Healthy eating 'is not expensive'

Students have been told by a leading health expert that eating healthily does not have to be expensive.

Registered Dietician and Spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, Rachel Cooke, has said that savvy shopping skills can help students to still eat a balanced diet on a budget.

University goers should base their meals on starchy foods such as cereals, oats, pasta, noodles, rice and couscous, with wholegrain varieties providing the best health benefits, Ms Cooke commented.

'Own-brand products are usually just as nutritious as premium brands and students may be able to make great savings - or buy in bulk with a friend,' she advised.

Ms Cooke noted that many first-year students 'often gain unwanted weight and lack many of the essential vitamins and minerals in their diets making them more likely to succumb to colds and flu.'

Students should ensure they are getting enough vegetables into their diet whether it is frozen, tinned or dried, Ms Cooke concluded.

A recent study by Elsevier science journal found that female university students are likely to gain 5kg (11lb) in their first year, The Times reports.