Mature students

Isis_Black

Anyone here a mature full time studen??

I am about to become one end of this week and i am currently trying to work out a menu for the month and trying to come up ith a shooping list to do a huge shop tomorrow but i am finding it so hard to think of meals to have that will not take too long to cook.
How do others manage college/ Uni, family and house?????

gunsandbanjos

I'm a mature student, also have a hubby and one child. I find batch cooking really helpful. Spag Bol, chilli, sheperds pie etc. When i cook them i'll make enough for 3 or 4 meals and freeze what i dont use for when i'm really busy.
Planning is the key:D

Oh yes, and get your shopping delivered, so much easier than trawling round the shops. I find it cheaper as i dont impulse buy when i'm shopping online. So it saves time and money.

shazba

I will be watching this thread closey as i will be a full time mature student in 2 weeks!I also have 2 children and dp so i will be looking at getting hints and tips! xx

jessicamb

I guess I count too as I am working full time and doing a degree in the evenings. I find that getting your shopping delivered is a Godsend - saves time and hassle. Otherwise batch cooking is the way to go I think. Cleaning - make sure everyone does their part and just do a little bit each day. Then accept that you aren't wonder woman and everything wont be perfect - you just dont have time so no point stressing about it.

Isis_Black

thanks to the replies!!
oh yeah i know i wont get everything done! and i know my house will look a tip lol
but i am telling the kids thy need to help a lot more a lot more but how much of that is gong in i dont know lol i have 3 girls ages 10,8 and 5 (nearly 6)
and i do have a brill hubby who does do a lot which helps.
i think i would look silly to have my shopping delivered since i live right across the road from Tesco lol but i dont mind going round the shop if i dont have the kids with me, and i usually do a special trip over to Thurmaston for an Asda trip once every couple of months, though that my have to be cut out due to time limits.
Yeah already do a few batch cooking things like fishcakes and my salmon tagliatelli sauce.
just need to get into the batch cooking at the weekends!

helyg

What hours are you in college/uni? Sounds like a silly question I know, but in university you might have lectures until 6pm some nights and then whole afternoons off other nights. If it is an FE college (or whatever they call them these days) they tend to have similar hours to schools, ie are finished by 4pm.

Batch cooking is definitely a good idea, as is cooking things in the SC as you can put them on before you go out and they will be ready when you get home. It's just the same as working full time really. If you do have some afternoons off for study time then you can always have a pan of something on while you study at home. I am an OU student as well as working part time, and I spend a lot of time stirring pans with a book in my hand!

Isis_Black

I am at College, hours usure about right now, i will find out on Friday my whole time table.
But i am looking to be studying for the next few years as i hope to go to Uni next year which could be out of town, so that will be full time but hopefully hours which are reasonably good lol.

Not too keep on leaving the SC on while no one is at home.
oh yeah i will make use of the time if i get time to sudy at home, thn i could use the SC.

Fire_Fox

I am a mature student, tho no children to worry about. I only do a grocery shop every second week, which takes a bit of organisation (milk and bread can be frozen) but saves me a couple of hours a week. A slow cooker is a work of genius - you don't need to fry anything off just five minutes chopping and switch on. Makes lovely soups, stews, curry, mince-based meals, stock, whole chicken .... A slow cooker only uses as much energy as a lightbulb - as long as you have a circuit breaker and put some liquid in it's unlikely to burn your house down.

Eggs are healthy and quick to cook. I also have an electric plug in 'health grill' which is brilliant for sausages, burgers, meatballs, bacon, fish, boneless chicken, turkey steaks and vegetables as it cooks both sides at once. I'd suggest you stock a good selection of frozen veg, as this is just as healthy for your family as fresh but is cheaper, does not need much prepping (washing/ chopping) and can be microwaved in minutes.

Isis_Black

oh yeah i do have frozen veg, i do like the mixed bags
could do with some more tined and frozen friut though

Bicks

I'm about to start my 2nd year at uni and I'm 'mature' with a husband, cat and dog.

The first year is about getting through it, I reckon. It's going to be tough, but you'll be fine.

