Healthy Eating on a Budget
Posted by Deborah Read on Thursday 2 February 2012 in Health and Beauty & Finance
We all know we need to eat our 5 a day, but with pay freezes, increased living costs and tighter budgets is it really possible? Fresh fruit and veg can easily add up, especially for a family of four who want to eat 20 different bits of fruit and veg a day! Luckily, we have put together a list of top tips for eating on a budget.
Go cold
Did you know that frozen fruit and vegetables have the same nutritional value as fresh and are often much cheaper. Beware though, some veggies and fruit don’t taste as nice from frozen so pick and choose which ones to go with. These are then easy to store, leave little waste as you only use what you need and keep for months. They’re also handy if you’re out of fresh veggies for a meal.
Go Veggie
Statistics show that vegetarians are healthier than meat eaters and meat can be expensive. Choose to eat less meat or make one vegetarian meal a week. This will save some money whilst also adding extra veggies to your diet. Remember to add pulses and beans so you still get the nutrition meat would otherwise give you. Get recipe ideas here
Spot the bargain
Some supermarkets do deals and discounts on five separate fruit and veg combinations, whilst others offer discounts on a range of veggies so if you can afford to, shop around and see where the bargains can be had. Beware of heavily discounted fruit and veg though, check their expiry dates! If you have time and transport, shop around for your groceries, getting your fruit and veg in a market, your frozen goods at the frozen food store and your meat at the butchers.
Tin Up!
Tinned foods like fish are still healthy whilst also being less expensive. Add Tuna or Salmon to pasta and veg for a healthy, easy meal. Stock up on tinned tomatoes and pulses like kidney beans. Tinned tomatoes make a good tomato source too, which can lead to spaghetti bolognaise, a pasta source or even a pizza base.
Eat Seasonally
Eating seasonally is a cheaper way to eat your five a day and ensures that your diet is varied so you’re getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Seasonal veg is cheaper as it’s in season, meaning that it’s there’s more of it around and therefore easier to transport and get hold of.
Do It Yourself
Instead of buying an expensive lunch, make your own. It enables you to use up left overs, whilst you’re in complete control of your diet. There are loads of interesting meal ideas on the internet and in recipe books which keep your ideas fresh, your body healthy and your budget on track! Take a look at allrecipes for some healthy ideas!
Cook from Scratch
Cooking really isn’t that hard and basic dishes are easy to manage. Take time to plan your meals, thinking about what ingredients you will have left over and what you can use. Also, invest in a few cook books and see what you can create. Until then, here are a few tips.
Oats are an amazing ingredient, especially for breakfast. Oats release energy slowly, keeping you fuller and stopping you from snacking. Oats are also relatively cheap and quite versatile. Eat hot as porridge or add to Greek yoghurt and honey for an awesome breakfast and great start to the day.
Pasta is so versatile that it’s a good idea to have some in your cupboards. Choose wholegrain pastas if possible as these are better for you. Add pesto, cheese source or a tomato source with veggies as a basic, simple meal.
Over Ripe Fruit are great for steamed puddings, crumbles and jams.
Find recipes at deliciousmagazine, NHS and the British Heart Foundation
Discover Your Green Finger
If you have time, try growing your own veggies. This not only means you’ll eat delicious fruit and vegetables but you can be proud of your meals too. It encourages fussy children to try what’s been grown and is a very satisfactory experience. Read more here on growing your own veg.
Final Tips
Stick to the list- Write a list before shopping and stick to it at the supermarket, no matter what unhealthy things they have on offer.
Own brands- Buy own brands at the supermarket, you’ll pay less for what is essentially the same product.
Don’t shop whilst hungry- it’s been proven that shopping when you’re hungry means you’ll buy more items which may get wasted.
Tap Water- drink tap water, it’s free, cheap and excellent for your skin. If you don’t like the taste of tap water, use a cordial.
1 Comment
Duke says:
Good tips. Will put it use and see how i get. I'm not sure about going veggie though.. i love meat :-)
Posted 3rd February 2012
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