ASK THE EXPERT
QMY SON will soon start university, and I’m worrying about how he’ll cope as he’s never cooked a meal and is useless with money. What advice do you have?
ASTUDENT vlogger Jack Edwards, who has just graduated from Durham University and is the author of The Uni-verse: The Ultimate University Survival Guide, says: “Now is the time to make sure he can get himself through first term without a) starving, b) setting the kitchen on fire, or c) living la vida broke-a.
“Learning to cook from scratch at uni is actually quite a sociable process, and a great way to bond with new housemates. They can cook meals together, cook for one another, or share tips and tricks to develop their culinary prowess.
“Your son’s not in any danger of malnourishment just because he hasn’t cooked a meal – he’ll learn quickly and enjoy the process.
“I’d always recommend starting with the absolute basics and working your way up, ensuring he knows how to cook things like pasta, rice or chicken which can form the base of myriad dishes.
“I also found it useful to have at least one basic cooking book that I could always rely on to guide me through, and YouTube videos show what the food you’re preparing should look like, which is handy.
“Equip your son with a few staple meals like spaghetti Bolognese or chilli con carne which can be prepared in bulk and frozen. A quick lesson in seasoning will also be useful, and cooking with garlic or soy sauce can really elevate dishes to the next level.
“Aim for your son to cook one meal for the family per week, with assistance first before going solo.
“When it comes to money, I’d recommend opening a separate student bank account where your son can have a monthly allowance to keep his budget in check and track purchases. Different banks will offer rewards for doing so, so it’s worth shopping around.
“For nights out, he could decide beforehand not to exceed a certain expenditure or only take out a set amount of cash.
“It’s all in the budgeting and making sure his full maintenance loan and/or overdraft is sitting in an account ready to be used.”