Total newbie when it comes to cooking? You're not alone

If your cooking skills need a little working on, don’t worry!

Moving away from home means learning to perfect your cooking skills. While living in Halls, you'll have plenty of time to try out your new skills, make those mistakes and learn to perfect your recipes!

What do you need to buy to kit out your kitchen? 🍴                                     

You’ll need at least one plate, bowl, saucepan, glass and mug as well as a set of cutlery.

For cooking, you’ll need a chopping board, utensils e.g. ladle, spatula, cutting knives (one larger one and one smaller will do), a couple of baking trays (one small and one bigger), glass dish for any pasta bakes, grater, colander (collapsible ones will save you lots of space) and some tubs to store leftovers.

Remember once you're here your flat will be your household and so it's best to wait and see what everyone else has bought before you start buying full sets of everything. 

Take it easy 👩‍🍳

Keep it simple. When you're starting off, just pick a recipe that is easy and has just a few ingredients. Don’t try and impress your flatmates with a 3 hour long recipe, trust us you’ll regret it! Here’s some ideas for recipes you can begin with…

Total beginner?

·       5 ingredients or less: pesto and broccoli pasta

·       5 ingredients or less: pitta pizzas

Already got some cooking experience?

·       Easy pea risotto

·       Hearty pasta bake

Be sure to take your time, don’t rush when cutting up ingredients or dealing with hot pans! Here’s more safety tips when cooking in Halls.

There’s plenty of time to crack those cooking skills and definitely no shame in making mistakes (we’ve all been there)! Take it back to basics with how to make scrambled egg.

Prepare your kitchen! 🍳

It takes just a couple of minutes but laying out all your ingredients, weighing them before hand, collecting all the trays and dishes you’ll need will help you get organised.

Don’t forget to open a window to let fresh air in and any smoke out! Also keep your kitchen door closed as this is a fire door and there to keep you and your flatmates safe.

Keep it clean! 🧼 

• Sanitise your hands and kitchen before starting
• If you handle any raw meat, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before touching ready to eat ingredients
• Wash any fruit and vegetables thoroughly in water before use
• Never leave your cooking food unattended at any time
• Wipe up any spills immediately to avoid any slips, trips or falls

Be patient! ⏲

If you have a few cooking fails, you’re not alone. Moving away from home for the first time is all about learning how to look after yourself not just in your first year but for the rest of uni. Be patient, try again, you’ve got this!