Cheap healthy food

Cheap & healthy eating

You can eat well on a tight budget, and it really doesn’t have to break the bank, so read our guide to cheap healthy food and let’s get cooking!

One thing’s for sure, you do pay for convenience. If your biggest problem is lack of cash, you can make up for it with a little more time and effort.

How to save money & eat healthily

• Avoid ready meals and take-away foods. As well as being expensive, they’re often unhealthy and full of additives.
• Learn to cook a few quick and simple dishes such as pasta, stews, or filled baked potatoes. 
• If you buy your lunch, make your own lunch instead, the savings will start to add up really quick and it’ll probably be healthier too.
• Don’t buy everything at an expensive supermarket – use local shops and budget supermarkets wherever possible to save money. Aldi is your friend.
• The larger supermarket chains often have useful basic ranges, including tinned tomatoes, baked beans and bread.
• A little bit of a good thing goes a long way. It’s occasionally alright to buy decent olive oil, some fresh parmesan etc.

Following the suggestions above, you can save around 50% on your weekly grocery bill and still eat really well with easy to prepare, healthy meals containing plenty of vitamins and minerals. 

Other top tips for cheap healthy meals

• Aim for a balanced diet: lots of fruit and veg, starchy foods, not too many saturated fats, and not too much sugar or salt. And don’t forget to add some good sources of protein, as well. See our article ‘what is a balanced diet’ for more info.
• Never go food shopping when you’re hungry, you’ll end up buying snacks and junk that you don’t need. The best time to go is right after you’ve eaten.
• Working out what you need before you go to the shops and taking a shopping list will make everything much more cost effective. 
• Stick to your shopping list most of the time, but be flexible if a real bargain turns up.
• Club together with friends and buy in bulk. Good for rice, pasta, potatoes, beans, coffee, tea, sugar etc.
• Buy your fruit and vegetables from your local market, and get what’s in season.
• Make friends with your local baker, greengrocer, fishmonger, or butcher. Ask them about which ingredients are good value for someone on a tight budget.
• Try to get some variety into what you eat. Look at how many people can’t eat baked beans any more after they’ve graduated from university. Scary. What about mixing it up with sweet potatoes sometimes instead of potato potatoes? Brown rice instead of white rice?

Don’t forget, you can still maintain a budget friendly weekly shop if you occasionally mix things up by indulging in a takeaway or eating out. Even if you’re trying to lose weight, for example, sometimes you’re more likely to stick to a plan long term if you allow yourself some leeway from time to time. If you’re really struggling with cravings, check out our article on how to have a healthy relationship with food here.

Check out this awesome recipe for a cheap vegan roast dinner.

Oh, and if you are trying to lose weight, try to do it safely. Avoid fad diets that work fast, they’re no good for you!

Check out the rest of our fitness and diet articles here.