Healthy eating on a budget
Healthy eating on a budget can seem quite difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Meal planning, careful shopping and the types of cooking we do will help save money on food bills plus help us eat a healthier diet.
Shopping
- Before shopping plan your weekly menu and write a shopping list, it helps reduce unnecessary buying.
- Try and shop weekly, if we shop more than this we tend to spend more on unnecessary items.
- Buy foods that can be used for lunches and snacks, this is cheaper than buying them from cafes.
- If possible avoid shopping with kids or a partner and never shop when hungry - these lead to impulse buying.
Fruit and vegetables
- Buy fruit and vegetables from the market or local green grocer, as they are generally cheaper than supermarkets and always buy seasonally, for best flavour and prices.
- Frozen and canned options are often cheaper than fresh and are equally nutritious - choose canned varieties that are packed in juice and have low levels of added salt.
- If buying in bulk many fruit and vegetables can be frozen, stewed and bottled or made into jam or chutney.
Grains and cereals
- Uncooked rice is significantly cheaper than the precooked alternatives. Brown rice is filling, but often children don’t like it so basmati is a great option – it has a low GI, so is filling and provides longer lasting energy.
- Choose wholegrain breakfast cereals, such as Weet-Bix; they are filling and more nutritious than other cereals which are higher in sugar.
- Pasta is an economical food, which many children enjoy. Adding a pasta sauce and vegetables will turn pasta into a very nutritious meal - full of nutrients and fibre.
Meat and meat substitutes
- Meat can be an expensive component of our grocery bill. A great way to bulk out a meal is to reduce the amount of meat we have and add legumes such as lentils, chickpeas or beans. Often they will not be noticed in meals such as soups, stews or spaghetti bolognaise. Alternatively try replacing the meat altogether with legumes and go vegetarian once or twice a week.
- Canned fish is a cheaper alternative to fresh fish and salmon, vegetables and pasta make a great easy meal.
Fluids
- Avoid buying soft drinks or fruit juice. Water is healthier and free. If you struggle to drink water, add a few drops of lemon or lime juice, a slice of orange or lemon or some fresh herbs, such as mint.
- When buying milk the budget brands are just as good as the more expensive brands. Avoid flavoured milk as they are more expensive and contain additional sugar
Leftovers
- When preparing meals, cook extra portions of chilli, spaghetti bolognaise or other sauce recipes and freeze. These make a quick and easy meal for those days when you are running late, just add pasta and frozen vegetables. It is cheaper and healthier than buying takeaways.
- Small amounts of lemon juice, milk, coconut milk, tomato paste or pesto, all freeze really well in ice block containers and then into small plastic bags.
- Use leftovers so that they don’t go to waste. They can be eaten for lunch the next day or added to other ingredients for another dinner.