Have you just moved away from home into student accommodation or your first flat? Then it´s time to go shopping and stock up on some essential items every student should have in their store cupboard. Read on to find my list of student store cupboard essentials!
If you want to be able to cook meals from scratch whilst at university there are a few store cupboard essentials you should always have in stock! Home cooking is so much cheaper and healthier than opting for ready meals or takeaways, and you will see that it only takes a few ingredients to create a delicious dinner!
This list of student store cupboard essentials is perfect for everyone who has just moved to university and is wondering what items they will absolutely have to buy for their kitchen!
If you are a student, and this is your first time buying food to have in the kitchen, you can use this student store cupboard essentials guide as part of your first shopping list.
With some items on this list of student store cupboard essentials, I have suggested recipes in which you could use them.
New to cooking and in need of some recipe inspiration?
Are you new to cooking and want to try and make your own food at university? Then make sure to also try out some of the student cooking recipes on this blog! Check out the recipes below to start with:
- Quick and Easy Wrap Pizza
- Short-cut Baked Potatoes
- Easy Student Lasagne
- Spaghetti, Tomato Sauce and Meatballs
- Chicken, Red Pepper and Avocado Wraps
- Creamy Hummus Linguine
- Sweet Potato, Chicken and Spinach Curry
- Pasta and Cheese Sauce (with crispy bacon)
- Aubergine Harissa Pie with Sweet Potato Mash | Vegetarian Comfort Food
For more recipe inspiration check out my Pinterest profile!
Student Store Cupboard Essentials
Spices and Condiments
- Olive Oil/Sunflower Oil
Obviously an essential for cooking. I quite like getting the oil sprays for cooking, as they are easy to use and take up less space than large bottles of oil. - Stock Cubes
Perfect for making soups or to one-pot-meals for some extra flavour. I would recommend getting vegetable and chicken stock cubes to start off with. - (Balsamic) Vinegar
Great for making a salad dressing or with fish and chips. - Ketchup, Brown sauce, Mayonnaise
To go with any of your meals: chips, meat, salad etc. Or if you take after my sister then you have ketchup with EVERYTHING… - Tomato Purée
Add a tablespoon of tomato purée to help thicken a homemade tomato sauce. - Salt and Pepper
- Cooking Salt
For adding to pasta water. - Basic Spices:
e.g Cinnamon, Smoked Paprika, Chilli Powder, Garlic Powder, Mixed Herbs
You´ll need to get some herbs and spices to add flavour to your dishes! - Tea and/or Coffee
Depending on what you like to drink, don´t forget to stock up on your favourite tea and coffee!
Grains and Pulses (i.e. Carbs)
- Pasta (probably the ULTIMATE student store cupboard essential)
Penne, Spaghetti, Fusilli, Farfalle – you name it. Pasta comes in all shapes and sizes and you can choose your favourite(s) to keep in your store cupboard. Personally, I love the bow-shaped ones the most (Farfalle). You could also opt for the whole-grain version of these pasta types, which will keep you fuller for longer)
Check out this student cooking basics post on How To Cook Pasta (Properly)! - Rice
Again, chose whatever kind you like; Basmati, Brown, Long Grain, etc. Rice can be a great alternative to having pasta all the time. Make sure to check out my post on How To Cook Rice and serve it with one of my delicious recipes (e.g. Easy Thai Green Curry, Red Lentil Dhal, Chicken Supreme). - Wraps
Again, there are loads of different versions to chose from. Wraps are great for student cooking, why not try these delicious chicken, red pepper and avocado wraps for dinner or a healthy packed lunch? - Bread
Also a necessity for breakfast (e.g. beans on toast) or sandwiches for lunch. The great thing is, is that you can freeze the bread and take out only a few slices when you need them! - Couscous/Bulgur/Quinoa
A real favourite of mine and again a great alternative to pasta. Have it cold in salads (also perfect for meal-prepping and taking to uni) or as a warm side dish.
