EATING ON A BUDGET
With the rising cost of food prices, especially fresh produce, making healthy food choices can seem especially challenging. Here are some easy tips to ensure you are still meeting your nutrition goals without breaking your budget.
“Eating well on a budget isn’t just about saving money; it’s about investing in your health and happiness.”
Utilise Frozen Vegetables & Fruits
While nothing beats fresh for taste and texture, frozen veg and fruit do have their place and are cost effective. Frozen vegetables are picked at optimal ripeness and then after brief steaming/blanching (to stop veg from spoiling) are snap frozen within 24 hours of harvesting. As a result, frozen veg is kept in a nutrient stable state for several months when stored correctly (keep in an airtight bag). Frozen veggies are also a wonderful way to incorporate variety with many vegetable mixes now available on the market. To maximise texture and heat sensitive nutrients such as Vitamin C and B vitamins, it is best to cook them using minimal water such as stir-frying or steaming, and do not thaw before cooking. Likewise frozen fruits such as berries, mango and banana are snap frozen and come out on top nutritionally to fresh fruit that is more than a few days old. What you do lose is texture, so utilise frozen fruits for smoothies, overnight oats, topping yoghurt or for baking.
Make it stand out
Love Your Legumes
Canned and dried legumes pack a nutritional punch being rich in plant protein, dietary fibre, B vitamins and several minerals, yet are incredibly cheap compared to other protein sources. Dried legumes (other than lentils) require pre-soaking and cooking, while canned are extremely convenient just requiring a quick rinse before using but do look for those with no-added-salt to keep sodium levels down. Add to salads, soups, casseroles and curries to add bulk and protein or try swapping half the meat in your favourite dishes such as Bolognese with a can of legumes as a great way to keep overall cost down.
Affordable Seafood
The cost of fresh seafood can be inhibitive. Canned seafood such as canned salmon, tuna and sardines are a cost-effective way to include seafood in the diet being ideal to add to salads, wraps and fritters. While canned fish does contain less omega 3’s than their fresh counterparts, canned salmon and sardines (with bones) are a good source of calcium. Do opt for plain fish in spring water or olive oil as they do not contain the additives found in flavoured varieties and are lower in sodium. Likewise frozen seafood is often less expensive than fresh, and major supermarkets now stock a wide range of frozen seafood such as fish fillets, prawns and calamari. Again, choose plain varieties over those with coatings or sauces, which can add to the fat, sodium and kilojoule content.
Other Budget Tips
Buy larger (rather than smaller or individual) quantities of pantry staples with a long shelf life such as grains (e.g., brown rice, quinoa) or dairy products such as yoghurt.
Plan your meals for the week ahead and write a shopping list to reduce wastage.
Incorporate any leftovers into other meals, i.e., use leftover veg from dinner in the next day’s lunchtime salad.
Freeze any fruit (such as berries, bananas) that is getting past its prime, ready to add to smoothies.
Buy fruit and vegetables when in season and locally grown, rather than buying expensive imports from the supermarket.
In the end, remember that with a little planning, creativity, and a dash of resourcefulness, eating on a budget can not only save your wallet but also nourish your body and soul.
