Healthy Eating on a Budget
Struggling to eat a healthy and balanced diet to fit your budget and busy life? Here are a few tips and tricks to help you out, without compromising on flavour or nutrition!
Specials and seasonal fruit and vegetables
Buying the best quality fruit and veg doesn’t mean you have to splurge or buy organic produce. You can buy good quality produce by:
Hunting out fruit and vegetables that are in season and on special. Currently, apples, pears, broccoli, pumpkins, beans, avocado, grapes, kiwi, and sweet corn are in season (just to name a few).
Heading to the ‘imperfect’ sections that most supermarkets have these days. This is where supermarkets keep the fruit and vegetables that might look a bit funny (we’re talking straight bananas or wonky cucumbers) but are perfectly edible and delicious! Not only are these cheaper, but you’re also preventing food waste by not letting this produce get thrown out.
Be organised, cook big and meal prep!
Make a list! Be sure to know what you’re buying BEFORE you go to the shops. This will help you stick to what you need and prevent buying unnecessary foods. And NEVER go on an empty stomach (I learnt that the hard way).
Buying long-life foods in bulk like oats, pasta, rice and oil will be cheaper than purchasing these foods in smaller quantities. Whilst it does require extra shelf space, I guarantee your bank balance will thank you!
Do it yourself!
Whilst the convenience packs of pre-sliced cheese, yogurt pouches or pre-cut fruit might seem too good to resist, there is a significant price hike between these products and a block of cheese, tub of yoghurt or whole fruit respectively. Not only is it significantly cheaper to buy these whole foods, you’ll also be a bit more eco-friendly by using less plastic in the packaging!
Cook up your dinners or lunches in big batches and keep some for leftovers. Meals like curries, pasta, soups and casseroles are perfect for the fridge or freezer, and when you feel like eating these meals you can quickly cook some rice, pasta or noodles! Making sure to bulk up the dish with vegetables and legumes is a healthy and affordable addition to any meal that can help it go further.
Another handy benefit of cooking leftovers is for those days when you just can’t be bothered to cook… We’ve all been there and felt like some takeaway. The only problem is, ordering in can be expensive. That’s where the curry in the freezer from last week can be the perfect meal for a lazy night.
Meat-free Mondays! (or any day for that matter)
Meat can be expensive. Having a meat-free day throughout the week can be a great way to save on your weekly groceries. It’s important to keep up your protein intake, so make sure to swap in some high-protein vegetarian options like legumes, beans or tofu.
Compare the pear
Comparing the price of fresh vs frozen fruit and veg can be a game changer. If you’re craving some berries in the middle of winter and the only fresh ones are $40/kg, try buying a frozen bag for $10-15/kg. Over time, the savings can really add up.
Written by Andrew Holland for Food Culture
