyalty Cards.
Top tip: Sticking with a one grocery store can help you to build up more vouchers for the store – perfect for when you fancy a treat.
Sainsbury’s – Nectar
- Earn points as you spend in Sainsbury’s, these points build up to cash
- Receive tailored weekly discounts based on your spending habits
- Avail of discounts in store when your scan your card at the till
- You get points-boosting offers on the Nectar app once a week, you need to save these to your account to get the extra points
- Get extra points by connecting your Nectar card to other participating retailers such as Argos, Ebay, Holland & Barrett, Cult Beauty and more!
- You can also spend your points in partner stores, you can even get more value for your points. For example, 400 points will get you any coffee at Café Nero, that’s the equivalent of around £2
- You can also build Nectar points by completing surveys on the Nectar app (these take time and have a small reward be warned!)
Tesco – Clubcard
- Your spend in Tesco will earn you Clubcard points which you can then exchange for vouchers to spend in store
- Save money with Club Card Prices. It’s a good idea to stock up on cupboard essentials and items with long dates when they are at the reduced price!
- Take part in “Clubcard Challenges” on the Tesco app to get more points on your shopping
- You can also use your vouchers with other brands such as Pizza Express, Zizzi, Disney+, RAC Breakdown Recovery and more. When you spend your vouchers with other brands, they will be worth double the original value!
Asda – Rewards
- Earn 10% cash back when you purchase star marked products at Asda
- You can complete missions on the app to earn more cash back on your shopping
- You can keep money in your Rewards pot or transfer it to a Saver Cashpot for a special occasion, a treat you’re looking forward to or a big purchase you plan on making.
- You have to use your “Asda pounds” in your cashpot within 6 months.
- Get “coupons” which are discounts tailored to your spending habits on groceries, clothes and household items.
Make the most of your Phone Contract
Most contract providers offer discounts and reward schemes, these can slash the cost of your treats. Download the app
Three - Three+
£3 Cineworld Tickets, £1 Coffee at Café Nero and £5 off local takeaways
O2 - O2 Priority
Discounted pizzas at pizza express, £1 hot drinks and snacks at Greggs, £3 m&s gift cards
Vodafone - VeryMe Rewards
4 tickets for £16 at Odeon, Supermarket vouchers, 25% off local coffee shops
EE offer 6 months free Apple Music – this could save you up to £70!
Officer Top Tips!
After a week of thinking about how to thrive, not just survive, your officers summed up their best tips here.