Your Uni Food Shopping List: Uni Food Essentials With Iceland
- Evie Howarth
- Jan 28
- 9 min read
Updated by Camila Karalyte
Grab your uni food essentials for less with an Iceland student discount. That’s why uni students go to Iceland.
Sticking to a budget is really handy, especially when it comes down to food.
It might seem like the easy choice to pick up supermarket ready-meals on a whim (when you’re already super hungry) or to grab ‘a few bits’ — AKA random picky bits that don’t create a full meal and cost an obscene amount…
But then you may as well say goodbye to your student loan at that point.
Good news, though! You can actually save money and eat wholesome meals without breaking the bank. The key is to stock up on uni food essentials that go a long way, maybe even seeing you through to your second year (hello, dusty can of beans).
You may have already decked out your kitchen with uni kitchen essentials, so now it’s time to deck out the fridge, freezer, and cupboards with all things delicious.
And your partner in dine(ing)? The Iceland student discount. Your gateway to tasty eats and fuller wallets.
Jump to:
Your uni food shopping list
We want to help you thrive at uni, gain independence, and most importantly, get confident in the kitchen. Because everyone knows that food is the way to the heart, and brain, and everything else…
Long story short, if you’re not eating well, you won’t be studying well.
While your brain is trying to balance out meeting new people, living in a new town, and having to learn some hardcore stuff, we want to help take some of the stress away and give you your essential uni food shopping list.
One less thing for you to worry about.
Basic staples
These staples are far from basic, they’re the fundamentals to any good meal.
If you’ve always got your pantry stocked full of these, you’ll more than likely be able to feed yourself.
Item | Cupboard safe? | Freezer-friendly? |
Garlic | Yes — cool, dark, dry place | Yes — freeze whole peeled cloves, minced garlic, or paste - store in airtight containers |
Butter | No — but can be on countertop in butter dish or bell (works best for salted butter) | Yes — wrapped well in plastic or foil |
Herbs | No — only dried herbs can be stored in cupboards, not fresh | Yes — fresh herbs freeze well |
Spices | Yes — cool, dark, dry place | Yes — airtight containers, small portions |
Tinned chopped tomatoes | Yes — if unopened | Not ideal unless cooked (like pasta sauce) |
Tomato paste | Yes — if unopened | Yes |
Rice | Yes | Yes — but not necessary as shelf-life in cupboard is long |
Pasta | Yes | Yes — but unnecessary |
Noodles | Yes | No |
Stock cubes | Yes | Liquid stock can be frozen |
Potatoes | Yes — cool, dry, dark place | Yes — but not recommended if potatoes are uncooked |
Condiments i.e ketchup | Yes — if unopened, but most will need refrigerating if opened | No |
Oats | Yes — in cool, dry, dark place | Yes — airtight containers |
Cereal | Yes | Yes — but not recommended |
Honey | Yes | Yes — but not needed |
Pesto | Yes — if unopened. Once opened it must be put in the fridge | Yes |
Need a great, affordable place to stock up on these uni food essentials? Take a trip to Iceland, where an Iceland student discount can save you £10 off your shop if you spend £70+ online (new customers only). Iceland’s range of frozen foods and fresh produce means students can shop their grocery list all in one place. Convenient!
Meat, vegan, vegetarian alternatives
(To the tune of Jolene by Dolly Parton) Protein, protein, protein, proteeein; I’m begging of you, please give me some hammm*.
*Other proteins/vegan alternatives are available.
Protein is needed to keep your immune system in tip-top shape, making sure you can thrive and study at the same time. So make sure you’re adding some sort of protein to your shopping basket!
Protein, especially meat, can tip the scale of your budget, so we’ve tried to offer the most affordable options below.
