How to shop and have a healthy eating plan on a budget

Healthy eating does not have to mean expensive eating. By making a few changes to how you buy your food, and following the basics of healthy eating, you and your family can improve your lifespan, your health, and stay within a budget!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Recipes for pasta meals, stews, stir-fried meals,soups and sauces.
• Shopping list;compiled according to the recipes you are planning on cooking. Be sure to add bread rolls to be served with some meals.
• Calculator for first couple of shopping trips, until you get the "feel' of sticking to a budget.
• A full stomach before you go shopping; studies show that we choose food more wisely and less on impulse when we are satieted.

1. Include plenty of fresh vegetables in your shopping list. When shopping for food;
   Don't shy away from the slightly more expensive cuts of meat; simply plan on giving smaller servings with extra vegetables to make a great healthier choice than serving the cheaper (and often fattier cuts of meat). Remember; less meat in a casserole or stir fry, means less cooking time, more vegetables can be added, and therefore makes the meal more nutritious!
2. When choosing pasta, don't just look at the price, try wholemeal instead of white flour pasta, you might just like it, and it's healthier too!
3. Healthy seafood in place of meat. Fish provides Omega 3 and is great "brain food", don't hesitate to replace one or meat meals with fish. E.g; fish, chips and salad instead of chops, chips and salad.
4. Fresh fruit is a great alternative to salty snacks or sweets. Finally, cut back on purchasing snack food and replace with wholegrain products such as unsalted popcorn and fresh fruit. Fruit can also be served instead of expensive, high-calorie desserts.

Tips & Warnings

• Be inventive with fruit and vegetables, but easy on the accompaniments like pastry, icecream, and whipped cream!
• Don't be afraid if your meal is looking a bit too light (having less meat), alongside the meal, serve fresh bread rolls with a light scraping of margerine and they won't even complain!