How to store food and leftovers

Tips on storing food and leftovers to prevent food poisoning, including:

• fridge storage
• "use-by" dates
• freezing food
• storing eggs
• storing meat and poultry
• freezing and defrosting
• using leftovers
• re-using plastic bags

What goes in the fridge?

Some foods need to be kept in the fridge to help slow down germs' growth and keep food fresh and safe for longer.

These are foods marked with a "use by" date and "keep refrigerated" on the label, such as milk, meat and ready meals.

Cool down leftovers as quickly as possible (ideally within two hours), store them in the fridge and eat them within two days.

It is safe to let food cool completely at room temperature before storing it in the fridge.

Avoid putting open tin cans in the fridge, as the food inside may develop a metallic taste.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions or place the contents in a storage container or covered bowl before refrigerating.

Fridge maintenance

Keep your fridge temperature at 5C or below.

If your fridge has a digital temperature display you may wish to check it against an internal fridge thermometer now and again to make sure it's accurate.

Clean and inspect your fridge regularly to ensure it remains hygienic and in good working order.

"Use-by" dates

No food lasts forever, how ever well it is stored. Most pre-packed foods carry either a "use-by" or a "best before" date.

• "Use-by" dates appear on foods that go off quite quickly. It can be dangerous to eat foods past this date.
• "Best before" dates are for foods with a longer life. They show how long the food will be at its best.

Food can look and smell fine even after its "use-by" date but that doesn't mean it's safe to eat. It could still contain bugs that could make you ill.

Eating food past its "best before" date is not dangerous, but the food may not be good quality.

Freezing food

You can freeze pretty much everything, including:

• yogurt
• cheese (except soft cheese as the freezing process affects the texture)
• milk
• meat
• fish
• eggs, including boiled eggs
• bananas: peel and wrap them or place in an air tight container before freezing
• baked goods
• rice: read our safety tips
• bread

Anything with a high water content like strawberries and tomatoes will go squishy but are still fine to cook with.

Place food in an air-tight container or wrap it tightly in freezer bags or similar before placing in the freezer otherwise the cold air will dry it out.

Storing eggs

Eggs are best stored in the fridge as they are kept at a constant temperature.

Eggs can also be frozen. Two ways to freeze eggs:

• crack the egg and separate yolks and whites into separate plastic containers or food bags before freezing. This is handy for baking.
• crack the egg into a plastic tub and beat it before freezing - great for omelettes and scrambled eggs.

You can safely store a boiled egg in the fridge for a couple of days. Boiled eggs can also be frozen.

Storing meat and poultry

It's important to store meat safely in the fridge to stop bacteria from spreading and avoid food poisoning.

• Store raw meat and poultry in clean, sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
• Follow any storage instructions on the label and don't eat meat after its use-by date.
• Keep cooked meat separate from raw meat and ready to eat foods in general.

It's safe to freeze meat and fish as long as you:

• freeze it any time before its use-by date
• defrost meat and fish thoroughly before cooking – lots of liquid will come out as meat thaws, so stand it in a bowl to stop bacteria in the juice spreading to other things
• defrost meat or fish in a microwave if you intend to cook straight away, or if not, defrost in the fridge overnight so it doesn't get too warm
• cook food until it's steaming hot throughout

Make sure meat is properly wrapped in the freezer or it might get freezer burn, which can make it tough and inedible.

Date and label meat in the freezer and eat it within 24 hours of defrosting.

You can freeze meat for a long time and it will still be safe to eat, but the quality will deteriorate so it's best to eat it within three to six months.

Don't worry if it's frozen for longer – try marinating it before cooking to improve texture or use herbs and spices to add flavour.

Re-freezing meat and fish

Never re-freeze raw meat (including poultry) or fish that has been defrosted.

You can cook frozen meat and fish once defrosted, and then refreeze them.

You can re-freeze cooked meat and fish once, as long as they have been cooled before going into the freezer. If in doubt, don't re-freeze.

Frozen raw foods can be defrosted once and stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours before they need to be cooked or thrown away.

To reduce wastage, divide the meal into portions before freezing and then just defrost what you need.

Using leftovers

Don't throw away leftovers: they could be tomorrow's lunch! Follow these tips to make the most of them:

• Cool leftovers as quickly as possible, ideally within two hours.
• Divide leftovers into individual portions and refrigerate or freeze.
• Use refrigerated leftovers within two days.
• When reheating food, make sure it is heated until it reaches a temperature of 70C for two minutes, so that it is steaming hot throughout.
• Always defrost leftovers completely, either in the fridge or in the microwave.
• When defrosted, food should be reheated only once, because the more times you cool and reheat food, the higher the risk of food poisoning.
• Cooked food that has been frozen and removed from the freezer should be reheated and eaten within 24 hours of fully defrosting.
• Foods stored in the freezer, such as ice cream and frozen desserts, should not be returned to the freezer once they have thawed.
• For safety and to reduce waste, only take out of the freezer what you intend to use within the next 24 hours.

Re-using bags

With more people re-using single-use plastic carrier bags or using a reusable bag for life, you can help prevent bacteria spreading to ready-to-eat food by:

• packing raw foods separately from ready-to-eat foods, in separate bags
• keeping one or two reusable bags just for raw foods only – don't use the same bags for ready-to-eat foods
• checking your bags for spillages, such as raw meat juices or soil, after every use

If there has been any spillage, soiling or damage, plastic bags for life or single-use plastic carrier bags should ideally be disposed of.

Cotton and fabric-based bags for life can be put in the washing machine.

Food for strong bones

A healthy balanced diet will help you build strong bones from an early age and maintain them throughout your life.