Meat | Vegetarian | Vegan (also veggie) |
Chicken thighs | Eggs | Tofu |
Chicken drumsticks | Greek yoghurt | Chickpeas |
Chicken wings | Cheese | Lentils |
Beef mince | Edamame | Oats |
Turkey mince | Quinoa | Wholegrains |
Pork mince | Buckwheat | Nuts/nut butters |
Tinned fish (like tuna) | Seeds — pumpkin, sunflower | Nutritional yeast |
Sausages | Wholegrain rice | Tempeh |
Freezer foods
Frozen meals and freezer foods are lifesavers for busy students.
Late-night snack? Lazy dinner? Socialising? Freezer foods have your back.
Not only are frozen foods a handy alternative to cooking from scratch, they also have later expiration dates, and can actually keep the freshness and quality of many ingredients. Gone are the days where frozen foods meant unhealthy eating.
Iceland has a whole funfair of frozen options (as well as plenty of fresh and cupboard essentials!) to choose from. They even have products from top-name food brands like Greggs and MyProtein, so you can still enjoy your faves on a budget and from the comfort of your uni kitchen.
Quick snacks
It’s always handy having some frozen snacks in the freezer for when you’re feeling a little peckish. You might usually be tempted to pop down to Greggs for a (luke)warm pasty, but what if you could get it hot and fresh out of your kitchen?
No lies here. Just Iceland.
Iceland currently has a ‘3 for £10’ deal on frozen bits, which includes a range of food, including Greggs bakes and pasties.
Stock your freezer up with quick go-to snacks for just a tenner. If you’re a Greggs fan, you can nab:
4 Greggs sausage rolls
2 Greggs steak bakes
2 Greggs sausage, bean, and cheese melts
2 Greggs bacon and cheese wraps
2 Greggs chicken bakes
2 Greggs cheese and onion bakes
4 Greggs vegan sausage rolls
Mix and match 3 for £10 and you’ll be sorted for study season.
Need a price breakdown to convince you it’s worth it?
If your typical Greggs order is a sausage roll, you’re forking out around £1.45 per roll. Buy a pack of 4 from Iceland, and you’ll only have to pay £3.50; that’s around 87p per roll! A bargain.
Yes, you have to cook them yourself but it’s only 25 mins in the oven (or 15 in the air fryer).
Worth it just to stay in your PJs, tbh.
Iceland also has a lot more included in the 3 for £10 deal, such as burgers, fish fillets, chicken Kievs, sausages, and other easy eats.
Meal staples
Freezers aren’t just great for quick snacks, they’re also useful for storing food essentials that you can chuck together to create a wholesome meal.
Iceland has two incredible deals to sort you out: 15 for £15 mix and match ‘easy teas’ and 3 for £12 mix and match chicken and meat to keep in your freezer. And add an Iceland student discount on top for £10 off your first online order over £70.
Winner, winner, frozen chicken for dinner!
‘Easy teas’ include:
Frozen potato bits — alphabet, fries, chips
Pizzas — deep dish, thin
Chicken bites — chicken fingers, dippers, nuggets
Fish fillets and fingers
Frozen peas and sweetcorn
If you’re stocking up on meat at Iceland, choose 3 for £12 including:
Chicken breast fillets
Beef mince
Cooked and peeled prawns
Salmon fillets
Chicken drumsticks
Diced casserole lamb
Fish pie mix
Chinese pork stir fry strips
Every student diet needs vegetables, and with fresh veg sometimes not lasting very long, frozen veg is your saviour.
With Iceland’s 3 for £5 frozen veg deal, you can grab the likes of:
Frozen cauliflower florets
Broccoli florets
Mixed veg
Peas
Mixed peppers
Sweetcorn and mini corn on the cobs
Sliced carrots (saves on prep time!)
Spinach
Green beans
No excuse not to eat your greens then!
Dairy & non-dairy
Dairy and non-dairy alternatives are essential for many dishes and recipes, and are actually pretty versatile (depending on your level of cooking confidence).
It’s worth ensuring you have a couple of dairy/dairy-alternative products in your fridge to help zhuzh up your weekly menu.
