Studying abroad is a journey of self-discovery, even went it comes to the kitchen. If you’ve been living with your parents and have no cooking experience, deciding what to eat can be overwhelming. This post is for you, if you are looking for ways to expand your relationship with food to more than just eating it.
Being abroad can mean having limited funds, so it can be a balancing act to affordably eat healthy and not get fat or too thin. It is a must to develop a personal budget and a weekly market list of basics. Here are a few easy recipes based from my experience and some research. These are ideal recipes for students who have never, ever cooked or may have a little bit of experience.
My First Weeks!
My first week abroad was crazy. It was a world-wind of getting adjusted and transitioning to a new country. I had no time to plan meals in the midst of completing university registration forms, confirming bank account processes and attending seminars. Classes hadn’t even started yet. I ate out the whole week and started feeling unhealthy. The food I ate when I dined out wasn’t that good. I’m from Ecuador in Latin America. The food from my home country is flavorful and very tasty. Being abroad in Austria, it was a challenge to adjust to the food.
So the second week, I decided my approach to food was going to be different. I improvised cooking things. The bad thing was that I cooked way too much and ended up eating it all. Again, I felt very unhealthy.
Since then, I’ve gotten better with cooking. These are recipes I cooked the fourth week when I had more experience in the kitchen. I must admit I burned the carpet because I put the hot pot directly on the floor. Although I’m no food expert, chef or nutritionist, I found recipes on the internet and mixed them with the things I had already bought. Here are six meals and the ingredients I used to prepare them.
Lunch Option One:
This is a very simple dish. It perfect for starters and anyone new to cooking. Ingredients: salmon, noodles, tomatoes, cheese, oil, sweet corn, butter and salt.
Lunch Option Two:
This is a low or fat-free option. Ingredients: meat, yellow pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, onions, oil, salt, pepper, soja sauce, and tobasco sauce.
Lunch Option Three:
Ingredients: Rice, sausages, red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, onions, green peas, carrots, oil, lots of cheese, salt, pepper & tabasco. *Pictured above.
Lunch Option Four:
Ingredients: Tuna, eggs, peas, red and yellow pepper, avocado, Brussels sprouts, tabasco, lettuce, tomato, salt, pepper, oil, & carrots.
Dinner Option One:
Tuna Wrap, Ingredients: Tuna, one egg, avocado, tomato, lettuce, any sauce of your preference & the corn tortilla.
Dinner Option Two:
Dinner/ Breakfast, Ingredients: bread, tomato, Gouda Cheese, eggs, avocado, salt, and butter. To accompany some grapes.
I hope you like these six basics to jump start your healthy kitchen abroad.
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