STUDENT FOOD YOU'LL NEVER EAT AGAIN

When I was at university in the 1970's, like most students today, I survived on the strangest of foods, day in and day out, not to ignore those late night takeaway kebabs, after too much Newcastle Brown in the union bar. A tin of Spam provided a staple meal at weekends, supplemented by Spar baked beans, Smash and a packet of Golden Wonder crisps. I sat around listening to LPs by Leonard Cohen and James Taylor passing away those long Sunday afternoons with Coffee-Mate floating in lumps on the top of my cup of Nescafe. Dairylea cheese triangles on toasted Nimble bread was a highlight for supper, washed down with a chocolate Nesquik or a Vimto, followed by a  cooling Consulate cigarette and a Mars bar, made infamous by Marianne Faithfull.

It was therefore with great interest that I read the recently published article entitled '15 Student Foods You'll Never Eat Again After University'. For those of you that didn't see it, here is the list of  food that sustains our current batch of University students through their three years of 'intense' study:-

1. Ginster's Cornish Pasties
2. Breakfast Cereals, particularly those that colour the milk brown
3. Plain cheese toasties (thin white bread only)
4. Tinned pies, such as Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pie
5. Tins of Lager, the make of which you have never heard of!
6. Tinned hot dogs
7. Fried bits of chicken from some oddly named late night takeaway
8. Kentucky fried chicken
9. Alcopops
10. 15p own brand noodles in a pot
11. Cheesy chips
12. Drinks with made up names, like Red Devil or Snake Bite
13. Tinned breakfasts
14. Curly fries
15. Cheap sauces - tomato. brown, curry, chilli etc.

 On reflection, it is no more odd a list than the one I could compile from the 1970's, and it is true,- once I left that ivory tower of education, I never ate a Wagon Wheel again or drank Southern Comfort!

Finally, while we are on the topic of lists, we all know about the dangers of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes, did you know that you could become addicted to your favourite food? From withdrawal symptoms to changes in brain chemistry, our snacks have surprising ways of keeping us wanting more.  Here is the top five of the world's most addictive foods:-

1. Chocolate
2. Cheese
3. Sugar
4. Burgers
5. Coffee

Food for thought!!