University: Simple Student Meals with McCain

It’s finally here, the time everyone has been waiting for – the start of the university year. Whether you’re coming to uni for the first time or just moving out of halls and into your first student flat with all your mates, chances are there are going to be some quite important ice-breaker meals just around the corner. Whether you’re swapping stories of crazy summer holidays, soul-finding treks in Vietnam or long work-days saving up for Freshers Week, it’s important to have some serious nosh to keep the energy up.

McCain have put together a post for me with all of their super simple student meal ideas – let’s see what they’ve got!

Remember, student life is all about working out your own way of doing things, and finding little life hacks that make your experience all the more smooth. The first tip for you: impressive food doesn’t have to have a hefty price tag or overly complicated preparation.

Avocado Fries – avocado is all the rage, and you’ll find tonnes of your fellow students are buying up all the stocks in the local supermarkets, but there’s more than one way to enjoy this versatile little fruit. Click here to discover the secret to avocado perfection – the humble McCain oven chip. Coat them in avocado blend and cover with breadcrumbs. Fry them up and you’ve got a delicious avocado-based snack food, with a zing of spice at its core.

Garlic & Herb Wedges – probably the simplest dish on this list. Start by slicing up some potato into wedges and spreading on a baking tray, then finely chop garlic and mix with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Sprinkle this generously over your chips before seasoning with thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes and you’ll have the perfect starter sorted.

Poutine – if you really want to impress your housemates, why not embrace the Canadian way of life by cooking up some Poutine. Poutine is essentially cheese curd melted over fries then soaked in gravy – Bisto Granules are a great way to make delicious gravy in a flash. It’s a taste sensation, and you’ll be able to introduce it to all your friends too.

Nacho Chips – a great party food that’s easy to make, this dish is basically the same concept as cheese and salsa nachos but with chips instead. Simply melt grated cheese over a plate of wedges before covering in a home-made salsa of chopped tomatoes, chillies, red onion, garlic and lime juice. The result: a more filling alternative to nachos that’ll tide you over during even the heaviest Freshers night out.

Breakfast Fry Up – there’s nothing quite like a fry-up to get you over the long nights out. Everyone will have their own way of doing it, but yours will truly stick in their memories. This fry-up begins with a bed of hot, buttered toast which is then followed by two fried eggs. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, chili flakes and fresh basil and you’ve got yourself the ultimate hangover breakfast. A pot of beans on the side for dipping wouldn’t go amiss, either.

Some of this food sounds delicious – I’m so intrigued by the Avocado Fries, and of course you can’t beat a good fry-up (minus the beans of course, damn you allergy!). I have to admit that as a MASSIVE lover of chips’n’gravy, poutine is something I’ve always been meaning to make. I guess I’ve got no excuse now!

*Post sponsored by McCains. All opinions my own as always!

What’s your favorite super-simple meal? I have to admit I’m a fan of a crisp sandwich (smoky bacon, or salt’n’vinegar on buttered white bread) when I’m really craving quick comfort food!