Healthy eating on a budget        

Eating a healthy and balanced diet doesn’t mean you always need to buy the most expensive foods.

By making a few small changes to our daily lifestyles we can eat healthily, while saving money and reducing food waste at the same time.

Here are some ideas for foods that are healthy, tasty and best of all, won’t break the bank!

Reach for the freezer

Keep a supply of frozen fruit and vegetables in the freezer. They tend to be cheaper than fresh fruit and vegetables but still count towards your five-a-day. Plus you can use them when you want which cuts down on wastage.

Tins win

Tinned oily fish like sardines and salmon can be cheaper than buying fresh fish. They still contain heart-friendly omega 3 fats, are simple to prepare and have a long shelf life. Opt for ones in spring water to keep the salt to a minimum. 

Stock up on store cupboard staples

Canned tomatoes, beans and dried pulses are cheap and count towards your five-a-day. Beans on toast make a healthy lunch, but try to choose ones with less sugar and salt.

There’s a whole variety of other beans and pulses to choose from too, all of which are great for adding bulk to casseroles, stews or salads.

Go seasonal

Fresh fruit and veg in season taste great and are cheaper too! Leftovers can be turned into tasty homemade vegetable soups or fruit salads. Overripe soft fruits are also great combined with frozen berries to make delicious smoothies.

Take your own lunch

Make your own healthy packed lunch. Not only will you save pounds each week, you’ll be in control of what you eat. Leftovers also make delicious, cheap and healthy alternatives to high fat and salt laden microwave lunch meals.

Oats the way to go

Breakfast is an important start to the day and porridge is a great choice. It’s cheap, and has no added salt or sugar. If you don’t fancy hot cereal, try mixing oats with plain low fat yogurt and some grated apple and cinnamon.

Waist not want not

Keep an eye on your portion sizes and try not to cook more than you need. Measure out foods like pasta and rice before you cook rather than guessing portions. Not only good for saving money, but also better for your waist line!

Go Italian!

Pasta is another store cupboard essential that is both filling and cheap. It can be used in lots of different dishes like spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne or minestrone soup. Go for wholegrain options if possible.

Pop down to the market

Fresh fruit and veg can be cheaper if you buy them from the local market rather than the supermarket. By selecting loose fresh produce, you can buy a greater variety of fruit and vegetables, and cut down on waste packaging at the same time.

Veg out

Vegetables tend to cost less than meat, so why not try adding more vegetables to your meat based meals. The meat will go further saving you money and it’ll help cut down on the saturated fat too.

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