We know that budgets are tight and as we head into term your priorities can change - lectures start and deadlines start to get set – and thinking about what to cook, let alone factoring in healthy choices and balancing your budget can soon get overwhelming.
To support students with the cost of living we’ve been working with FareShare to bring you fresh fruit and vegetables at heavily subsidised, student-friendly prices.
FareShare are the UK’s number one redistribution charity and collect surplus food from supermarkets and suppliers that would otherwise go to waste and redistribute into the community.
Every week during term-time we will have a delivery of 150kg of fruit and vegetables which will be made available for University of Plymouth students to purchase at the pocket-friendly price of £3 per box. Boxes will be on sale on Tuesday's between 13:00 -16:00 on a first come first served basis and sold from the Hive stage outside the SU Entrance (closest the Smeaton and Link Buildings) Please bring your own bag.
The contents of each box will vary from week to week as it is dependant on what items FareShare have collected for redistribution, but the items above is an example of what would be included in a standard £3 box.
Tips to help with the cost of food:
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Bulk cooking – cook in batches, plan ahead for the days that you don’t feel like cooking. If you’ve got a back-up dinner tucked away for a rainy day you’re less likely to fork out on a takeaway after a long day of lectures.
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Cook together; not only is it a great way to spend time with your housemates but it’s also a really cost-effective way of spreading the cost of ingredients. If you don’t fancy eating the same frozen chilli you’ve batch cooked in the freezer
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Get to know the ‘yellow sticker’ times at your local supermarkets. You can save a fortune by going to the shop just half an hour later.
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Only buy what you need – don’t be seduced by offers. If you don’t need it, it’s not a bargain.
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Check your cupboards before you go shopping – you never know what’s lurking at the back of the fridge and/or cupboard. To save food waste and busting your budget use up what you’ve got before purchasing new ingredients.
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Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry – you’ll be tempted to buy (and spend) more.
If you are struggling with the cost of living and need support, you are not alone. Check out our Cost of Living page here for support and resources.
Let us know what you’ve cooked with your fruit and veg boxes by tagging us on Instagram (@up.su)