On cooking

One of the biggest adjustments in my life since moving to Glasgow has been the change in the way I eat. I'm used to three (maybe five) square meals a day, prepared lovingly by the hands of the top college dining service in the US. Here, I share a kitchen with four other students, and what and when I eat is totally up to me. 

I've had experience living in apartments and cooking my own meals, so this isn't a totally new experience, but it has still been a big change from how I normally live. Food has always taken up a lot of my time, and now it also takes up a substantial chunk of mental energy and money as well. 

The average American spends about 10% of their per capita disposable income on food, a huge decrease since the 1960s. This is actually because a lot of food prices are artificially low, but regardless it's clear that people spend less money and time on food than they used to. Michael Pollan is one of my favorite authors to learn about the current state of the American diet and why we eat what we do, if you're interested. 

But back to me in Glasgow, where I have the luxury of spending quite a bit of time and money on the food I eat. I shop primarily at Roots, Fruits & Flowers, a local natural foods and produce store, with smaller trips to Waitrose and Sainsbury's for certain items. There's also a Whole Foods on the outskirts of the city, which would be a great place to take advantage of bulk options, but I haven't made it there yet. 

I cook vegetarian for myself, which definitely impacts the way in which I shop, and I like to prioritize organic, fresh, ethically produced food. I'm trying to transition to plantbased cooking, which means no cheese, eggs or milk. Diets with fewer animal products can be very healthy alternatives, and can also save money. I spend the equivalent of about $20-$25 on food every week, and could probably spend less than that since some things last longer than a week. Roots, Fruits & Flowers also offers a student discount, which makes my food even more affordable. Grocery shopping has become a weekly ritual, a problem-solving exercise in budgeting and a way to get in touch with what I'm eating. I plan out my meals for the week on Sundays and shop on Mondays, so I don't buy too much unnecessary food. 

A typical shopping list for me includes: 

-Fresh fruit (oranges are delicious and seasonal right now) 

-Onions and garlic 

-Greens (I like kale or spinach; sometimes beet greens, and I freeze them to keep them fresh)

-Dried fruit and nuts for snacking 

-Chocolate (I keep a bar for snacks on the go, or have a bit for dessert; I like Green & Blacks because they're organic and fair trade)

-Grains (I alternate between quinoa, pasta or sometimes rice, and I buy oats to make porridge for breakfast during the weeks)

-Vegetables (zucchini, potato, beet and pepper are generally on rotation)  

-Peanut butter (Meridian is good; peanut butter is easier to find here than on the Continent) 

-Almond milk or oat milk (I've been making turmeric milk at night) 

-Beans 

-Condiments (spices, sundried tomatoes, pasta sauce, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, etc. to make things yummier) 

-Olive and coconut oils for cooking 

-Bread from a local bakery (I just put it in a reusable bag) 

Planning meals has made it easier for me to decide what to cook, but I've made some adventurous forays into following recipes as well, which is new for me. I generally do some variation on sauteed vegetables and a grain like quinoa or pasta, but I've also liked this post for recipe inspiration. I've enjoyed tacos and beans and greens on toast a lot as well.

I've also been baking a little -- this granola (modified slightly from this recipe), and these scones, which are lovely for breakfast and snacks. 

I try to shop as zero-waste as possible and buy as much as I can in glass, but some things are really hard to find unpackaged (again, a trip to Whole Foods might change this), especially since produce isn't really a thing at farmers' markets right now because it's winter. 

Having to spend so much time thinking about food isn't a chore for me -- actually, it's shown me how much I love cooking. Cooking meals for myself also saves money and puts me in total control of my health -- although I definitely miss grabbing fries from a self-serve line, cooking has made food an important and empowering part of being in Glasgow.