Harissa, not noodles, for Waitrose freshers

THE staples of a university diet are usually assumed to be takeaway pizza, instant noodles and late-night kebabs. Not, however, according to Waitrose.

The upmarket retailer has named the five must-have ingredients for first-year students about to move into halls, including a jar of Belazu Rose Harissa paste at £4.35 and a tub of Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder for £2.

Parents and students were quick to ridicule the chain for the items, which seem more fine dining than freshers’ week.

Commenting on the list that also includes Aspall organic cyder vinegar (£1.70), Clearspring organic Tamari soya sauce (£3.15) and Waitrose cooks’ ingredients organic Italian seasoning (£1.89), Fiona Kabuki wrote on Twitter: “That’s £13 and you have nothing to actually eat.”

Claire Farrow added: “These are not essentials. How about sunflower oil, salt & pepper, garlic bulb and tomato puree?”

On the Waitrose website however, the products, hand-picked for ‘‘the fledgling cook about to fly the nest’’ mainly receive positive reviews. One customer called the bouillon powder a ‘‘must-have’’.

A Waitrose spokeswoman said: “All these ingredients go a long way and can be the basis of many simple, tasty and great-value home cooked meals.”