One of my all-time favourite lunches are these Quinoa-stuffed Roasted Peppers or this colourful Quinoa Salad! If you don´t know how to cook bulgur, check out this cooking basics post here and serve it with this Lemony Chicken, Chickpea and Spinach Sauce! - Red Split Lentils
Perfect for adding to soups to thicken them. Plus they are super filling and healthy. - Whole Rolled Oats
Be in for a porridge, overnight oats, or to use in baking you should always have this filling breakfast option in your cupboard. Why not try these delicious chocolate overnight oats, or my apple and cinnamon porridge recipe? - Granola
Also, perfect to have on its own or mixed with some oats for breakfast. I love getting some with nuts or chocolate bits in it. My favourite is probably Morrison´s Choc and Nut Granola. You could also try making your own granola, e.g. this Orange, Pecan and Cinnamon Granola or my Honey and Walnut Granola!
Tinned Foods
- Chopped Tomatoes
The ultimate store-cupboard essential. Chopped tomatoes can be used in a vast variety of recipes and can also be used to make a quick and easy, no-fuss tomato sauce to eat with pasta (e.g. Penne Tricolore). - Kidney Beans, Black Beans or Chickpeas
Why not use kidney and black beans in my Mixed Bean Chilli recipe? - Sweetcorn
- Baked Beans
You cannot skimp on baked beans in my opinion. They have to be Heinz Baked Beans… Because HEINZ MEANS BEANS :-). They just taste the best!
The great thing is, that you can also get small tins of beans, which are perfect if you are only wanting enough to serve 1. - Coconut Milk
For adding to a home-made curry… check out some of my recipes: Chicken, Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry, Thai Green Curry. - Pesto
I know, pesto comes in a jar, not a tin, but pesto is a great item to have in your store cupboard if you are wanting a quick and easy meal! Either have it with spaghetti (and feta cheese) or why not try this pesto, tomato and mozzarella baguette? Or go all out and try your hand at some Homemade Green Pesto!
Fridge and Freezer
- Yoghurt
Have it for breakfast in the morning, or with fruit in the afternoon as a snack. I don´t know about you, but I love yoghurt. I have it almost every single morning. Yoghurt is also great for you, as it is a good source of calcium and protein (e.g. check out this Blueberry Yoghurt or Cherry Yoghurt Breakfast Bowl recipe) - Milk
An essential for making tea, having with cereal in the morning or making a Béchamel sauce. - Butter (salted)
Ooooohhhh nothing better than a slice of toast with salted butter! - Eggs
It´s always good to have some eggs in the fridge. Eggs are extremely versatile and can serve as breakfast, lunch or dinner. Have them fried, boiled or scrambled or make a tasty omelette. Omelettes are also perfect for using up any extra vegetables and other bits and pieces you might have in your fridge. - Chicken Breast Fillets
Perfect for dinner or to make sandwiches with (try this coronation chicken sandwich filler!), it is always great having some chicken breast fillets in the fridge.
You could also buy a large pack and individually freeze the chicken breasts. Then simply defrost one when you are wanting to use it! - Frozen Vegetables
Anything goes when it comes to frozen veg, be it peas, broccoli, cauliflower etc. Just get whatever your favourite is! And don´t forget to get a frozen vegetable mix and make this delicious Thick Vegetable Soup! - Frozen Fruit
This is a great option and is a lot cheaper than buying fresh fruit all the time. You can buy frozen blueberries, raspberries etc to make a smoothie or make your own flavoured yoghurt – like I do in this blueberry yoghurt 5-minute breakfast.
Basic Ingredients
Finally, there are some basic “fresh” ingredients you will often need when making a couple basic breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
- Onions
A must for any sauce, curry etc. - Garlic
Again, everything tastes better with garlic in it! 🙂 - Tomatoes, Carrots, Peppers, Lettuce etc.
Always good to have a couple of salad ingredients handy for a light lunch or quick snack. - Fresh fruit
Apple, Bananas, Pears, Oranges, Grapes… So many good options to have for a healthy snack or to serve with breakfast! - Fresh vegetables
Always good to have some peppers, courgettes or similar in the house to whip up a quick vegetable pasta sauce or making this delicious vegetarian Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne! - Plain flour
You might want to have some flour in the cupboard in case you need some for baking, thickening sauces or maybe even making a Béchamel Sauce.
I´ll leave it at that, I think this is a good amount of stuff to start with! You can build on the ingredients in your kitchen once you get more adventurous with cooking! I really hope you find this list of student store cupboard essentials helpful – let me know if you think I have forgotten anything!
All that´s left to say now is happy shopping, happy cooking and have a great time at university!