Some things to stock up on:
Milk — dairy or non-dairy depending on your dietary requirements/preferences
Cheese — a block of cheese is typically cheaper than pre-grated (and tastes better), so buy a block and grate when needed
Yoghurt — yoghurts are great for breakfast (think Greek yoghurt bowl with fruit) but are also great for adding into sauces and for making 2-ingredient flatbreads
If you’re friendly with your flatmates, buy communal milk and cheese for everyone to use and take turns purchasing when you run out. It’s better than having 3 of the same milks in the fridge, slowly turning rancid…
Fruits & veg
Fruit and veg is a fundamental part of a student’s diet, or at least, it should be. You need to be eating nutritious food to help beat illness, i.e. the dreaded Freshers’ Flu, but a diet packed full of fruit and veg will also help with your focus in class and studying. That’s what uni is all about, right?
It's a misconception that fruits and vegetables are expensive. In fact, buying them in season makes them quite a bit cheaper. It's also possible to buy them frozen, too. That way they'll keep far longer and you won't have to worry about them going off.
It’s up to you what to buy, but buy what you actually like rather than what you think you need to be eating, because otherwise it will just sit rotting, waiting for you. And waste = waste of money.
Vegetables
Carrots — cooked or eaten raw. Great for bulking out Bolognese or for eating with hummus for a healthy snack.
Onions — last pretty well if stored correctly. Great for adding flavour into almost any dish, also great raw (red onion mostly) in salads, or pickled to add some tang and colour to dishes.
Potatoes — also last well if correctly stored. Great for side dishes: roasties, mashed, wedges, boiled, baked. Great for filling you up.
Broccoli — a very versatile vegetable. Boil, roast, and even air fry for a delicious and healthy side. Great for stir fries.
Beans/pulses — tinned beans (baked, cannellini, kidney) last a while unopened in the cupboard and are a great source of fibre for your diet. Beans on toast, chilli, jacket potatoes…
Frozen veg — retains freshness and easy to chuck straight into the pot or pan!
Fruit
Bananas — another versatile fave! Cheap and cheerful, bananas are great for adding to yoghurt bowls, as a quick snack, or making into healthy banana pancakes once they’re over-ripe.
Oranges — vitamin C is your best friend for tackling any nasty sickness.
Apples — there’s a reason for the saying ‘an apple a day, keeps the doctor away’.
Frozen fruits — chuck into a blender, add yoghurt, water, or juice then voila! A yummy and nutritious smoothie.
Tips to save on food shopping
Our number one tip for saving money on food shopping? Signing up to Student Beans to unlock food and drink student discounts on all your fave brands. You’ll find amazing deals like the Iceland student discount offering money off your first online shop.
Other tips to save on food shopping include:
Compare supermarket prices — we've got the cheapest online supermarket for delivery to help you save even more of your student loan.
Write a shopping list — and stick to it as closely as possible!
Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry — this will only increase the amount of snacks you add to your basket (costing you a lot more than planned!).
Buy frozen
Turn last night’s dinner into today's lunch
Don’t buy the top-name brands — many supermarkets have cheaper brand alternatives that taste the same as the real deal.
Why do students shop at Iceland?
To quote a user on Reddit, ‘When I was a student, I would have starved to death if it wasn’t for Iceland!’
Iceland really has got every student’s back. The budget-saving deals, the huge variety of frozen essentials and treats, the assortment of fresh produce; it’s no surprise that Iceland is a firm fave in uni towns.
Their delivery services are also one of the best supermarket delivery options at the moment, with free next day delivery if you spend £40 or more (minimum order value £25).
They even offer same day delivery depending on the time you place your order. In most cases, you can order same day delivery up to an hour and a half before the slot e.g. if you want a 7:00pm-9:00pm slot, you can book it up until 5:30pm — you’ll need to spend at least £25 to qualify and the delivery will cost £3.80.
Iceland really understands last minute shopping; a student saviour.
Iceland nearest to you
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