You can eat well - even if your budget is limited
There is lots of advice out there to help you make the most of your food budget. For example, Jack Monroe has blogged about her experience of cooking as a single mum on a low budget. It's packed with over 700 low cost recipes - many of which feed a family for under £1 per meal.
Here are her 5 top tips for eating well on a budget:
1. Check what you have in your fridge, freezer, and store cupboard
Before shopping, write down what you have in four categories (Proteins, Carbs, Fruit & Veg, Flavours). Search for simple recipes to use up these ingredients. Now you can draw up a list of exactly what you need to buy.
2. Don’t be afraid to swap ingredients in recipes
Recipes are rough ideas - don't be afraid to experiment. Many expensive ingredients can be replaced with cheaper alternatives. For example, powdered milk goes further than fresh and one packet of dried mixed herbs can be used in many recipes rather than buying individual herbs.
3. Go meat-free two or three days a week to cut your food bills down
Vegetable based meals are cheaper and you they will help you reach your 5 a day target.
4. Buying in bulk doesn’t always mean foods are cheaper
Look at the price per 100g, rather than the overall price printed on the packet, to see which is better value for money.
5. Finally, know which bit of the supermarket is best for each item
For example, tinned food can be great value for money and some fruit and veg is much cheaper if you buy it from the freezer section.
Read the full article here
Healthy Eating
Try and base your meals on the NHS Eatwell Guide.
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5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
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Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
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Include low fat/sugar dairy or dairy alternatives
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Include protein (pulses, eggs, meat) and eat fish 2x a week
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Small amounts of unsaturated oils and spreads
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Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day
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Limit foods & drinks which are high in fat, salt or sugar
Simply Veg
Simply Veg is a free resource, packed full of tips, hacks, advice and giveaways to make it as easy as possible for you to serve affordable veg-packed meals that your family will love.
