Winter Warmers: Easy & Tasty Meals Every Student Can Make
The colder winter months can be tough for students. It can be tempting to survive on instant noodles alone. But cold nights call for warm, affordable meals that keep you fuelled for studying. Being well-fed doesn’t have to break the bank. We’ve put together some meal ideas that are packed with flavour and perfect for students who want some budget-friendly, hearty meals. From steaming soups to batch cooking saviours, take a look at our easy and tasty winter warmers that every student can make.
Many of these recipes can be adapted with dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free alternatives to suit dietary requirements.
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is a popular comfort food for students everywhere. It’s easy to prep, affordable and endlessly customisable. You can use whatever ingredients you have lying around in your cupboard to pimp up your mac and cheese, including vegetables, protein (chicken, bacon, or hot dogs) and a splash of your favourite sauces and spices.
Pasta shells are relatively cheap and long-lasting pantry staples, ideal for budget-conscious students.
Ingredients
50g baguette (optional)
2 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp melted
350g spiral or other short pasta
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 tsp English mustard powder
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml whole milk
250g grated mature cheddar
50g grated parmesan
This recipe serves 4 people, so it’s ideal for sharing with flatmates or freezing for another night.
Loaded Jacket Potato
A jacket potato is cheap, filling and ridiculously easy to cook, making it a perfect winter warmer for students. Potatoes are inexpensive, so ideal for budget-friendly meals. What you load your potatoes with is up to you. You can choose anything from cheese, beans, garlic butter, chilli, cheese and beans or even tuna. The combinations are endless. This meal requires minimal effort and can bake away in the oven while you revise or catch up on your favourite show.
If you have a little extra time, you can scoop out the flesh of the potatoes once cooked to make delicious homemade potato skins. For a twist, you can swap out a regular spud for sweet potatoes!
Ingredients
Baking potatoes (washed and scrubbed)
Toppings of your choice: cheese, beans, garlic butter, chilli etc
Chilli Con Carne
A chilli con carne is the ultimate one-pot student meal. It’s warm, hearty, flavourful, perfect for a winter’s evening. Your chilli mix can be used for a range of meals, including to fill stuffed peppers, burritos, nachos, tacos and even dirty fries! Your taste buds will never get bored.
Vegetarian? Simply swap the beef mince with a veggie alternative. Not a fan of beef? Lamb works too! Chilli is very adaptable, so you can choose whatever you have in the fridge.
Ingredients
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
500g beef mince, or Quorn mince if you’re veggie
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 red pepper
400g tin of kidney beans
1 beef or vegetable stock cube (optional)
A smidge of chilli powder (depending on how hot you like it)
360g rice
This recipe serves 4 people and can be frozen, making it perfect for batch cooking winter dinners.
Minestrone Soup
Nothing beats a steaming bowl of soup on a cold, dark winter evening. Minestrone is a perfect student-friendly option. It’s easy to prepare, cheap and has nutritional value. The ingredients are generally low-cost, and it’s a good soup to make with all your leftover vegetables and greens before they go to waste. The best thing about this soup is that it can all be cooked in one pot, and you don’t need a blender.
Take a look at this affordable minestrone soup recipe for some inspiration
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
3 large celery sticks
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable or chicken stock, made from stock cubes
400g tin cannellini beans
100g/3½ dried spaghetti, broken into short lengths
¼ head green cabbage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grilled Cheese Toasties
A grilled cheese toastie is a classic student meal. It’s quick, comforting and almost impossible to mess up. It only takes a few minutes to prep and cook, and you will most definitely have everything you need in your kitchen to make it. All you really need is bread and cheese.
Check out this ultimate grilled cheese sandwich recipe.
Ingredients
50g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated
50g Red Leicester
50g ready-grated mozzarella
4 slices of white bread
10g unsalted butter, very soft
You can pimp up your sandwich with whatever you have lying around. Ham, chorizo, pesto, spinach, and tomatoes all work perfectly.
Top tip: Cook your grilled cheese on a low heat slowly to achieve a golden crunch on the outside and gooey on the inside.
Next Level Omelette
Eggs are a student staple! They are quick to make, budget-friendly and high in protein. They are ideal for nights when you want a filling dinner but don’t have much time for a long recipe. Best of all, they can take as little as 10 minutes to prep and cook. Perfect for busy uni evenings.
Omelettes are so versatile, and the toppings/filling options are endless. From cheese to leftover veggies, you can throw in whatever you have in your fridge. Here’s an idea for a next-level omelette to get you started.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 tsp olive oil
30g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled
40g sundried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
5g fresh basil leaves, larger leaves torn
Enchiladas
If you’re a fan of Mexican food, enchiladas are an easy, cheap and delicious winter dinner.
Once cooked, you can even freeze them into single portions, ideal for nights when you don’t want to cook. Enchiladas are super customisable with various ingredients, including mushrooms, rice, beans, veggies and your choice of protein like chicken or Quorn.
Check out this recipe that serves 4. Perfect for a cosy night in with your housemates.
Ingredients
8 tortilla wraps
650g chicken breasts
250g passata
1 onion
2 peppers
400g black beans
1 teaspoon chilli powder
120g grated cheese
Rice (optional).
Short on time? Many supermarkets sell enchilada kits to make this meal even more student-friendly.
Homemade Nachos
Who doesn’t love nachos? Did you know you can make them super easy yourself? Nachos can be made in a few minutes by simply layering tortilla chips, salsa and cheese and heating them up. To turn your nachos into a more indulgent meal, use leftover bolognese, chilli or beans to layer on top of your nachos.
Ingredients
175g packet plain tortilla chips
225g jar of salsa
A few sliced spring onions
A good chunk of cheese
A pinch of crushed chilli flakes
Soured cream or guacamole (optional)
This recipe can serve 3 people and takes 5 minutes to make. Perfect for sharing with flatmates or as a quick winter snack.
Speedy Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti bolognese is a classic student dish. It’s an affordable and filling meal for students. It can be quick and easy to prepare, so you won’t have to spend ages in the kitchen.
For even more convenience, consider making a larger portion of the sauce to freeze into small containers. This gives you a ready-to-eat meal for the week ahead. You can use the sauce for anything from a jacket potato topping to filling for a burrito. It’s the perfect batch cooking meal!
Check out this super-easy spaghetti bolognese recipe that is perfect for students on a budget.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
400g/14oz beef mince
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
100g/3½oz carrot, grated
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
400ml/14fl oz stock (made from stock cube. Ideally beef, but any will do)
400g/14oz dried spaghetti
Salt and pepper
Microwave Mug Cake
We can’t forget about dessert! A microwave mug cake is the ultimate quick fix when you crave a sweet treat after dinner. With a prep time of 5 minutes and a cook time of 2 minutes, you’ll have a warm, gooey treat ready as quickly as you can put your dishes in the sink to soak.
Top tip: Mix all your ingredients in the same mug to save adding anything extra to the washing up.
Ingredients
4 tbsp self-raising flour
4 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 medium egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp vegetable oil or sunflower oil
A few drops of vanilla essence
2 tbsp chocolate chips, nuts, or raisins etc (optional)
Your Cosy Student Kitchen Awaits
Nothing beats a warm, affordable meal in a kitchen that feels like home. Here at Lettuce Student Accommodation, we understand the importance of a comfortable and practical space to cook and live in. Our student properties come fully furnished and are designed to make life easier for our students staying with us.
Discover your next student home with Lettuce Student Accommodation.
