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For some of you, this may be the first time that you have had to look after yourself when it comes to food. This can be very stressful, especially on a small budget. Here are some pointers from other students who have walked this road:
Try to eat more fruit and vegetables than anything else. A slice of brown bread is good, but don’t make a meal of white bread and chips. It will give you a sugar high and then leave you exhausted. (Yes, starchy foods like these act exactly like sugar in your digestive system.) Over time it will also make you fat.
Many universities have support systems for students who need help in this regard. Wits has dining halls with reasonably priced meals; UFS has a bursary scheme called No Student Hungry; UJ has a feeding programme that provides meals. Go to the student support office and ask.
If you make use of these facilities, look at how they put together their meals and copy that when you cook for yourself.
Find a few friends and buy and/or cook together. It is cheaper to buy 24 tins of fish that you can share than to buy one at a time, for example.
If you have storage space, buy the basics at the beginning of the term: rice, oil, maize meal, coffee, tea, sugar, dried beans, soup powder, etc. Seal it in plastic bags and keep an eye out for moths!
If you have access to a fridge or freezer, cook some sugar beans or lentils and keep them cool. They make a good meal when eaten with bread or rice and a fried onion.
Drink water, tea and coffee, NOT expensive sugary soft drinks.
Before you go to the nearest fast-food chain, check out the deli counters at the big grocery stores. For more or less the same price as a burger or fried chicken and chips you can get rice, stew and vegetables – more variety, more filling food and less fat, white bread and potatoes. A whole grilled chicken cost R90 at Checkers in February 2026. Add rice, chakalaka and vegetables from their deli counter and share it among four people.
If you want to cook for yourself and you have no experience, the basics are easy. First of all, buy one solid cooking pot and one good frying pan rather than a selection of thin, cheap ones. Then you’re set to start cooking!
Have in your cupboard foods high in fibre, vitamins and nutrition, also as snacks: Fruit – apples, bananas, nartjies, etc.
- Peanut butter.
- Popcorn.
- Dates.
- Rice cakes.
- Brown bread.
- Potatoes.
- Onions.
- Tinned beans.
- Eggs.
- Pilchards.
- Brown rice.
- Plain yoghurt/maas.
- Oats.
- Salt, black pepper and mixed herbs.
Easy meals:
- Overnight oats: mix together equal amounts of oats and milk/coconut milk/maas (Princess Diana apparently used orange juice), cover and leave in the fridge overnight. Add raisins/dates/peanuts/apple/banana and a spoonful of honey. Some yoghurt gives it a nice tang.
- Baked potato with filling: prick the skin and put it in the microwave for 3 minutes, turning over halfway. (Experiment with your microwave until you get it just right.) Add Pilchards, beans, cheese, mince, or whatever you fancy.
- Eggs in any way: boil a dozen and have them handy to mash up with yoghurt/mayonnaise/chutney on bread or a potato; fry some onion and tomato in a pan and break eggs into the mixture, cover until they’re cooked; scramble eggs and add grated cheese; or just have them on their own. It’s a meal in itself.
- Pap with chakalaka and beans/mince.
- Rice with beans, onion and some spice – try curry powder or paprika.
- Fried rice with eggs: use yesterday’s rice, scramble in eggs and frozen peas/carrots. Add soy sauce or even Marmite.
- Mince: when you have time, prepare enough for two or three meals. Simply fry a chopped onion, add the mince and stir till it’s crumbly and brown, with salt, black pepper and a little mixed herbs. Grated carrots give nice texture. Eat with rice, bread or a potato.
- Avocadoes: half an avo with tuna/cottage cheese is a very good meal; otherwise mash it up on bread.
If you want to experiment further, try this easy one-size-fits-all recipe: slice or chop some onion and fry it in oil. Add your meat and fry until it’s browned on all sides. Add roughly chopped vegetables like tomatoes, green beans, pumpkin, carrots and potatoes. Add some water, perhaps with a spoonful of soup powder or stock, and some salt. Close the pot, turn the heat down and cook for half an hour to 40 minutes. Stir now and then so that it doesn’t burn. This makes a very good meal.
**UKZN has a very good online guide to help you get started.
Over time you will become more confident and start enjoying cooking. There are thousands of recipes on the internet. Look for “one-pot meals”, they are easy and filling.
Happy cooking!
The GRAD team.
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