You need sufficient calcium to strengthen your bones and vitamin D to help your body absorb calcium.

Poor bone health can cause conditions such as rickets and osteoporosis and increase the risk of breaking a bone from a fall later in life.

Most people should be able to get all the nutrients they need for healthy bones by eating a healthy balanced diet.

"Many nutrients contribute to bone health, not just calcium and vitamin D," says Sarah Leyland of the National Osteoporosis Society.

"The best advice for bone health is to eat a healthy balanced diet with plenty of variety as set out by the eatwell guide."

A good diet is only one of the building blocks for healthy bones, which also includes physical activity and avoiding certain risk factors.

The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey suggests that most of us are getting enough calcium but not enough vitamin D.

General population

Adults need 700mg of calcium a day. You should be able to get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

Good sources of calcium include:

• milk, cheese and other dairy foods
• green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage and okra, but not spinach
• soya beans
• tofu
• soya drinks with added calcium
• nuts
• bread and anything made with fortified flour
• fish where you eat the bones, such as sardines and pilchards

Although spinach might appear to contain a lot of calcium, it also contains oxalic acid, which reduces calcium absorption, and it is therefore not a good source of calcium.

It is difficult to get all the vitamin D we need from the diet and we get most of our vitamin D from the action of the sun on our skin.

Short daily periods of sun exposure without sunscreen from late March/April to the end of September are enough for most people to make enough vitamin D.

However, everyone is advised to consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement.

Good sources of vitamin D:

• oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel
• eggs
• fortified fat spreads
• fortified breakfast cereals
• some powdered milks

If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis, your doctor may prescribe calcium and vitamin D supplements as well as osteoporosis drug treatments if they have concerns that your calcium intake may be low. Find out more in treating osteoporosis.

At-risk groups

Some groups of the population are at greater risk of not getting enough vitamin D, and the Department of Health recommends that these people should take daily vitamin supplements. These groups are:

• all babies and young children, from birth to one year of age, exclusively or partially breastfed from six months to five years old – unless they are having 500ml or more a day of infant milk formula
• all children aged one to four years old
• people who are frail or housebound
• people who are confined indoors, such as a care home
• people who usually wear clothes that cover up most their skin when outdoors
• people with dark skin such as those of African, African-Caribbean and South Asian origin

Find out more about taking vitamin D supplements.

Menopause

Women lose bone more rapidly for a number of years after the menopause when their ovaries almost stop producing oestrogen, which has a protective effect on bones. There are no specific calcium or vitamin D recommendations for the menopause, however a healthy balanced diet, including calcium and vitamin D, will help slow down the rate of bone loss.

Vegans

Non-vegans get most of their calcium from dairy foods (milk, cheese and yoghurt), but vegans can get it from other foods.

Good sources of calcium for vegans include:

• fortified soya, rice and oat drinks
• calcium-set tofu
• sesame seeds and tahini
• pulses
• brown and white bread (in the UK calcium is added to white and brown flour by law)
• dried fruit such as raisins, prunes, figs and dried apricots

The vegan diet contains little, if any, vitamin D without fortified foods or supplements so try to get sufficient sunlight exposure during the UK summer.

Vegan sources of vitamin D are:

• exposure to summer sunshine – remember to cover up or protect your skin before it starts to turn red or burn (see sunlight and vitamin D)
• fortified fat spreads, breakfast cereals and soya drinks (with vitamin D added)
• vitamin D supplements

During pregnancy and when breastfeeding, women who follow a vegan diet need to make sure they get enough vitamins and minerals for their child to develop healthily. Read vegetarian and vegan mums-to-be for more information.

If you're bringing up your baby or child on a vegan diet, you need to ensure they get a wide variety of foods to provide the energy and vitamins they need for growth. Read vegetarian and vegan babies and children for more information.

Too much vitamin A

Some research has suggested a link between vitamin A and osteoporosis. As a precaution, people who regularly eat liver (a rich source of vitamin A) are advised not to eat liver more than once a week, or take supplements containing retinol (animal form of vitamin A).

People at risk of osteoporosis, such as postmenopausal women and older people, are advised to limit their retinol (including those containing fish liver oil) intake to no more than 1.5mg a day by eating less liver and avoiding supplements containing retinol.

Healthy breakfast cereals

With shelves stacked top to bottom with hundreds of brightly coloured boxes competing for your attention, supermarket breakfast cereal aisles can sometimes feel like walking through a minefield.

Make the wrong choice and you or your child could end up with a breakfast cereal high in sugar, fat or salt.

If eaten too often, this can contribute to weight gain and health problems, including tooth decay and high blood pressure.

But whether it's puffed, baked or flaked, cereal can still form part of a healthy, balanced diet.

We've enlisted dietitian Azmina Govindji to sort the shredded wheat from the chaff to help you make a healthier choice.

"While it's important to make healthier choices when it comes to breakfast, it's equally just as important to make sure you eat breakfast regularly and that you enjoy it," says Govindji.

What's a healthy breakfast cereal?

For a healthier option, choose breakfast cereals that contain wholegrains and are lower in sugar, fat and salt.

Examples include:

• wholewheat cereal biscuits
• shredded wholegrain pillows
• porridge oats

Wholegrains contain fibre and B vitamins, among other nutrients. Fibre helps keep our digestive systems healthy.

Research suggests a diet high in fibre may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

"Avoid always going for the same brand, as manufacturers regularly modify their recipes," says Govindji.

"Try looking at the nutrition label, and compare brands so you opt for the healthier version."

