When money is tight, it’s not always possible to buy the food you want, but healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of nutritious meals that you can make without spending a fortune. Here are some tips for how to ensure healthy eating on a budget.
Plan your meals
Meal planning is a great way to cut down your food costs. Plan your meals for the week, then write a list of all the ingredients you need. This will stop you from buying unnecessary ingredients and helps you avoid having to fork out for emergency takeaways.
Look for special offers and discounts
Have a look for special offers on your favourite items and check the reduced counter for bargains. Look for discount vouchers and sign up for supermarket loyalty cards that allow you to collect points to be used against the cost of your shopping.
Shop around
Supermarkets and shops will have different offers so shop around for the best deals. It can often be cheaper to buy fresh fruit and veg from the local market, especially toward the end of the day when they reduce items.
Buy cheaper cuts of meat
Different cuts of meat will be cheaper than others, and mince is less expensive than joints of meat. It can also work out better value buying a full chicken and then using the meat for multiple meals, rather than paying for individual chicken breasts.
Try frozen or tinned veg
Tinned or frozen fruit and veg can be cheaper than fresh, especially when particular items are not in season. You can also buy tinned or frozen in bulk when it’s on offer because it lasts much longer than fresh. When buying tinned, look out for added sugars and salts and go for those in water or fruit juice instead.
Buy loose fruit and veg
It can be tempting to pick up fruit or veg that has been sliced or diced for you as it saves time. However, this almost always works out more expensive than buying it whole and preparing it yourself. Loose veg is often better value than pre-packaged and is better for the environment too.
Cook with pulses
Peas, chickpeas, beans and lentils are all low calorie, low fat and high in fibre. They are also often some of the cheapest items you can buy. Try making chilli with mixed beans and extra kidney beans instead of using mince.
Eat more veggie meals
Meat can be expensive, even if you go for the cheapest cuts. Increase the use of beans and pulses or grains such as rice, bulgur, couscous or quinoa. These can usually be bought in bulk and work out much cheaper than meat. Eggs and potatoes are also very versatile and inexpensive.
At Morses Club, we understand that making your money stretch can be tough, and planning for those sudden costs isn’t always possible, even when you are careful with your money. We specialise in providing cash loans to cover any financial emergencies that crop up; you can find out more about what we do in our about us section.
