If you don't live at home or in catered halls, you are going to have to learn to cook for yourself.

But don't panic - here are a few food essentials to get you through and save you living on baked beans for three years!

Discount shelves - here you'll find perfectly good food but at a knockdown price, normally because the shop wants to sell it off quickly or it needs eaten that day.

Own brand or saver products - most big stores have their own versions of products which may not be 'haute cuisine' but are a cheaper option.

What to buy

Try buying in bulk if possible as it is often cheaper and saves you constantly trekking to the shops and back.

Then plan a weekly menu and shop for what you need. Take a list to the supermarket so you don't forget anything and don't buy anything on impulse.


Cooking

What you need: a fridge and a cooker, oven gloves, a sharp knife, some saucepans with lids, a sieve, a frying pan, a spatula, a mixing bowl, a wooden spoon, a chopping board. Some cutlery, a bowl, a plate and a cup.

If you don't know how to cook why not:

:: get a recipe book out of the library and try out some recipes - there's no need to spend lots of money on books from the bookshop

:: ask your friends and family for recipe suggestions and quick meals

:: watch TV shows or look at Ceefax and write down the recipes

:: surf the net for recipes online

RECIPE WEBSITES

BBC Food Student.co.uk - Food Bath University Student Food Delia online Vegetarian Student Recipes

If you find any great recipes, why not send them in and share them with your fellow hungry students! Email lincolnshire@bbc.co.uk

Whatever you do, make sure you eat properly otherwise you won't have the energy to go out and enjoy yourself!