Mueslis, which usually contain wholegrains and fruit, are often seen as a healthier option, but check the label first – many can be relatively high in fat, added sugar and, in some cases, salt.

Reading nutrition labels

Food labels can help you choose between brands and avoid breakfast cereals high in sugar, fat and salt.

All nutrition information is provided per 100g and per serving, which can be helpful when comparing one cereal with another.

Some brands also use red, amber and green colour coding on the front of the packet, sometimes known as traffic lights. The more greens on the label, the healthier the choice.

Find out more about food labels.

Sugar, fat and salt levels

You can use the per 100g information on the nutrition label to identify breakfast cereals that are:

High in sugar, fat or salt

• high in sugar: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g
• high in fat: more than 17.5g of fat per 100g
• high in salt: more than 1.5g of salt per 100g

Low in sugar, fat or salt

• low in sugar: 5g of total sugars or less per 100g
• low in fat: 3g of saturated fat or less per 100g
• low in salt: 0.3g of salt or less per 100g

Serving cereal with milk or yoghurt

Having breakfast cereal is a good opportunity to add calcium to the diet if you serve it with milk or yoghurt. Go for semi-skimmed, 1% or skimmed milk, or lower-fat yoghurt.

"Milk and yoghurt are good sources of calcium and protein," says Govindji. Alternatives to cow's milk include fortified soya, rice and oat drinks.

Find out what types of milk are suitable for young children.

Adding fruit to cereal

Having cereal is also a good opportunity to get some fruit in the diet. Raisins, dried apricots, bananas and strawberries are popular choices and can be added to any cereal, depending on your tastes.

"Adding fruit to cereals is a great way to get kids to eat more fruit," says Govindji. "It also helps them enjoy less sugary cereals, as you get sweetness from the fruit."

You could wash down breakfast with a small glass (150ml) of 100% fruit juice, which also counts towards your 5 A DAY.

How many calories should breakfast provide?

A helpful rule of thumb to maintain a healthy weight is to follow the 400-600-600 approach.

That means having about:

• 400kcal for breakfast (including any drinks and accompaniments)
• 600kcal for lunch (including any drinks and accompaniments)
• 600kcal for dinner (including any drinks and accompaniments)

That leaves you with just enough left over to enjoy a few healthy drinks and snacks throughout the day. This advice is based on a woman's daily recommended calorie intake of 2,000kcal.

"You might get about 150kcal from a 40g serving of cereal," says Govindji. "You could add a medium sliced banana and 200ml of semi-skimmed milk, which altogether would provide about 350kcals.

"You need fuel in the morning, and starting the day with a filling breakfast can help you avoid reaching for a less healthy mid-morning snack to keep you going until lunch."

'My child is hooked on sugary cereals'

If you want to get your child off sugary cereals, Govindji recommends mixing sugary cereals with similar looking lower-sugar ones.

You could then gradually increase the amount of lower-sugar cereal over time to get kids used to them. Or you could let your child pick from a selection of, say, three healthier cereals.

"The fact that your child wants to have breakfast is already a healthy habit," says Govindji. "You don't want to jeopardise that by making breakfast seem suddenly unappealing."

'I don't have time to sit down for breakfast'

It's a sign of the times that people are increasingly abandoning breakfast cereals, one of the earliest convenience foods, for more convenient "on-the-go" options, such as a breakfast muffin and a latte.

If you're short on time in the morning, how about setting the table the night before? You could also grab a pot of porridge on your way to work or have your cereal when you get in.

"Cereals are still one of the best value breakfasts out there," says Govindji. "A bowl of fortified breakfast cereal with milk gives you more nutrients for your penny when compared with most on-the-go breakfast options."

No time for breakfast? Let yourself be tempted by our simple breakfasts designed to whet the appetite of even the most habitual breakfast skipper.

The top five causes of premature death

Thousands of people in England could avoid an early death from one of the five most common killers:

• cancer
• heart disease
• stroke
• lung disease
• liver disease

A child born today should expect to live a longer, healthier life than ever before. Yet, a Government report, Living Well for Longer (PDF, 1.6Mb), blames the top five killers for more than 150,000 deaths a year among under-75s in England alone and the Department of Health estimates two-thirds of them are entirely avoidable.

This chart shows the premature death toll by illness. Heart disease and stroke are together referred to as cardiovascular disease.

Reduce your risk of cancer

Are you at risk of early death?

The 10 main risk factors that make you more likely to die prematurely are:

• Smoking
• Having high blood pressure
• Being overweight
• Not doing enough exercise
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Eating too little fruit
• Having high cholesterol
• Not eating enough nuts and seeds
• Having high blood sugar levels
• Consuming too much salt

More than one in three people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime. Although there are more than 200 different types of cancer, lung, breast, prostate and bowel cancer account for more than half of cases.

According to Cancer Research UK, an unhealthy lifestyle is the root cause of about a third of all cancers.

Smoking causes almost all lung cancer. Poor diet has been linked to bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer and oesophageal cancer. And heavy drinking has been implicated in the development of breast cancer.

While healthy lifestyle changes can prevent many cases of cancer, screening aims to drive down cancer cases even further.

National programmes for breast cancer screening, cervical screening and bowel cancer screening help identify cancer at an early stage when it's more treatable.

• make sure you know the key symptoms of the main cancers
• take up the offer of cancer screening. Find out more about the NHS screening programmes for breast cancer, cervical cancer and bowel cancer
• lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of cancer

Prevent heart disease

Experts say most cases of premature death from heart disease are completely preventable.

Smoking, being overweight, having high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol, heavy drinking and physical inactivity are all key risk factors.