You can't prepare for the entire year (if only there was a freezer big enough to store a year's worth of meals *sigh*), but I found it a huge help to plan our meals for the first month of term. That way, whilst I was getting used to the travel, timetable, meeting new people etc etc, I didn't have to think about food when I got home. Here is roughly what we ate:

Breakfast:
-Frozen muffins/oatcakes (take enough out the night before and put in the fridge - will be defrosed by the morning and can be eaten on the run)
-Tea from a flask (it's worth investing in a flask now- everyone else on my course took the mickey out of me at first, then by the third week they were all bringing one!!! otherwise get used to paying between 50p and £1 per hot drink:eek:)

Lunch:
Pasta salad (made a huge pan on sundays and portioned it out to eat through the week, just had to grab it from the fridge on the way out).
or
Quiche and cucumber/carrot/celery sticks (again, made on sunday using leftover anything and portioned out for the week).
or
Homemade soup (but that used the flask so had to do without my tea in the mornings)
or
Rice salad (you get the idea...sunday....big amount...portion out...grab on the day).

Dinner:
Something from the freezer i.e (all homemade then frozen) or from tins:
Mince Dishes - Spag Bol/Chilli/Lasagne/Meatballs
Chicken Dishes - Pre roasted chicken legs/Casserole with chicken thighs/Chicken pie
Fish Dishes - Fish Pie/Fish Fingers/Frozen salmon
Other Dishes - Sausage Casserole/Vegetable curry/Tinned tuna with pasta with frozen or tinned sweetcorn/Homemade Soup and Bread/Frozen Jacket Spuds which are suprisingly good defrosted in the microwave with beans and cheese/Fried Egg and oven chips/Beans on toast

Snacks:
Frozen Grapes (last longer if you freeze them and great for study time snack attacks)
Frozen biscuit batter (make a few rolls and have one in the fridge at all times then in 10 mins you have biscuits anytime- recipe below)
Apples are good to take to college with you - don't get as bashed as other fruit in your bag)
Defrost extra oatcakes (bero book recipe) - good as a snack anytime and oats are good for energy and brain function.


It's not the most exciting month of your life food-wise, but believe me, it made my first few weeks at uni so much easier not having to worry about shopping or food preparation. I don't have a freezer big enough to freeze milk and bread as well as meals, so I did have to pick those up from Netto every week.

I included brakfast even though most mature students have time to eat this in the morning before uni - I have a two hour commute to get there so have to eat something 'on the run' or when I arrive at uni. Even making toast is too much for me at 5am!

Luxurys like fruit juice, soft fruit, fresh veg should really be avoided as they are a waste of money right now. You'll be buying books and stuff so I would spend money on those, not on perishables that will end up in the bin.

Above all, enjoy your first few weeks. It's a very exciting time. :j:j:j

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Everyday Biscuit Recipe (borrowed from someone wonderful on here ages and ages ago - thanks!!!)

Make and bake, or make and freeze, then bake

Yield: between 45 - 50
Gas 5/190C/ 375F

Metric Imperial
225g 1/2 lb butter, softened
100g 4oz caster sugar
225g 1/2lb SF Flour
5ml 1 tsp vanilla essence
To finish: sprinkle of icing sugar

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add vanilla and fold in the flour
Mix to a smooth dough
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or two. Roll into a sausage shape approx 5cm/ 2in in diameter, put in fridge to chill until firm.

To Freeze: Wrap in foil, pack in a freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze.
To Thaw and Serve: Thaw in the wrappings in the fridge for approx 30 mins, then cut into thin (ish) slices, place on greased baking sheets and bake in a preheated oven for 10mins.
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

Variations:
Chocolate: Sub 25g / 1oz cocoa powder for the vanilla.
Cherry: Add 50g / 2 oz glace cherries, finely chopped
Nut: Add 50g/2oz chopped almonds or walnuts.

Notes:
These take moments to prep. I make one batch and cut the 'sausage' in half before chilling. Once chilled to firm, one half is then put in the freezer.
The "dough" will keep in the fridge for a few days, so you can "slice" fresh biscuits as and when required.

princess_lou

hi.. i am about to become a mature student(hopefully) i have my assement tomorrow and really nervous.. if i get inoto my course i will be watching this thread for ideas as have oh and 2 children... if anyone is on slimming world they have a printable shopping list and menu planner for students for just £3.99 a day so will be trying that out.. will be back tomoorow with an update... fingers crossed x x