Trinity College Dublin Student Union (TCDSU) has launched a cookbook, printing 500 copies to be available free of charge for students.
The idea for the TCDSU cookbook was first pitched by the union’s Education Officer, Alice MacPherson, as one of her election manifesto points. Compiled in collaboration with DU Food and Drink Society, the cookbook aims to provide students with budget-friendly, nutritious meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
In an email statement to The University Times, TCDSU Communications and Marketing Officer Una Harty explained how Alexander Fitzpatrick, the Chairperson of DU Food and Drink Society, wrote the recipes. Harty took charge of photographing the finished meals and promoting the cookbook on Instagram.
“We decided to hold off launching it until the new year as we wanted to hop on the ‘new year, new you’ concept”, Harty said, adding that “healthy eating is a habit that should be formed early on”.
Though the cookbook will be available free of charge from the front office of House Six for all students, a special emphasis is being placed on distributing the resources amongst first-year students, with a book launch to be held in Trinity Hall next Thursday evening. DU Food and Drink Society will also travel to Halls for the occasion, where a wine-and-cheese reception will be provided for residents.
Harty said that “developing the skills to cook and prepare meals is extremely important as one transitions from secondary school, to college, and then onto the real world”. She predicted that the upcoming exams season will see students stressed and anxious: “Students will be able to perform to the best of their ability academically if they are eating healthy.”
The cookbook contains over twenty recipes, ranging from options as simple as boiled eggs, to guidelines on how to create “The Ultimate Roast Chicken”. Its instructions are clear and concise, and all of the listed ingredients are readily available in supermarkets. Vegetarian recipes are also included, with tips demonstrating how meals can be modified to suit vegan diets to ensure that every student is catered for.