• If you're over 40, ask your GP about the NHS Health Check, a free five-yearly mid-life MOT to look for things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• Exercise reduces your risk of heart attack by 30%. Try to do more exercise, especially aerobic exercise like walking, swimming and cycling. Find out how you can benefit from being more physically active, and try this 12-week exercise plan for beginners combining running and strength and flexibility workouts.
• Carrying extra weight puts a strain on your heart. For help losing weight sign up to Change4Life's healthy eating smart swaps campaigns and the NHS-approved 12-week weight loss plan.

Reduce your risk of stroke

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in England each year and the leading cause of disability.

More than 150,000 people have a stroke every year in the UK but, according to The Stroke Association, up to 10,000 of these could be prevented if more people were aware of the symptoms and sought out emergency treatment.

High blood pressure is the main cause of stroke. Almost one in three people in England have high blood pressure and nearly half of them aren't receiving any treatment for the condition, says the British Heart Foundation.

• watch out for the symptoms of stroke
• a good way to reduce high blood pressure is to reduce your salt intake. Find out how to cut down on salt and read articles on how to have a healthy diet

Reduce your risk of lung disease

Respiratory disease covers a variety of conditions ranging from asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) one of the most common causes of death.

COPD is almost completely avoidable. Most cases (around 85%) are caused by smoking. The other 15% of cases are triggered by exposure to fumes, chemicals and dusts at work or, very occasionally, because of a rare genetic tendency to develop COPD called alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

• find out how the NHS can help you to stop smoking including how stop smoking advisers can help you quit and the benefits of stop smoking treatments
• download this free NHS Smokefree app for daily tips and support
• read how to stop smoking in pregnancy

Reduce your risk of liver disease

Liver disease is on the increase in England with a 20% increase in cases over the last decade. The disease develops silently and many people have no idea there's anything wrong until they develop liver failure and it's too late.

The three main causes of liver disease are heavy drinking, obesity and viral hepatitis (inflammation of the liver).

• More than a third of men and over a quarter of women regularly exceed the recommended level of alcohol intake. Find out how to cut down.
• Get Change4Life tips on how to take control of your drinking.
• Use our BMI calculator to find out if you are a healthy weight and read articles on how to lose weight including the NHS-approved 12-week weight loss plan.
• Have a hepatitis B vaccination if you're at risk of infection.

The British Liver Trust has more information on looking after your liver.

20 tips to eat well for less

Can you eat healthily and save money? You bet your bottom dollar you can! Here are 20 tips to help you have your (low-fat) cake and eat it.

If cost is discouraging you from trying to make changes to you and your family's diet then read on: healthy eating doesn't have to cost more.

Write a shopping list

Draw up a weekly meal plan using up ingredients you already have and make a shopping list of any missing items.

Try not to shop when hungry. People who shop when hungry are more likely to spend more, especially on less healthy foods, such as high-fat and sugary snacks.

Waste nothing

The average family with children throws away almost £60 of good food every month. Be strict about buying only what you'll actually eat.

Plan your meals so that all ingredients on your list get used. Freeze any unused food. Food storage bags and boxes will come in handy.

Eat leftovers for lunch

Cook extra portions for your evening meal so that you can have the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Any leftovers can be frozen for another day. Eventually, you'll have a freezer full of homemade ready meals on tap. Find out how to use leftovers safely.

Buy frozen

Frozen fruit and vegetables are underrated. They come pre-chopped and ready to use, are just as good for you (try to avoid those with added salt, sugar or fat), and are often cheaper than fresh varieties.

Frozen vegetables are picked at the peak of freshness and then frozen to seal in their nutrients. Get tips on freezing and defrosting.

Try cheaper brands

You could save money by buying cheaper brands than you normally do. There's not always much difference between value and premium ranges. Give it a go and let your taste buds be the judge, not the shiny label.

Find out how food labels can help you make healthier choices.

Eat more veg

Meat and fish are typically the most expensive food ingredients on a shopping list. How about adding vegetables to meat dishes such as casseroles to make your meals go further? Or try a few vegetarian meals during the week to keep costs down?

Make it fun by joining the thousands of people who regularly take part in meat-free Monday.

Cook with pulses

Pulses, such as beans, lentils and peas, are some of the cheapest foods on the supermarket shelf. These pulses are low in calories and fat but packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals and also count towards your 5 A DAY.

Use them in dishes to replace some of the chicken or meat, such as a chilli con carne with kidney beans or a chicken curry with chickpeas.

Freeze leftover bread

Bread is one of the most wasted household foods. Reduce waste by freezing bread, preferably in portions (for convenience) and when it's at its freshest (for taste).

Store bread in an airtight container (such as a freezer bag) to avoid freezer burn.

Know your kitchen

Know what's in your kitchen store cupboard, fridge and freezer. You may find you've got enough ingredients to make a meal!

Plan your week's meals to include ingredients you've already got in and avoid buying items you already have. Check use-by dates to make sure you use up ingredients before they go off.

Buy cheaper cuts

If you're prepared to take a little more time with your cooking, buying cheaper cuts of meat is a great way to save money. Choosing a cheaper cut of meat, such as braising steak, shin or shoulder, doesn't mean missing out on a tasty meal.

Slow cooking gradually breaks down the fibres in cheaper cuts, giving great taste at a lower cost.

Look up cheap recipes

Cheap doesn't have to mean less tasty. There are plenty of websites offering recipes for cheap eats and leftover ingredients.

Check out Change4Life's meal mixer and our Healthy recipes section for some inspiration.

Eat smaller portions

Try eating smaller portions by saying no to a second helping or using smaller plates. You'll have more left over for lunch the next day and your waistline may benefit, too!

