Maintaining a healthy diet doesn't have to break the bank. If you can get into the habit of planning your meals and checking what foods you have at home, you can enjoy nutritious meals without spending a fortune. Here are some practical tips to help you eat healthily on a budget.
One of the best ways to save money and time is through batch cooking. By preparing meals in large quantities or multiple meals at once, and portioning it out for future meals, you can significantly reduce your overall food expenses. Not only does this method help you buy ingredients in bulk (which is often cheaper), but it also ensures you always have a healthy meal ready to hand. It can be really valuable to have healthy meals prepped in advance, especially when losing weight, as it can be easy to fall into previously unhealthy habits (such as reaching for a takeaway) when you don’t feel like cooking. To batch cook, start with one hour on the weekend or whenever you can, preparing and cooking your favourite meals. Some good ideas are soups, curries, chilli, bolognese, lasagne, cottage or shepherds pie, pasta bakes, meatballs, pies, stews, or quiche.
Phlo Clinic’s top tips for batch cooking:
It may surprise you, but tinned foods can be incredibly nutritious and are incredibly cheap! Canned vegetables such as peas, green beans, asparagus, tinned tomatoes, fish (and even canned potatoes which are really fast to cook) are not only all affordable but also have a long shelf life, making them a convenient option for healthy eating. Tinned food retains most of its nutrients, so you’re not compromising on quality or nutritional content either. Stock up on items like chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, sardines and salmon to incorporate into your meals. These protein sources of tinned foods can be used in meals such as curries, dahl, beans can be added to chilli, which not only help add plenty of fibre to your meals but also help bulk the meal out so you can get more meals out of it.
When it comes to cereals and other pantry staples, supermarket own brands are often much cheaper than the branded versions. They are also often lower in sugar. Next time you're shopping, compare the prices and you might be surprised at how much you can save without sacrificing nutrition.
Protein, along with fats and carbohydrates, are one of the essential components for a balanced diet, and often the most expensive part of a meal or weekly food shop, but it doesn't have to be. You don’t need to focus on foods labelled as “high in protein” such as protein yoghurts, drinks or bars. In fact, foods like a small cheese snack and baked beans contain decent amounts of protein in them, can be included in a healthy diet as part of meals, and are relatively inexpensive. A cheese snack is convenient and easy to pack for lunch, and baked beans can be added to various meals to increase both protein and fibre into your diet. Other affordable protein sources include eggs, lentils, and low-fat Greek yogurt which you can include in your diet.
Your freezer is a powerful tool for saving money and reducing food waste. You can often find frozen vegetables like mixed peppers, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas and stir fry vegetables, and frozen fruits such as berries, mangoes, and pineapple which are often cheaper and are just as nutritious as fresh ones.
Additionally, freezing leftovers and batch-cooked meals means you can enjoy a variety of dishes without eating the same thing every day. This approach helps you manage portions and reduce the temptation to order takeaways.
Phlo Clinic’s top tips:
Including some low-cost ingredients into your meals can be both delicious and affordable. Here are some ideas to get you started:
By implementing at least some of these suggestions, you can maintain a healthy diet without straining your wallet. Healthy eating on a budget is definitely achievable with a bit of planning, creativity and building new habits.
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