Flying all the way to Bournemouth from Texas for University, I had plenty of concerns, the first of them being, “What am I supposed to eat??” While English food isn’t too different from American food, recognising the names of popular restaurants, snacks, and grocery stores took some getting used to.

Not too far from the university is a high street in Winton, where I’m able to do all of my grocery shopping. Lidl, a discount supermarket with student-friendly prices, is where I find most of the things on my shopping list. Nuts, cereals, fresh produce, ready-to-eat bakery items, and my absolute weakness, an ever-stocked chocolate section make Lidl my first stop when food shopping. Admittedly, I can’t always find everything I’m looking for at Lidl, so Waitrose is usually my next stop. Waitrose is a bit pricier, but I can always find the more peculiar things on my list there, like almond milk, almond butter (…I like almonds), along with basic household and bathroom items. If you’re here for a while, signing up for a Waitrose card is a good idea! It’s completely free, and pairs you up with a complimentary tea or coffee once you’ve done your shopping, which is always nice when it’s chilly out!

These of course aren’t the only options; ASDA is a much larger supermarket in town accessible by bus, and Tesco is easy to find as well.

Between the plethora of grocery stores, fish and chip shops, pizza places, and a surprising amount of Indian food places, eating healthy and well in Bournemouth is easy. Even if you’re too busy studying, the food on campus is great as well, so yummy food is never too far away!

by Alex Parker