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13 Ways To Eat Well For Less

Can you eat healthily and still save money? You can! With these tips you can eat well, without having to spend a fortune.

If the cost is putting you making changes to your diet, don’t worry. There are options to eat well on a budget. These tips will work well alongside your fitness routine or things like weightloss medication wegovy to help you lose weight, as well as feel more energised and healthier.

  1. Write a shopping list. Create a weekly meal plan that uses up the ingredients that you already have and make a shopping list of anything you’re missing. Don’t shop when you’re hungry, are you’re likely to spend more and buy foods that are high-fat and high in sugar.
  2. Waste nothing. The average family throws away a lot of good food every month, which is a waste of money. Only buy what you will actually eat. Plan your meals so all the ingredients on your list get used. Freeze anything you don’t use, and keep a stock of food bags and boxes for leftvovers.
  3. Eat leftovers for lunch. Cook some extra portions of your evening meal so you can have leftovers for lunch the next day. You can also freeze leftovers, so you have a stock of homemade meals ready to go.
  4. Buy frozen foods. Frozen fruits and vegetables often get overlooked. They come pre-chopped and ready to cook, are just as good for you as fresh (as long as you check they don’t have added salt, sugar, or fat), and are often cheaper too. Frozen veg is picked when it’s fresh and are then frozen to seal in the nutrients.
  5. Try cheaper brands. You can save money by buying cheaper brands than you normally would. There’s often not much difference between the value and premium ranges, except the packaging.
  6. Eat more vegetables. Meat and fish are usually the most expensive items on your shopping list. You could save some money by adding more vegetables into meat dishes, like stews and casseroles, to make your meals go further and up your vegetable intake. You can also eat vegetarian a couple of days a week to keep your costs down further. Meat-Free Monday can be a fun way to eat more vegetables, save money, and try more recipes.
  7. Cook with pulses. Pulses, like beans, lentils, and peas are very cheap. These pulses are low in calories and fat, but are full of good things like fibre, vitamins, and minerals, and will count towards your five a day. Use pulses in your recipes instead of some chicken or other meat, such as in chilli con carne with kidney beans, or a chicken curry with chickpeas.
  8. Freeze leftover bread. Bread is one of the foods that gets wasted the most. Cut down on bread waste by freezing it in portions. Store the bread in an airtight container, like a freezer bag, to avoid freezer burn.
  9. Know your kitchen. Know which is in your kitchen cupboards, fridge, and freezer. You might find that you already have enough ingredients in to make a meal. Plan your meals for the week in advance to include the ingredients that you know you already have in and avoid buying items that you already have. Check your use-by dates to make sure you use up all the ingredients before they go off to avoid waste.
  10. Buy cheaper cuts. If you don’t mind taking more time over your cooking, buy a cheaper cut of meat to save money. Cheaper cuts, like braising steak, shin, or shoulder mean you don’t have to miss out on a tasty meal. Slow cooking will break down the fibres in a cheaper cut of meat, so it tastes great at a much lower cost.
  11. Look up cheaper recipes. Cheap doesn’t mean less tasty. There are a lot of websites that have lots of great recipes for cheap meals and using up leftovers.
  12. Eat smaller portions. Try eating smaller portions by turning down a second helping or using smaller plates when you dish up. You will have more leftovers to save for another day, and your waistline will appreciate it too. Weigh or measure staple ingredients like pasta and rice when you cook to keep your portion sizes under control and cut down on waste.
  13. Cook from scratch. Save money by ordering in less. Prepare and cook your own meals, which is much cheaper than ordering in or buying ready meals. It’s also easier to eat healthily as you have control over what goes into your meals.

Written by Eric

37-year-old who enjoys ferret racing, binge-watching boxed sets and praying. He is exciting and entertaining, but can also be very boring and a bit grumpy.