How To Feed Your Family On a Budget..The Healthy Way!
Want to know how you can stick to eating healthy when money is tight?
Want to know how you can do it for the whole family?
One of the questions I get asked a lot is how to eat healthy on a budget. For some reason people tend to associate eating healthily with a huge shopping bill every week. This certainly does not have to be the case and in this article I will help you out with a few hints and tips that have worked for me over the past couple of years.
Becoming a father was a massive shock to the system for me. It wasn't that I wasn't expecting it. I knew things like sleep, free time, and expendable cash would be compromised somewhat. But until it actually happens to you you still manage to convince yourself that it won't turn your whole world upside down. How wrong was I!
One priority I do urge you to keep when parenthood comes around, or in fact you are just trying to tighten your belt a little money wise, is sticking to a healthy lifestyle and diet. It takes some time and effort in the planning and a lot of effective time management but the pay off is undoubtably worth it. If you want to see just how much then go a week surviving on 3-4hrs sleep per night coupled with living on a diet of processed carbs, caffeine, and takeaways and see how bad you can really feel. The answer is very!
Let's get straight into the things you can do to save yourself some cash, time, and sanity when trying to eat healthily with your whole family.
Tip 1:- Plan in advance. Writing a menu plan for the week ahead is probably the number one thing that I would recommend. Try making a list of all the healthy meals you and your family enjoy eating. Come up with about 14-28 if possible and if you struggle there are literally thousands of ideas if you do a quick google search online. Do this on a lazy Sunday morning laying in bed or one afternoon when you get 10 spare minutes.
At the start of every week pick 7 of these meals, take stock of what you already have available in the cupboards, fridge, and freezer, and make a list of all the other ingredients you need ready for a trip to the supermarket, farmers market, or even grocery shopping online which is becoming increasingly popular and handy if you are really pushed for time.
The pay off:- Planning healthy meals in advance means you are more likely to stick to these choices when the actual meal time comes around. Making shopping lists and more importantly sticking to them also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients at hand ready to prepare these meals. It also limits impulse buying and choosing things that might not be the healthiest options out of pure habit. Avoiding shopping when hungry can also help here as studies have shown that people who shop when hungry are more likely to spend more, especially on less healthy foods, such as high-fat and sugary snacks.
Tip 2:- Buy in bulk. The initial outlay may be more but buying things like meat in bulk can often get you a much cheaper price per kilo. The same applies to things like rice, potatoes, and even supplements. Make friends with your local butcher and see what deals he can offer you. Look out for offers when shopping online. Of course don't forget to use your protein card here as well as this will save you a small fortune when stocking up in advance.
The pay off:- You will most definitely save money in the long run when you buy in bulk. Ignore the initial higher outlay, do a bulk shop straight after payday, fill your freezer and cupboards and reap the benefit later in the month when money becomes more scarce! Shopping this way also saves you making so many trips to the supermarket or general store meaning you have more time at home to prepare your meals at night which is one of the main reasons people us for not eating healthily.
Tip 3:- Cook in bulk. This goes hand in hand with the last tip. Make large batches of food when preparing your meals. A big healthy stew, casserole, or chilli made in the slow cooker can easily feed a family of 4 and provide plenty of leftovers for the next day or later in the week. Try cooking a couple of whole chickens in the oven for the Sunday roast instead of just one. This will give you more than enough for just your dinner. Use the extra as sandwiches for a couple of days, shred some into soups, top a healthy salad or two for days after, and have the drumsticks as a healthy snack on the run.
The pay off:- Time more than anything else. It may take a little more prep time initially to cook in larger batches but the leftovers they provide will save more than double the time back in the following days when you don't need to spend time preparing your meals from scratch again. It also has the benefit of providing you with healthy meals that are pre prepared for the day stopping convenience buying at service stations, fast food takeaways, and staff canteens. Money is also saved here as these options are never cheap! As long as you keep extra portions in sealed tupperware containers they will be good for at least a couple of days in the fridge. Alternatively you can freeze excess portions and take them out to defrost as and when required.
Tip 4:- Look for cheaper options. Start off by thinking outside the box. Frozen fruit and vegetables for example are underrated. They often come pre-chopped and ready to use, are just as good for you as fresh, and often cheaper than the fresh varieties. Frozen vegetables are picked at the peak of their freshness and then flash frozen which seals in nutrients. They can then be added quickly to stir fry’s or smoothies etc when you don't have fresh available.
Try cheaper cuts of meat. Cheap doesn't mean less tasty! Beef brisket, braising steak, or shin is delicious done in the slow cooker or casserole pot. Chicken thighs & drumsticks are amazing marinated or covered in a spice rub then roasted in the oven. A big pork shoulder joint will make the most amazing pot of bbq pulled pork that will feed a family for days. All these cuts are pretty cheap compared to buying steak, breast meat, and loins but taste just as good when cooked right.
Use more pulses and whole grains in you're cooking. Beans, lentils, and peas are some of the cheapest and most nutritious foods you will find. They are stacked with healthy fibre filling you up quicker meaning you eat less. They pack meals out increasing the amount of portions you will get and also cut down or even cut out the amount of meat required. Handy for the vegetarians out there!
Shop at the right times. This can be a huge money saver! Do your supermarket sweep later in the day when a lot of produce is marked down in price. Just avoid scuffling in the ‘whoopsie aisle’ when the fresh salmon fillets are slashed to half price! Visit local markets towards closing time when traders often offer huge discounts on their items rather than pack them up for the night. You will often walk away with a carrier bag full of fruit and veg for pennies. Things that may go off quickly can of course be frozen to use at a later date.
The pay off:- Quite simply money in your back pocket.
Tip 5:- Involve the family. Making food shopping and meal times a fun experience for children gets them into healthy habits that will serve them a lifetime. Learn them about different fruits and vegetables from an early age, challenge them to come up with healthy recipes and involve them in the prep and cooking of meals. Make meal times a time when the whole family sits down together as one and enjoys a laugh and good old home cooked meal. If children grow up surrounded by fresh food and meals cooked from scratch then expensive takeaways or unhealthy fast food options never enter the equation with them. Toddlers can also be fed the same foods as adults if things are cooked with fresh healthy ingredients by simply blending them down. Be careful not to add salt or anything too spicy first though! This saves on buying expensive pre packed toddler meals and snacks.
Try making iced lollies with coconut water and fresh fruit diced in. Some greek yogurt with a little chopped banana and drizzle of honey over makes a perfect snack. This type of thing gets kids excited about food, satisfies a little sweet tooth without the excess refined sugar, and saves you money on cakes, biscuits, and sweets.
The pay off:- Your families health. This for me is my number one priority in life. I’m not saying that you should never let your kids experience the odd bowl of ice cream or dare I say fast food burger or slice of pizza. That would be naive. But these things should never be ‘the normal’ way a family eats in my opinion. Nourishing your young family from an early age by feeding their bodies what they require can only be good in the long term surely?
Their bodies will develop quicker both mentally and physically. They won’t suffer from the mood swings and sugar crashes that living on a diet of refined carbohydrates and processed foods inevitably brings. Family life in general will improve as a result of living a healthier lifestyle on the whole.
These tips should give you some food for thought and save you some money in the process. Eating healthy is like most things in life. A habit we simply need to get into. Once you start making little changes here and there your bank balance should begin to look as healthy as your well nourished family.
Please leave any comments and share any other ways you have managed to save money whilst staying healthy through our usual social media links. Your experiences may help others in need of some valuable help and inspiration.
Yours in health,
Mark…
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