Student food "staples" parcel - suggestions?

Mojisola

VJsmum wrote: »

She has been stocked up with pots and pans, cutlery, plates etc.

I included a bucket, a pair of Marigolds, cheap J cloths and a bottle of disinfectant. Freshers' week, booze and very high spirits = potential mess!

orangesmartie

I know you said things to cook but I would also suggest including washing powder and fabric conditioner (if used) - preferably the ones that smell of home

ziggy2004

When I went to uni my gran bought me some cartons of nice fruit juices, biscuits, tea and coffee so that if I met someone I could invite them in for something to drink. It was a great way to make new friends in the halls I lived in as most people had the staples with them but no biscuits

lushlifesaver

I love cooking but in my first year often found I needed to keep 'nice' foods/utensils etc in my room as otherwise my flatmates helped themselves - I lived with one friend and 3 lads who we got lumped with (a mistake the housing company wouldn't rectify!) so I would suggest a box of some kind she can keep a few bits in just for herself/friends. You often hear 'oh I used your....by I'll replace it' but frequently don't see the replacement (or they use it again!)

I would also suggest:
A couple of 'oven to table' style tableware, or some pyrex if she doesn't already have some. If she's lucky she will make plenty of friends in the same halls, or in general, and it's cheaper to say 'why don't we all eat at mine, I'll cook' (and recruit a volunteer to help!) than to always get take aways.
Some 'nice' ingredients which are good to have but might stretch a limited budget - for me this was herbs and spices. I knew I'd use them regularly so 'splashed out' on certain ones - friends often went without some as it was the difference between bread for a week or a jar of herbs!
A bottle of something to drink (one she likes)

Or just a voucher for whichever will be her local supermarket so she can always have a back up for when the budget is tight!

RAS

I would suggest

Mixed herbs - likely to get used fast enough not to go off.
Sage - pungent enough to keep well
Bay leaves
Dried chillies rather than powder keep better
Decent curry powder
Decent mustard
A jar of decent chutney
Lea and Perrins or the like
black pepper and mill
A couple of really good cook in sauces

Decent tea, coffee and one herbal tea. Coffee mate or similar.
A set of smallish air tight containers for the above, preferably stacking.

Nibbles - nuts and raisins, bikkies, dark chocolate so she can entertain the first week.

The best thing I ever had was 4 mugs; unlike everyone else I could invite people back for a drink so others congregated in my room.

floss2

I would suggest a large lock& lock type box containing the following, which stays in the student's room:

spices - curry, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, chilli powder
dried herbs - thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves
mustard powder
olive oil
Lea & Perrins
Tabasco
nice jam/marmalade
peanut butter
Marmite
Oxo cubes - beef & chicken
vegetable stock powder
hot chocolate mix
coffee
tea bags

BugglyB

Vodka, pot noodles, multipack of snickers.

All the major food groups

ditsykitchen

BugglyB wrote: »

Vodka, pot noodles, multipack of snickers.

All the major food groups

Don't forget baked beans :rotfl:

kittycat204

Herbs/spices, olive oil, no way. I cook and did at uni but there was no time in life for those kind of things.
Rice, pasta, sauces, dry mixes, sugar, recipe book, tinned ravioli/beans, soup.
First few months at uni are not the time you need help. When you first go you eat the wrong things, do the wrong things, all the time. Everybody has plenty of money.
November, when money is short and stress is setting in, that's the time a food hamper will mean the world.

littlegreenparrot

I second those who have suggessted holding off for a bit.

Maybe some nice biscuits, tea/coffee, tea towel as a 'settling in' gift. Then a lovely supermarket gift card/ box of goodies in a couple of months.
You'll be able to have a chat then beforehand about what kind of thing is possible/suitable, or just send a wonderful surprise :j