There’s still a huge misconception that eating healthily equates to splurging on lots of health and super foods, strange fruits and vegetables that you didn’t even realise existed, and generally just spending a lot of money. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Considering the rising price of takeaways, eating out or on the go and convenience food, eating healthily has never been so cheap – as long as you are willing to put some effort into cooking. Here are a few ideas to get you on the right track to eating well for less.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are your best friends
That means no pre-cut packaged nonsense either. The fruit and vegetable section is often the cheapest in the supermarket – with the exception of some fruits. So stock up and buy in season produce to make the most of your money. Typically in a weekly shop, my fruit and veg list would contain garlic, red onions, potatoes, broccoli, courgette, mushrooms tomatoes, apples, pineapple and kiwis – and in most supermarkets, this should not equate to much more than £10. Packs of frozen fruit and veg are also great for smoothies, bulk cooking or those dinners you need in a hurry. Finally, don’t forget the canned section either – canned chickpeas, lentils, red kidney and black beans are some of my go-tos to add fibre and calories to a meal whilst still being both cheap and healthy.
Steer clear of ready meals, on the go lunches, processed and pre-prepped food
Yes – that includes oven chips, microwavable Spag Bol, that one-off lunch from Pret and the chuck-in-the-oven breaded chicken burgers. All of these can be made so much cheaper from scratch and will be ten times healthier, but just require a little more time and effort in the kitchen. Prep your lunches on a Sunday for the week ahead and you won’t have to splurge £8 on a lunch that you could’ve made yourself for £2. Buy the ingredients to make your own burgers and chips or spaghetti bolognese. You can still eat all of your favourite foods, but with more control over what ingredients are used, therefore resulting in often healthier meals for a fraction of the price.
Base your meals around one or two meat/fish/meat substitute items
The meat and fish section is where a food shop can get more pricey. By basing your meals for the week around one or two of these items, you’ll reduce your shopping bill and avoid wasting any food. For example, if I decided to buy a pack of chicken thighs and vegan mince for the week – my meals might be vegan bolognese, vegan chilli, chicken korma, chicken fajitas and chicken pesto pasta. This way, I have only picked a couple of more expensive items, spending maybe £7, whilst providing enough food and variety to last the entire week. Don’t forget, it’s also advantageous to both the environment, your health and your wallet to have some meals without meat, fish, or meat substitute. For example, stuffed mushrooms, peppers or butternut squash are tasty ways to incorporate more vegetables into your meals and reduce your food budget.
Be snack savvy
Finally, buying snacks on the go can seem cheap at the time, but they can add up. Buying snacks in bulk during your weekly shop and packing them each day is a great way to avoid spending that extra bit of money. Rice cakes, apples, nuts and dried fruit and occasionally some chocolate are all great snacks that can easily be carried around during the day and don’t cost much.
I hope this provides you with some food for thought and some ways to eat healthily on a budget.
Until next time,
Abi x