Starting university is nerve wracking in many ways, but the prospect of having to feed yourself can be one of the most daunting prospects of all.

Cramming in cooking time between busy class schedules and those all-important nights out can seem impossible, leading to more takeaway pizzas and pot noodles than is probably healthy, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Thanks to the abundance of student friendly cookbooks on the market, throwing together cheap and healthy meals that you’ll actually want to eat has never been easier.

We’ve rustled up seven of the best.

The Starving Artist Cookbook by Sara Zin

Having hit the proverbial wall aged 30, artist Sara Zin did the only logical thing: she started cooking. A novice chef, she set about recreating set about recreating some of her favourite dishes as well as old family recipes that she’d never before gotten round to learning, capturing the end results in a series of watercolour paintings.

Part memoir, part cookbook, lovers of art will appreciate its beauty as well as the simple recipes for comfort food favourites such as spaghetti carbonara and tomato soup.

£14.99, Amazon, Buy it now

Nosh for Students by Joy May

Originally inspired by her own son going off to uni with little knowledge of how to boil an egg, let alone make anything else, Nosh is now in its fifth incarnation, which is testament in itself to how popular this book is. One of the best things about it is that you don’t need a set of weighing scales, as everything can be measured in either handfuls or with a regular old mug. Our favourite recipes include the Tacos and Spicy Coconut Chicken.

£5.90, Amazon, Buy it now

Sam Stern’s Student Cookbook

Having brought out his first cookbook aged 14, it’s safe to say that Sam is something of a pro at home cooking. Now in his mid-twenties, his student cookbook remains hugely popular thanks to its easy-to-follow symbol guide for prices, serving sizes and timings and the refreshingly short ingredient lists.

£8.65, Wordery, Buy it now

A Girl Called Jack by Jack Monroe

As a cash-strapped single mother, Jack had to teach herself how to prepare healthy meals on a shoestring budget. Filled with tips on how to do a weekly shop with just £10 as well as preventing food wastage, this is a great option for those who find it hard to be economical. Learning to make dishes such as vegetable masala curry and pasta alla Genovese for as little as 19p per portion is a skill you’ll be sure to carry through life long after university is over.

£9.09, Amazon, Buy it now

5 Ingredients by Jamie Oliver

If you thought that Jamie Oliver only wrote complicated recipes that require a long list of expensive ingredients, think again. Always on the lookout for ways to make healthy cuisine easy and accessible for everyone, the king of cooking has now brought out a series of recipes that only need five ingredients or less. Our favourites include the garlic mushroom pasta and egg fried rice.

£10.99, Amazon, Buy it now

One Pound Meals by Miguel Barclay

The disappointment of finding an expensive list of ingredients attached to a recipe we like the look of is something that every cook has had to deal with at some point or another, so the fact that every recipe in Miguel Barclay’s book costs less than one pound per portion is m music to our ears. Thanks to his savvy budget shopping techniques (which are all explained in the book), he’s been able to rustle up recipes that would usually cost a lot more, including chicken katsu curry and crab mac and cheese.

£7.50, The Book Depository, Buy it now

The Student Cookbook edited by Jane Birch

One thing’s for sure: this cookbook really understands its audience. It’s great value for money, is easy to follow and even comes with a ‘how do I know if it’s cooked?’ section, so if you’re trying to impress your new flatmates with your culinary prowess, you don’t have to worry about accidentally poisoning them. Whether you’re looking for a comforting pasta bake to tuck into whilst you watch TV or a homemade pie for a dinner party, this book has got you covered.

£3, Amazon, Buy it now

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