Try weighing or measuring out staples such as pasta and rice when cooking to stay in control of portion size and reduce waste.

Cook from scratch

Save money by cutting back on takeaways. Preparing and cooking your own meals is generally cheaper than buying a takeaway or a ready meal, and because it's easier to control what goes in to your dish, it can be healthier.

Buy chicken whole

The cheapest way to buy chicken is to buy a whole chicken. From a whole chicken, you'll get two breasts, two thighs, drumsticks and wings, plus a carcass for making stock.

Consider using the deli counter for cheese and cured meats. You can get exact amounts, which is cheaper and less wasteful.

Compare pre-packed with loose

Fruit and vegetables sometimes cost more pre-packed than loose. Check the price per weight (for example £/kg). Stores know that consumers want to buy in bulk, and so they mix it up: sometimes the packed produce is cheaper, sometimes it's more expensive.

Also, pre-packed isn't always the freshest and you may end up with more than you need.

Cut down on luxuries

If your regular shopping basket tends to include fizzy drinks, crisps, snack bars, biscuits and cakes, try trimming down on these non-essential items. Many of these are high in sugar and fat so you'll be doing your waistline as well as your bottom line a favour. They can also contain a lot of salt.

Think about cheaper and healthier alternatives – such as sparkling water and fruit juice instead of cola, or fruit and plain yoghurt.

Beware of BOGOF offers

Special discounts such as buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) deals can offer good value, but be careful: only buy items you actually need and are likely to keep and use – tinned or frozen fruit and veg or rice and pasta are a good example.

Markdowns on perishables at the end of the shopping day are another way to bag a saving – but make sure the item gets used before the use-by-date and doesn't go off sooner than expected.

Toddlers eat the same

If you've got a toddler in tow, get them used to eating the same meals as you instead of relying on costly pre-prepared toddler food. Simply blend or chop up their portion to suit their age and freeze extra child-sized portions for later. Make sure not to add any salt to their portions and be careful with spicy food.

Shop online

Price comparison websites, such as mysupermarket.com, let you select a basket of products and then choose the cheapest supplier. The price differences can be significant. Unlike going to the shops yourself, you'll know how much you've spent before going to the till, which can make it easier to stay within budget.

Shop during the 'happy hour'

Most supermarkets discount fresh items towards the end of the day. However, with longer opening hours it's a case of finding out just the right time to grab those bargains. If you time it right and the "reduced to clear shelves" can save you big money. Always check use-by dates.

How much money can you save on your weekly food bill while still eating healthily? Try our Eat4Cheap challenge.

'We made healthy eating fun for the kids'

With the demands of running a family of five, finding ways to save money on food was not high on Rachel Mostyn’s to-do list.

Between feeding three hungry little mouths, the school run, household chores and her freelance work, Rachel had enough on her plate.

From an average weekly food and drink spend of £200, which included some eating out, Rachel managed to cut spending by £100 while still eating a healthy balanced diet and plenty of fruit and veg.

It was a family effort, with the kids – Amelia, six, Leila, five and Joseph, three – all getting stuck in to bake homemade treats that would normally have been bought.

"I realised that I was putting too much pressure on myself to create these culinary feasts for the kids when a simpler meal is enough."

Rachel

• Try the Eat4Cheap challenge for a week

"I got the children on board by making it fun for them," says Rachel, from Bristol. "They love baking, so we made brownies together one day and pizzas on another."

She saved money by:

• cutting down on meat and fish
• eating leftovers for lunch
• cooking in bulk
• making treats at home
• kicking her daily coffee shop latte habit

Rachel says: "I know we spend a lot of money on food and I felt there were areas where we could make obvious savings."

"Amelia and Leila have hot meals at school," says Rachel. "But I tend to prepare another elaborate meal for their dinner.

"I really went back to basics in the evening with things like scrambled eggs, homemade soups and sandwiches with leftover chicken.

For lunch, her youngest, Joseph, would have the leftovers from Rachel and husband Toby’s dinner on the previous evening.

Gone were the usual after-school snacks such as cereal bars, mini cheddars and yoghurt raisins, replaced by fruit, carrot sticks and crackers.

"We always have a large fruit bowl in the kitchen full of fruit so the kids are used to eating it."

Less popular among the brood was the lentil and spinach dhal. "They didn’t like it at all," says Rachel. "The girls were like: 'Where’s our normal food gone?'"

The homemade pizzas, however, were a hit. "I bought some freshly prepared pizza dough from the bakery and the kids spread on the toppings, such as olives, sweetcorn and peppers.

"Cooking with the kids is fun and teaches them a valuable skill. Making homemade pizzas instead of buying them saved us around a fiver."

'No big changes'

Rachel didn’t make any big changes to her shopping habits. "I tend to do a big supermarket shop once a month and buy fresh ingredients from the high street during the week.

"However, I was more stringent about buying value brands and selecting cheaper alternatives, such as canned tuna chunks instead of tuna steak."

Feeding a family of five on a budget requires military-style planning. "I normally sit down on Sunday to plan our meals for the week," says Rachel.

"I did an inventory of food we already had in and realised we had quite a lot in the freezer and store cupboard, so I made sure I included as much of it as I could in our meal plan," she says.

Instead of eating out at the weekend, Rachel prepared a carrot and coriander soup, which the family had for lunch with some fresh bread on Saturday and Sunday.

Rachel's Eat4Cheap tips:

• eat less meat
• eat leftovers for lunch
• cook in bulk
• make treats at home
• quit your coffee shop latte habit

"I also stopped having my daily coffee shop latte," Rachel says. "You get into buying habits that can end up being quite a drain on your expenses, which you can really do without."

