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They may be the most unlikely group to suffer from post-Christmas bulge, but many undergraduates would benefit from a New Year's healthy eating resolution, according to student welfare watchdogs at the University of East London.

Oven chips and "boil-in-the-bag" meals are often the favoured staple diet of students but they can have a less desirable impact on the body and the wallet.

Which is why UEL's senior nurse, Ruth Walters, has produced a booklet containing dozens of ideas for healthy meals and economical food shopping for students who may be a whizz in the laboratory but clueless in the kitchen.

"Students don't follow the basic ideas for saving money. They tend to eat in the bar and buy sandwiches from the Students' Union shop -- both likely to be more expensive than cooking for themselves.

"Nutrition is also not usually uppermost in their minds, and as a result they tend to go for basically unhealthy, junk and convenience food. We have had a few cases of students suffering from diet-related conditions such as iron deficiency and anaemia. Hopefully this booklet will help them avoid that, and save them money," she said.

The guide contains several "homely and tasty" recipes, such as Chicken Supreme using chicken pieces, onion, sweetcorn and a tin of chicken soup, and handy tips like using soya chunks or mince instead of meat.