Cheap Eats

Healthy food does not have to be expensive.....though it is true that if you have more money then you have more choice, but as a single parent looking after your family on a limited budget you can still shop wisely and eat healthy food at reasonable prices. Below are some tips of how you can eat good healthy food at low cost.
 

• When cooking a meal make extra and freeze some portions, this works especially well, with stews, curry, bolognaise etc. It doesn’t cost a lot more and it means you have ready meals for when you don’t feel like cooking.
   
• Did you know that some tins of veg are full of nutrients such as iron, fibre, protein and frozen veg can be better for you than fresh? Commercially processed fruits and vegetables are often canned or frozen at the farm immediately after harvesting. This promptness often preserves more nutrients than can be found in fresh fruits and vegetables that have been improperly stored in transit, at the market or at home.
   
• If you want fresh, organic fruit and veg, see if there is a local box scheme that supplies/ delivers locally produced and fresh fruit and veg at affordable prices.
  Try eating less meat, have it as a treat a couple of times a week, nutritionally humans don’t need it everyday in fact too much meat can be unhealthy and expensive.
   
• If you do like meat, try to find a local butcher often their meat is cheaper and better quality than supermarkets. If possible find a butcher that sells locally produced meat.
   
• If you do not have good shops locally and do not have transport see if you can share the price of a taxi with a friend so you can do a big shop at somewhere affordable with a god selection.
   
• Buy veg that is in season, it is cheaper and would have travelled less air miles so is probably fresher.
   
• Limit processed ready meals, they are expensive and often contain additives, salt and sugar.
   
• Buy rice and pasta in bulk, it’s cheaper and you’ll always have something in.
  Look for reduced offers of items such as bread buy more than you need and freeze the rest.
   
• For a great healthy eating planner and recipes try this tool from the NHS - 5-a-day
   
• Also come and share some of your favourite recipes in Food Glorious Food