Eating Healthy in the Face of Uber Eats and Instant Noodles

WORDS | Jennifer Susanto (she/her)

WORDS | Jennifer Susanto (she/her)

The student diet is saturated with cheap, quick and unhealthy foods. Whether it be instant noodles, Uber Eats or a Maccas run, these habits are simply seen as a part of being a student. But with long-term health effects, increased spending and lower mood, should it really be part of the uni experience?

In my first semester, I noticed everyone buying takeout on the regular (myself included!). Some of us were spending up to $100 on takeout alone. As I dug deeper into these habits, I realised it was because a lot of us didn’t have the time, energy or knowledge to cook. After this, I became determined to learn, but didn’t know where to start - I didn’t really have much cooking experience. The internet is home to a lot of recipes, but I struggled to know what to type in the search bar. I spent more time looking for recipes than actually cooking.

That’s where FoodScrapz comes in. We’re a student led organisation hoping to promote healthier eating at university. We want to provide a platform for equal and accessible opportunities to eat cheaper, easier and healthier.

I wanted FoodScrapz to remove the barriers of learning how to cook and present it in a simple and fun way for students. Although the app is currently on hold, FoodScrapz hosts weekly cooking sessions at AUT’s new Te Āhuru Recreation Centre.

FoodScrapz is not just for people who are good at cooking - I am a shit cook, but that’s kinda the point! All of our sessions include cheap, simple and tasty recipes that anyone can enjoy. We’re dedicated to providing super easy and affordable meal ideas for students. Our Instagram page now has over 50 recipes, which take under 15 minutes to prepare and cost around $3 a serving. Most recipes are designed to use the ingredients you already have lying around at home (hence the name FoodScrapz).

Our club runs every second Friday 5pm-7pm at the City Campus Rec Centre. It’s 100% free so anyone can come along to cook their own free meal (RSVP via @foodscrapz Instagram). FoodScrapz runs at the same time as the Board Games Club, making it an ideal place for food, fun and meeting new people!