With meat and fish being among the most expensive items on their shopping bill, Rachel opted to base more of her meals on vegetables and starchy carbohydrates, as recommended for a healthy balanced diet, shown by the Eatwell Guide.

Instead of the customary minced beef lasagne, Rachel made a veggie version, which was much cheaper, lower in fat and got the thumbs up from the kids.

Other cheap eats Rachel prepared were:

• cauliflower and potato bake
• spinach and lentil dhal
• fish and potato wedges
• tuna pasta bake with peppers
• cheese and mushroom omelettes

"I try as much as possible to cook in bulk, so if I’m cooking a bolognese sauce, I’ll make enough so that I can freeze a portion or two."

Dietitian Azmina Govindji says:

"Rachel has demonstrated that you can save money and eat healthily, even if you have a busy life. Teaching children to cook at a young age can help them engage with family meals, and hopefully they will eat better, as they’re more likely to want to taste their culinary creation.

'I managed to eat healthily on £3 a day'

Caroline Finucane set herself the challenge of living on £3 a day while sticking to a healthy balanced diet, including five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

With some creativity and careful planning, she managed to spend an average of £1 a meal without compromising on taste, variety and her ethical values.

Caroline wanted to see how much she could save on her weekly food bill, which was brimming with ready meals and premium brand products.

"I'd have no hesitation in spending £5 on a good steak," says Caroline, a health writer from Herne Hill, south London.

"There are lots of ways you can cut costs without having to change your diet, you can still have your favourite meals."

Caroline

• Try the Eat4Cheap challenge for a week

Caroline managed to cut her food bill to just under £21, compared with her average weekly spend of £50.

"I still ate the same type of food I'm used to, I still bought free-range eggs. The only thing I sacrificed was time in planning and preparing my meals."

To live on £3 a day, Caroline:

• planned her meals in advance
• used a street market for fresh produce
• cooked from scratch
• ate leftovers for lunch
• chose value brands
• used up all her ingredients

"I still managed to buy some of my favourite foods, such as avocado and smoked salmon," says Caroline. "I bought a 120g pack of smoked salmon trimmings for £1.50."

One of the aspects of living on a budget she was keen to avoid was eating the same meals over and over again, which required her to get creative.

"I used the same ingredients in different ways," she says. "For example, I made a big vat of mince, which I used to make spaghetti bolognese, a chilli, and a jacket potato filling."

Instead of buying a pot of her favourite ready-made carbonara pasta sauce, she made her own using value cream cheese, diced ham, garlic, grated cheddar and an egg yolk.

"There are lots of ways you can cut costs without having to change your diet," she says. "You can still have your favourite meals."

Breakfast

For breakfast, Caroline would have a chopped banana on two slices of wholemeal toast.

Caroline's money-saving tips:

• plan your meals
• use a street market for fresh produce
• cook meals from scratch
• eat leftovers for lunch
• choose value brands
• use up all ingredients

On other days she would have 50g of porridge, to which she added semi-skimmed milk and some freshly picked blackberries.

Caroline was nothing if not resourceful. "I helped myself to my neighbour's blackberry bush, so the berries were free," she says.

When she had a bit more time, she had half a pack of salmon trimmings and two scrambled eggs on a slice of wholemeal toast.

"I used eggs – free-range eggs – quite a lot because they are a good source of protein and cheap," she says.

Lunch and snacks

Lunch was usually leftovers or home-cooked meals, such as spicy tuna pasta using half a tin of tuna, half a tin of tomatoes, frozen spinach, chilli flakes, and 30g of grated cheddar.

She managed to get four of her 5 A DAY in one go with her bulgur wheat salad with half a can of black beans, half an avocado, diced red pepper and cucumber with a smoked paprika seasoning.

Other choice lunches included:

• pasta with the leftover salmon trimmings and a creamy spinach sauce made with value cream cheese, frozen spinach and 30g of grated cheddar
• baked potato (cooked the night before and reheated in the office microwave) with the leftover portion of mince and cream cheese

"Lunch required a bit more planning than I'm used to, as I would normally go out for lunch, which is convenient but not ideal if you're on a budget," says Caroline.

"Beans were a useful ingredient as they're a cheap, low-fat source of protein and they also count towards your 5 A DAY."

For snacks, Caroline bought fruit from a market stall near work and rustled up some quick and simple 100kcal snacks, such as cheese and tomato toasties and homemade popcorn.

Dinners

Dinners were "quick and easy". She made up a vat of mince stew using 240g of extra lean minced steak, a tin of tomatoes, a carrot, onion and garlic, and a stock cube, which provided three portions.

One portion of the mince was used to make a speedy spag bol by adding 100g of wholewheat pasta and 30g of grated cheddar.

Caroline's other dinner recipes included:

• Half a tin of black beans with the remaining half an avocado and brown rice, adding cumin, chilli, pepper and onion, which provided three of her 5 A DAY.
• Creamy pasta made with value cream cheese, chicken breast and frozen spinach.
• Chicken and veg noodles made with a packet of instant noodles, grilled chicken breast, strips of courgette and carrot, seasoned with soy sauce.

Saving money was only half the challenge – Caroline also managed to have a balanced diet, including five portions of fruit and vegetables on every day of the week.

"Planning your meals in advance can seem time consuming, but it's probably quicker doing it once a week than spending time every day going to the shops to buy food for one meal," she says.

"I wouldn't normally plan my meals. I'd buy things on the day from convenience stores, which is more expensive, and I'd forget about what was in the fridge and it would just get wasted.

