Can You Eat Healthy Without Going Broke?

Fresh Fruit

A common question our clients ask once we’ve designed their new household budget is how the heck can we eat healthy without going broke? Sound familiar? Living from a budget doesn’t mean you must settle for a cheap diet of canned tuna, rice, and French fries.  

With a little forethought and preparation, you can eat healthier than ever without sending your account into the negative.

Here are 6 ways to do it: 

1. Start Cooking

You don’t have to be Gordon Ramsay or even Jamie Oliver – but you do need to get back in the kitchen and cook your own food. Every meal. Stop buying your lunches while you’re out. Stop ‘grabbing dinner’ on your way home. Learn to cook, and get the family involved so they can learn to cook with you. Start small committing to a week at a time and build up your confidence as you go – once you’re a pro you might then introduce a night out once a fortnight / month.

2. Weekly Meal Prep

Create your meal plan before you go grocery shopping. I mean, for every meal for every day this week, make a note of what you’ll eat and when, and buy only those ingredients. It doesn’t mean you need 3 new meals every day; Cook extra so you have left overs to take into work the next morning. If you whip up a big batch of soup, you can even freeze it.
(Check out the Taste interactive family menu planner for inspiration.)

3. Bubble’n’Squeak

What ever happened to a good old fashioned bubble’n’squeak dish? Growing up I remember we’d delight in mum’s leftover medley once or twice a month. If you’re not sure what this is, you basically pull a heap of your leftovers from the fridge (mashed potato, sausages, boiled eggs, mince, roasted vegetables, pasta) and you throw it into your frying pan and cook it up. Delicious. And, it means your fridge full of food doesn’t get wasted!

4. Add Your 11 Herbs and Spices

No. This is not me telling you to head down to your local and grab a bucket of chicken. Proper seasoning, fresh or dried herbs, and a range of spices can give your meal an epic taste-lift. For those among us who aren’t MasterChef material, just experiment, add a splash here and there and see how you go!

5. Buy in Season

Our relentless need for instant gratification and global trade has us as consumers expecting access to all fruit and vegetable produce at all times during the year. But, fresh produce is seasonal based on our weather (we all know how expensive mangoes are when not in season!). So, print out a chart of seasonal fruits and vegetables, stick it to your fridge, and only buy things when they’re local and abundant! It’ll be cheaper AND tastier.

6. Buy Frozen

Frozen produce lasts longer and as it’s snap frozen, retains most of its original nutrients.
Frozen fruit and veg will usually be cheaper than fresh produce – so you can stock up on it when it’s discounted.  

What do you think? Achievable?  

Get in Touch 

If you need a hand setting up a realistic household budget, get in touch to arrange your free consultation.