Eating well on a budget 

Transcript of Eating well on a budget

It's really easy to eat well on a limited budget.

There are easy ways to make use of your food,

make meals go further and save money.

You can use beans and lentils to actually make dishes go further.

For example, if you threw a handful of lentils into a stew or casserole,

that can feed more people.

They're cheap, they're easy and they're also high in protein and fibre.

When it comes to fruit and veg, fried, canned, frozen and fresh,

all count towards your five a day.

Just remember if you buy canned, make sure the veg is canned in water

rather than salted water and the fruit in natural juice, rather than syrup.

Generally, if you go for seasonal fruit and vegetables,

they're cheaper, and at a local market, you might get some special offers.

A healthy diet should include plenty of starchy foods

such as bread, rice and pasta.

Dried staples keep for a long time,

so you can have them in your cupboard and make up a meal in minutes.

It's often cheaper to cook from scratch than buy a ready meal at a supermarket.

And if you order a takeaway,

you could boil rice or noodles, saving money before it's even on your plate.

With poultry, say chicken, it's often cheaper to buy chicken on the bone

with the skin on and remove the skin yourself.

Or if you go for meat, go for cheaper cuts like neck and shoulder.

If you fancy fish, try white fish like pollock, or even canned fish.

And if you make more food than you meant to, freeze some for a meal another day.

If you live with other people, say in a flatshare,

and you each cook your own meals, you could try cooking one meal together

so you're reducing the cost of ingredients.

So you can eat well on a budget

and you might find it benefits your waistline as well as your wallet.