Only the looming threat of exams could explain why my friends and I spent the best part of an hour attempting to describe the exact texture of an Aldi carrot cake. It was a fairly standard cake. Tasty, but with a consistency bordering on the sublime. We racked our brains (and synonyms.com) to find the word that truly encapsulated the exact crumb texture: moist, gungy, viscous and mildewed were some of the more desperate suggestions, but the question remained unanswered.

“Fry onions, not brain cells.”

I suppose it taught me that procrastination knows no bounds, but I also suggest that we embrace the distraction that good food can give us in trying times, not only as much-needed fuel, but as a way to wind down. If, like me, you have long exams which inconveniently span the whole of the lunchtime period, you might find cooking a simple meal to be the perfect form of mindful relaxation: it gives your brain half an hour to slow down and recompose itself in preparation for the second leg of the test.

Fry onions, not brain cells.

So, put down that depressing, slightly stale Mainsbury’s meal deal and try some of these recipes instead, either as mid-exam lunches or easy dinners to re-energise a revision-numbed brain.

Peanut noodles

The return of indoor dining saw us knocking on the door of Sala Thong, desperate for some Pad Thai. But before that, there was a long, agonising wait... one which forced me to come up with a heavily bastardised version of the dish. I make no claims to authenticity, but I can guarantee that these noodles take comfort food to the next level: chewy, peanutty and underscored with ginger, ideal for when you’re tired, hungry and desperate to escape the library. I tend to buy peanut butter that is 100% nuts, as not only is it palm oil free, it’s (unsurprisingly) nuttier and not too sweet. Some brands are annoyingly pricey, but this is where Aldi comes into its own – take a trip up the hill, and while you’re there, go next door to the Chinese supermarket and look for noodles. I like something thick and textured, like ho fun or Japanese udon to really catch the sauce, but this is supposed to be an easy dinner, so use whatever you have going. Adding greenery is a (nutritious) optional extra although by no means a necessity — for me, the glossy peanut sauce is undoubtedly the centrepiece.

Mexican-ish roast veggies

Of all my possessions, it is the £4 roasting tin that sparks the most joy. I bought it when I was freezing cold and dripping wet after an optimistic trip to the lido, and it has served me well. Roasting tin dinners are my favourite; you just throw everything in with a little cheap olive oil and spices, then wait — the only further action is making sure the oven doesn’t switch off. The array of colourful veg provides vital brain-boosting nutrients to power you through the exam period. Here, I’ve suggested topping them with crumbly cheddar cheese, but make it your own: feta would work nicely, or you could bake halloumi chunks or even chicken in with the veg. Enjoy on its own or wrapped up in a tortilla with a drizzle of yoghurt.

“I also suggest that we embrace the distraction that good food can give us in trying times, not only as much-needed fuel, but as a way to wind down.”

Summer chicken salad

I felt rather smug making this lunch — it just looked so fresh and pretty. Spending 15 minutes cooking the chicken and prepping the salad really helped me relax in the middle of my exam, and it felt like a productive break (not least because I got to eat the fruits of my labour). Pan frying the chicken is quick and easy, but it really elevates the salad into something a bit more special; otherwise I often fall back on the reliable (albeit boring) dollop of hummus when seeking lunchtime protein. This salad is quite light, as I was slightly concerned about falling asleep in the exam, but by all means, use it (or the leftovers) to fill a wrap or pitta.

Eggs in pots

I remember my mum making these when I was younger: we called them baked eggs, but YouTube recently showed me a clip from TV cook Rachel Khoo, who used the French name, oeufs en cocotte —or, eggs in pots to you and me. I love Rachel Khoo’s videos: apart from the recipe inspiration, watching her cook slightly frantically from her tiny Paris kitchen is relatable to anyone who has struggled with the culinary constraints of a college gyp. Like most egg dishes, this is incredibly simple, and the 15-20 minute wait time is offset by the minimal washing up — just one ovenproof cereal bowl into which I crack both eggs, although for added cuteness, you may prefer to use an individual ramekin for each egg. My favourite part is the swirl of crème fraîche at the bottom, but I recommend making additions: anything you’d like in an omelette should work in these —ham, mozzarella and spinach spring to mind. I went for goat’s cheese, chilli and sundried tomatoes. The obvious accompaniment is crusty bread to dip in the runny yolks but sticks of pepper or cooked asparagus are delicious too.