- Published
When Mia Jones left her home in Anglesey to go to university in London, she couldn't cook "whatsoever" - but quickly realised this had to change.
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this → publish → London
"I couldn't live off pasta for the rest of my life," she says - and all the ready meals and pot noodles were starting to add up.
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meals → live → life
"I'd be spending £45 a week on food," says the 22-year-old.
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old → spend → food
So she started buying fresh ingredients.
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she → start → ingredients
"Then I realised, 'Oh, I need to learn how to cook now'."
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I → realise → ?
She started following social media videos for tips and recipes, swapping out foods she didn't like.
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she → start → foods
While there were some early disasters it was not long before Mia was proud to say she could cook.
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she → be → ?
"It made me realise I could function on my own and live on my own", she says.
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she → make → own
"[First year] me would not be able to believe it all".
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me → believe → it
What's more, Mia cut her weekly shop by £20 - and found she had more energy.
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she → cut → energy
"I was feeling a lot more awake in my lectures, which was very useful," she says.
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she → feel → lectures
After finishing her masters degree she now shares her recipes online, hoping to help other students in the same position she was in.
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she → finish → position
Mia and other once culinary-challenged students have shared the signature dishes they learned that were cheap, easy - and most importantly tasty.
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that → challenge → dishes
All of the recipes can be made by stocking up a starter store cupboard for under £13.
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All → make → 13
Then each meal uses additional ingredients for under £2.50 - which make several portions perfect for the next day or popping in the freezer.
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portions → use → freezer
We asked retail tracking platform Assosia to find the rough cost of standard sized packs of ingredients using the average pre-promotion price across Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda & Morrisons on 11 September 2026.
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We → ask → September
Mia's go-to dishes: chickpea curry and udon noodles with tofu
Mia's first recipe is a chickpea curry: "It's very cheap and very nutritious," she says.
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she → say → tofu
This article contains content provided by TikTok.
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article → contain → TikTok
We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies.
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they → ask → cookies
You may want to read TikTok’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting.
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You → want → policy
Mia says she'll add chilli oil if she's feeling fancy.
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she → say → oil
This article contains content provided by TikTok.
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article → contain → TikTok
We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies.
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they → ask → cookies
You may want to read TikTok’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting.
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You → want → policy
Like Mia, Jayda Otuo-Mensah "didn't really cook" before going to university.
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Mensah → cook → university
The physiotherapy student wanted to know how to make healthy food while spending around 40 hours a week on placement in hospitals.
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student → want → hospitals
"It's a lot easier when you're cooking because you know exactly what's going in," she says.
"
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she → cook → ?
I can have a chicken burger and it's really healthy because of the way I cooked it."
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I → have → it
After "a lot of trial and error" following TikTok videos, the 20-year-old Coventry University student felt confident enough to film herself cooking.
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herself → follow → videos
Now she buys staples, and while she tries to stick to a weekly meal plan she mostly cooks what she is feeling.
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she → buy → plan
Jayda's go-to dish: crispy teriyaki mince tacos
One of the meals Jayda makes the most is tacos.
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Jayda → go → meals
"It's a great meal to learn; it's quick and affordable," she says.
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she → learn → ?
This article contains content provided by TikTok.
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article → contain → TikTok
We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies.
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they → ask → cookies
You may want to read TikTok’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting.
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You → want → policy
Rob Medhurst credits the student staple of spaghetti bolognese as being his springboard onto greater dishes.
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Medhurst → credit → dishes
"It's very affordable and it's easy," says the 25-year-old graduate of Nottingham Trent University.
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graduate → say → University
"I quickly learned meal prepping and batch cooking was the best way for me," he says.
"
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he → learn → me
I know some people love the art of cooking but personally I don't."
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I → know → cooking
Rob has found the simple spag bol a versatile recipe: "You can just adapt a couple of things for chilli or lots of burritos."
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You → find → burritos
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
