Ten Tips To Healthy Eating on a Budget

Eating can be expensive, and let’s face it, in these tough economic times we have to be careful with how we spend our money. The good news is that eating well and saving money don’t have to be mutually exclusive. By combining the two you can discover some simple habits that will help keep you, and your piggy bank, fuller for longer.

Check out our top ten hints designed to help save you money as well as keep your health in check!

1. Try having a vegetarian meal a few times a week. Not only will you be saving money on meat, but you will be trying new dishes and varying the types of food you eat. It may sound hard if your used to a diet full of meat, but start out by making hearty meals such as stews and bakes where it is harder to notice the absence of meat. Many a-time I have tricked my very carnivorous father into eating meat-free meals, simply by replacing mince with TVP.

2. Get creative with your leftovers, instead of throwing them out. Chicken bones can be boiled up with some herbs and spices and made into your own stock. An omelet can be made from throwing in various leftovers from the fridge, bits of roast, vegetables, pasta, olives…whatever you can find. Stale bread can be crumbled and added to mince to ‘thicken’ it out and make it go further.

3. Take a look at websites which offer coupons for their products. Coupons are an untapped source, as many people don’t want to take the time to cut them out. Either do a quick search for your favorite food brand and check out their website, or take a look at your local paper for local stores offering discount coupons. Organic food is very expensive at the best of times, so it might be worth taking a look at these sites which offer printable coupons for their products: http://www.organicvalley.coop/coupons and http://www.horizonorganic.com/

4. Fresh fruit and vegetables are costly but an absolute necessity for a well balanced diet. Additionally, they can go off too fast meaning wasted money. The solution to this is to buy frozen vegetables (and some fruits such as berries). It has been shown that frozen fruit and vegetables are as nutritionally beneficial as fresh. Just avoid the seasoned or sauced packs which may contain hidden ingredients.

Take a look at some of the frozen vegetables on the FoodEssentials database. According to their fiber content, I would recommend trying out the Ultimate Southwest Blend, plus the Deluxe Vegetables blend looks pretty good also.

5. Take advantage of when your local supermarket discounts the price of its food. My mum found out that our local supermarket cut its prices on Monday evening and she would follow the assistant, at an inconspicuous distance, around the store as the yellow discount stickers were slapped onto meat and breads. Just be careful not to buy things you don’t really need just because it’s discounted!

6. Instead of snacking on crisps and sweets, which can be expensive and unhealthy, think of new (and healthier) ways to fill up when your feeling hungry. Try roasting chickpeas in the oven, sprinkled with spices and garlic. Or for a sweeter snack, freeze grapes and orange segments to munch on. A favorite of mine is homemade hummus. Blend a can of chickpeas with a fresh lemon juice, salt, olive oil and a few garlic cloves. It’s really quick to make, cheap and it lasts for ages. Here are a couple more healthy snack ideas

7. Make your own bread! It is surprisingly easy, and very satisfying eating your own homemade loaf knowing exactly what has gone into it. Take a look at this site which has a thorough rundown of the components of break making and some delicious looking recipes. You can always freeze your bread too, that way you will always have bread on hand, and you will be sure not to waste any.

8. Drink water! Swap expensive soft drinks with a glass of H2O. If plain water sounds a bit dull add some lemon, apple slices, or drink soda water, which is still cheaper than soda.

9. Utilize dried beans and lentils, they are cheap, filling, and very nutritious. Dried beans and lentils are a lot cheaper than their tinned counterparts. It does require a bit of preparation however, since you must soak the beans overnight before using them, but financially, it pays off. Add them to a pasta dish or casserole to stretch it further.

10. Take a look around your neighborhood to see if there are any farmers markets. These are great because not only is the food cheaper than at the supermarkets , but in a lot of cases you actually get to meet the farmers who have grown the food you eat. We head to our local weekend farmers market on Sunday at about 3pm when the market is about to close, that’s when the prices drop like crazy as everyone tries to get rid of their produce. We have come home with bags full of fresh fruit and vegetables for a fraction of the cost of what it would be in the supermarket.

These tips are just the start, once you get the hang of making little changes to the way you eat and shop you will notice the difference – not only with cost, but with your health. If you have any hints or tips to add be sure to let us know!

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