"So nowadays, if I buy, say, a pack of four chicken breasts, I'd use one on the day and make sure I froze the rest in individual portions."

Dietitian Azmina Govindji says:

"What's interesting here is that Caroline didn't sacrifice her favourite foods that might sometimes cost a bit more, like avocados and smoked salmon.

"Not only are these foods a source of healthy fats, eating what she enjoys can help her to keep to her eating plan in the long term, as she is likely to feel less deprived.

"She also found creative ways to eat more fruit and veg – her vegetarian bulgur wheat dish sounds amazing! Finding meal choices that fit with your lifestyle is crucial – and Caroline seems to have found quick and easy ways to whip up tasty evening meals."

How to cut down on sugar in your diet

We Britons really do eat too much sugar: 700g of the sweet stuff a week. That's an average of 140 teaspoons per person.

Added sugars, such as table sugar, honey and syrups, shouldn't make up more than 5% of the energy you get from food and drink each day. That's about 30g a day for anyone aged 11 and older.

Below are some simple tips to help you gradually cut down on the amount of added sugar in your diet:

• Sugar's many names
• Breakfast
• Main meals
• Snacks
• Drinks
• Dessert

Sugar's many guises

There are lots of different ways added sugar can be listed on ingredients labels:

• sucrose
• glucose
• fructose
• maltose
• fruit juice
• molasses
• hydrolysed starch
• invert sugar
• corn syrup
• honey

Nutrition labels tell you how much sugar a food contains:

• high in sugar – 22.5g or more of total sugar per 100g
• low in sugar – 5g or less of total sugar per 100g

Some packaging uses a colour-coded system that makes it easy to choose foods that are lower in sugar, salt and fat. Look for more "greens" and "ambers", and fewer "reds", in your shopping basket.

Breakfast

Many breakfast cereals are high in sugar. Try switching to lower-sugar cereals or those with no added sugar, such as:

• plain porridge
• plain wholewheat cereal biscuits
• plain shredded wholegrain pillows

Swapping a bowl of sugary breakfast cereal for plain cereal could cut out 70g of sugar (up to 22 sugar cubes) from your diet over a week.

Porridge oats are cheap and contain vitamins, minerals and fibre. Make porridge with semi-skimmed, 1% or skimmed milk, or water.

If you usually add sugar to your porridge, try adding a few chopped dried apricots or a sliced or mashed banana instead. Or you could try our apple-pie porridge recipe.

For a more gradual approach, you could eat sugary cereals and plain cereals on alternate days, or mix both in the same bowl.

If you add sugar to your cereal, you could try adding less. Or you could eat a smaller portion and add some chopped fruit, such as a pear or banana, which is an easy way of getting some of your 5 A DAY.

Read our guide to choosing healthy breakfast cereals.

If toast is your breakfast staple, try wholemeal or granary bread, which is higher in fibre than white bread, and see if you can get by with a little less of your usual spreads like jam, marmalade, honey or chocolate. Or you could try sugar-free or lower-sugar options.

Main meals

Many foods that we don't consider to be sweet contain a surprisingly large amount of sugar. Some ready-made soups, stir-in sauces and ready meals can also be higher in sugar than you think.

A third of an average-sized jar of pasta sauce (roughly 150g) can contain more than 13g of sugar, including added sugar – the equivalent of three teaspoons of sugar.

When eating out or buying takeaways, watch out for dishes that are typically high in sugar, such as sweet and sour dishes, sweet chilli dishes and some curry sauces, as well as salads with dressings like salad cream, which can also be high in sugar.

Condiments and sauces such as ketchup can have as much as 23g of sugar in 100g – roughly half a teaspoon per serving. These foods are usually served in small quantities, but the sugar count can add up if eaten every day.

Get tips on making healthier choices when buying takeaway food and eating out.

Snacks

Healthier snack options are those without added sugar, such as fruit (fresh, tinned or frozen), unsalted nuts, unsalted rice cakes, oatcakes, or homemade plain popcorn. For more ideas, check out these quick and easy 100-calorie snacks.

If you're not ready to give up your favourite flavours, you could start by having less. Instead of two biscuits in one sitting, try having one. If your snack has two bars, have one and share the other, or save it for another day.

If you're an "all-or-nothing" type person, you could find something to do to take your mind off food on some days of the week.

When shopping, look out for lower-sugar (and lower-fat) versions of your favourite snacks. Buy smaller packs, or skip the family bags and just go for the normal-sized one instead.

Here are some lower-calorie substitutes for popular snacks:

• cereal bars – despite their healthy image, many cereal bars can be high in sugar and fat. Look out for bars that are lower in sugar, fat and salt. Or try this fruity granola bar recipe to make your own.
• chocolate – swap for a lower-calorie hot instant chocolate drink. You can also get chocolate with coffee and chocolate with malt varieties.
• biscuits – swap for oatcakes, oat biscuits, or unsalted rice cakes, which also provide fibre.
• cakes – swap for a plain currant bun, fruit scone, or malt loaf. If you add toppings or spreads, use them sparingly or choose lower-fat and lower-sugar varieties.

Dried fruit, such as raisins, dates and apricots, is high in sugar and can be bad for your dental health because it sticks to your teeth.

To prevent tooth decay, dried fruit is best enjoyed at mealtimes – as part of a dessert, for example – rather than as a snack.

Drinks

Nearly a quarter of the added sugar in our diets comes from sugary drinks, such as fizzy drinks, sweetened juices, squashes, and cordials.

A 500ml bottle of cola contains the equivalent of 17 cubes of sugar. Try sugar-free varieties, or – better yet – water, lower-fat milk, or soda water with a splash of fruit juice.

