It can be really easy to pick up bad cooking habits as a student, especially when university gets busy. But there's so many easy ways you can save energy, time and waste in the kitchen, like...

1. Batch cooking – make extra portions of your meals and freeze leftovers so you'll always have something nice to eat even on the lazier days. 
2. Use your microwave more – microwaves use a lot less energy than ovens, and they're fast! Perfect for reheating leftovers or steaming veggies in minutes with a splash of water. 
3. Only boil what you need – kettles waste a lot of energy, so just boil what you actually need and you'll even get your morning cuppa quicker. 
4. Don't throw away your scraps – whether it's carrot tops, onion skins or celery leaves, pop your prep waste int a freezer bag to boil later into a tasty vegetable stock. 
5. Know your dates – we've all been victim to an expired 'use by' date, but 'best before' just means it might not be at its best, but is often still fine to eat. Trust your nose for this one. 
6. Use a lid on pans – lids trap heat and help food cook quicker, it's like giving your pasta or rice a little energy-saving hat. 
7. Shared living? Share the cooking – take turns cooking or do a big meal together to cut down costs, time and food waste, all while spending some quality time together. 
8. Love your leftovers – there's so many recipes you can make out of leftover ingredients, don't be afraid to get creative.
9. Get fridge smart – did you know your fridge has zones? The top shelf is best for ready-to-eat food, the middle for dairy and the bottom for raw meat or fish. Find out how to store the most common foods properly to avoid waste. 
10. Utilise time and energy-saving equipment – air fryers can cook food around 20% faster and use a third of electricity compared to an electric oven, check out this cheap manual 4 litre one from Dunelm. 

To help you get started, check out our favourite student-friendly sustainable and delicious recipes to cook in your flat.

Or find out more about how you can be a sustainable student on and off campus.