Salmon Bowls. Steak salads. Avocado Toast. Whilst this could be the menu of an overly priced brunch restaurant, these dishes are just a small sample from the repertoire of every budding student food influencer. Eager to show us their ability to perfectly balance their studies with optimal levels of nutrition, scrolling through the pages of these “chef-luencers” would be enough to make anyone believe that reaching the pinnacle of food preparation is entirely achievable within the confines of your slightly ill-equipped student kitchen.
Though, however insecure student chefs may make us feel when opening our third pot noodle of the day, it is still important to recognise that there are some chefs with the sincere aim not to shame, but to motivate, showcasing budget friendly meals that still manage to impress.
It is easy to demonise student chef influencers online. Their meal plan designs can often seem unachievable, especially for those with busy schedules, whilst the ingredients used are often out of budget for the average student. Food shops from M&S and Waitrose seem prolific, and have the effect of emphasising the stark wealth divide that still persists within many universities. Furthermore, the insecurity of not being as organised and efficient as these influencers adds yet another layer to the extreme stress that students find themselves under.
Especially for first year students dealing with the impending sense of imposter syndrome, the sense that something as trivial as their eating habits could be scrutinised is another addition to the burden of being a university student. Yet, and this runs especially true for first years, these influencers often carry an aspirational sense to them. Whilst we may not be at the same stage as them just yet, as we begin adjusting to university life and truly becoming the independents we have hoped, we can begin to experiment with more exciting and varied tastes.
Creators such as Lilly Collyer frequently post videos of their recent food creations, showing how far a food budget can be stretched to create some truly fulfilling meals. Her videos also avoid any references to calories or dieting, instead encouraging young people to embrace food and cooking as something to take pleasure in, rather than as a burden. Whilst it is true that some creators choose to share calorie information in their videos, more often than not this is a comparison to show that the same amount of nutrition can be gained from an easy home-cooked meal as a takeaway or ready meal. Once more, this shows that student food creators are well-intentioned in their videos.
It is certainly true that cooking at university can be a daunting experience for some, and though the deluge of food creators may seem intimidating initially, ultimately the meals they create should be viewed as aspirational, and a sign that budgeting does not necessarily have to come at the price of poor nutrition.
“Person taking photo of food in tray – Credit to https://homegets.com/” by homegets.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0.