If you take sugar in tea or coffee, gradually reduce the amount until you can cut it out altogether, or try swapping to sweeteners instead. Try some new flavours with herbal teas, or make your own with hot water and a slice of lemon or ginger.

Like some fizzy drinks, fruit juice can be high in sugar. When juice is extracted from the whole fruit to make fruit juice, sugar is released, and this can damage our teeth.

Your combined total of drinks from fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies should not be more than 150ml a day – which is a small glass. For example, if you have 150ml of orange juice and 150ml smoothie in one day, you'll have exceeded the recommendation by 150ml.

Fruit juices and smoothies do contain vitamins and minerals and can count towards your 5 A DAY. However they can only ever count as a maximum of one portion of your 5 A DAY. For example, if you have two glasses of fruit juice and a smoothie in one day, that still only counts as one portion.

You could try flavouring water with a slice of lemon, lime, or a splash of fruit juice. But watch out for the sugar content in flavoured water drinks: a 500ml glass of some brands contains 15g of sugar, the equivalent of nearly four teaspoons of sugar.

Dessert

Work out some ground rules. Do you need to have dessert every day? How about only having dessert after your evening meal, or only eating dessert on odd days of the month, or only on weekends, or only at restaurants?

Do you have to have chocolate, biscuits, and cake every day? If you had this type of sugary snack less often, would you actually enjoy it more?

Less sugary desserts include fruit – fresh, frozen, dried, or tinned, but choose those canned in juice rather than syrup – as well as lower-fat and lower-sugar rice pudding, and plain lower-fat yoghurt.

However, lower fat doesn't necessarily mean low sugar. Some lower-fat yoghurts can be sweetened with refined sugar, fruit juice concentrate, glucose, and fructose syrup.

If you're stuck between choosing two desserts at the supermarket, why not compare the labels on both packages and go for the one with the lower amount of sugar.

Acesulfame K: the evidence

Acesulfame potassium, also known as acesulfame K, is a calorie-free sweetener up to 200 times sweeter than sugar and as sweet as aspartame.

It is often blended with sucralose and used to decrease the bitter aftertaste of aspartame.

A wide range of low-calorie foods and drinks contain acesulfame K, including table-top sweeteners, chewing gum, jam, dairy products, frozen desserts, drinks and baked goods.

Acesulfame K is not broken down when digested, nor is it stored in the body. After being consumed, it is quickly absorbed by the body and then rapidly excreted, unchanged.

Acesulfame K has been approved for general use in the EU and the US. Critics say the sweetener has not been studied adequately and may be carcinogenic, affect pregnancy and cause tumours.

The US Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has questioned the quality of the research on cancer. However, these claims have been dismissed by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

The EFSA's predecessor, the Scientific Committee on Food, re-examined the cancer studies in 2000 (PDF, 41kb) and concluded there was no "indication of possible carcinogenicity from these studies".

The reviewing panel also concluded that acesulfame K was not toxic at recommended levels of consumption and could not cause gene mutation.

Acceptable daily intake: 9mg per kg of body weight

Find out what the latest scientific evidence says about these other common artificial sweeteners:

• aspartame
• saccharin
• sucralose
• steviol glycosides (stevia plant extracts)
• xylitol
• sorbitol

Read The truth about sweeteners

The truth about sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are low-calorie or calorie-free chemical substances that are used instead of sugar to sweeten foods and drinks.

They are found in thousands of products, from drinks, desserts and ready meals, to cakes, chewing gum and toothpaste.

Find out what the evidence says on the safety of some of the most common sweeteners approved for use in the UK:

• acesulfame K
• aspartame
• saccharin
• sorbitol
• sucralose
• stevia (steviol glycosides)
• xylitol

Both Cancer Research UK and the US National Cancer Institute have said sweeteners don't cause cancer.

"Large studies looking at people have now provided strong evidence that artificial sweeteners are safe for humans," states Cancer Research UK.

All sweeteners in the EU undergo a rigorous safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), before they can be used in food and drink.

As part of the evaluation process, the EFSA sets an acceptable daily intake (ADI), which is the maximum amount considered safe to consume each day over the course of your lifetime.

You don't need to keep track of how much sweetener you consume each day, as our eating habits are factored in when specifying where sweeteners can be used.

Are sweeteners healthy?

Sweeteners may be safe, but are they healthy? Food manufacturers claim sweeteners help prevent tooth decay, control blood sugar levels and reduce our calorie intake.

EFSA has approved the health claims made about xylitol, sorbitol and sucralose, among others, in relation to oral health and controlling blood sugar levels.

Dietitian Emma Carder states: "Research into sweeteners shows they are perfectly safe to eat or drink on a daily basis as part of a healthy diet."

She also says they are a really useful alternative for people with diabetes who need to watch their blood sugar levels while still enjoying their favourite foods.

"Like sugar, sweeteners provide a sweet taste but what sets them apart is that, after consumption, they don't increase blood sugar levels," she says.

It has been suggested that the use of artificial sweeteners may have a stimulating effect on appetite and, therefore, may play a role in weight gain and obesity.

However, research into sweeteners and appetite stimulation is inconsistent. Also, there is little evidence from longer-term studies to show that sweeteners lead to increased energy intake and contribute to the risk of obesity.

Polyols are a type of sugar-free carbohydrate generally manufactured from sugars and starches. The polyols licensed in the EU are:

• Xylitol E967
• Sorbitol E420
• Mannitol (E421)
• Isomalt (E953)
• Maltitol (E965)
• Lactitol (E966)
• Erythritol (E968)

Polyols are banned from soft drinks in the EU because of their laxative effect.