As the evenings get darker, I need a bowl of something hot, warm and comforting. These cravings began in my second year of university. Between commuting to and from a work placement, to sports training in the evenings, I didn’t have much time to spend in the kitchen.

I’m definitely someone who gets hangry, so after an eight hour day and 30 minute cycle each direction, cooking was not an option on the table. There’s only so many frozen pizzas I could consume, and unfortunately, no matter how much I might have liked to have my mum as my roommate, she couldn’t move into my flat. Whilst batch cooking and freezing is a great technique, there is nothing quite like returning home from work or class to the instant smell of a meal that tastes like home.

So this is when our meet-cute happened. Let me introduce you to my unexpected love affair with a slow cooker.

When I was presented with this appliance, I almost laughed: in no internet guide was this a student essential. And yet I tried it.

I’m much more of a morning person, so I would chop up any veggies and meat, throw them in with stock, and pop the slow cooker on low. I would head out for the day, and return to jealous housemates huddled in the kitchen. I could sit, and eat immediately: no thoughts, no stress, no waiting. The years I spent as a child dreading dinners of stew or shepherd’s pie simmered away.

It does take some planning, just it didn’t involve rushing home and deciding what to eat before dashing back out again. If you’re more of a night owl, you can prep things the night before, then switch the cooker on once you’re ready. People even make desserts using them!

My go-to meal was slow cooked bolognese. I’d use actual steaks, which became melt-in-the-mouth tender. If you’re feeling fancy add some red wine as well as stock, but the best part is you can add the pasta towards the end rather than boiling it separately.

Three winters later, I have tried countless meals in my slow cooker and even got a recipe book for it last Christmas. Whilst you might not find it on any other student guide, this was my kitchen lifesaver.