How to eat healthily on a budget

Money can be tight in the run up to Christmas, and let’s face it, we’d pretty much all rather be spending our hard earned cash on a new party dress or Christmas prezzies than on the weekly food shop. So we’ve got some top tips to help you keep costs down, without falling off the healthy bandwagon.

Eat real food!

It sounds obvious, but tucking into nutritious, homemade meals rather than splashing out on fancy shakes, greens powders and supplements is a lot cheaper. Don’t get us wrong, we love a good hit of greens or a yummy protein shake, but if you’re trying to cut spending this month, it’s a good place to start. Swap super greens for big servings of spinach and kale – or juice them for a quick hit. Swap protein shakes for homemade, protein-packed snacks you can take with you on the go. Nut balls, slices of chicken and bean patties are all good options.

Actually, try batch cooking

Yup we all intend to spend our Sundays prepping food for the week ahead! But seriously, if you’re ever going to do it, this is the perfect time of year to get stuck in. First up, obviously you’ll save cash, as you won’t be tempted to eat out if it’s already made. Plus, batch cooking tends to mean you won’t waste ingredients and they’ll go further. It’s also a great time-saver and excellent way to keep you healthy. Homecooked stew for lunch is just the remedy for a heavy hangover, and a dinner that’s ready to eat as soon as you get in is a lifesaver after a busy day.

Go back to basics

If saving money is your goal, this is not the time to get stuck into recipes in that fancy new cookbook. Buying saffron, truffles and steak by the truckload is not going to be purse friendly! Instead try hearty soups and stews. Cooking up a brothy storm means you can pack in loads of veggies – great for your healthy eating goals and for bulking dishes out cheaply. And use cheaper cuts of meat. We love a good chicken casserole with chicken thighs (much cheaper than breast), and lots of lovely (and purse-friendly) button mushrooms, onions, chopped peppers, carrots and green beans.