With the summer just around the corner, we’re all trying to be a little healthier and eat better than ever before. There’s just one little problem — health food is seriously expensive. Well, don’t you worry about it any longer! Luckily for you, there a bunch of ways that you can save your cash and still be uber sensible about what you eat. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Cook with cheap cuts of meat
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If you’re a meat lover, trying to save money can be hard at the best of times. One of the major issues is that meat is expensive and too much of it can be bad for your health. Try sticking to ‘white meats’ such as turkey and chicken. These are a relatively healthy source of protein, which means that you can use them in many low-calorie meals with no trouble whatsoever. (Note: White fish is even healthier than these meats so you may want to opt for some fish-based treats now and then too!)
When it comes to buying the meat itself, you need to make sure that you get cheaper cuts. For example, buying chicken thighs (rather than the breasts) will save you a whole load of cash and they are just as tasty. If you really want to bag yourself a deal, though, it may be worth getting a whole chicken at the start of the week. That way, you have breasts, thighs, wings, and legs that you can use in your main meals. Result.
Read: Learn how to properly cut up a chicken to save wastage + make a tasty soup/stock
2. Be cautious when it comes to promotions
We all love deals and promotions. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t a massive fan of money-saving tricks and the like. There’s just one issue. Sometimes, those 2-4-1 deals actually mean that you end up spending more money than you usually would. The reason is simple — supermarkets launch these promotions to entice you into spending more money than you originally planned to spend.
For example, if one pack of biscuits is £1.25 but you can get two for £2.00, you’re likely to end up buying two packs of biscuits. But wait just a minute — let’s take a look at what’s happened here. You only wanted (only needed) one pack of biscuits and yet you’ve walked away with more than you need at an extra cost of 75p. There are loads of tricks like this that you need to be aware of or you could waste your money.
Read: Supermarket tricks here
3. Don’t fear tinned soup!
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If you’re looking for a healthy lunch, soup may just be the answer. This tasty treat is ideal as it’s filling, warming, and just plain good. Now, if you’re anything like me, you will love the chilled cartons of soup that the supermarkets sell. You know the ones I’m talking about — what with their fancy packaging and homemade feel. They are seriously good. There’s just one drawback. They cost between £2 and £3. That’s a whole load to spend on your daily lunch. Over the course of just a week, that adds up to £10 to £15. Yikes.
Tinned soup may not look quite as appealing as the carton stuff, but it may well be just as good for you. There’s a myth that this type of soup is full of additives but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, these products are sealed at high temperatures, which means that they are just as fresh when you open them. It’s worth checking the label to see how healthy the food is before you buy it… It may just save you a small fortune.
Buy tinned soup at Sainsbury’s
4. Add some cheap flavours
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When you’re cooking with relatively cheap ingredients, the food can often lack that special something. That’s often the reason that so many people out there opt for more expensive ingredients, cuts of meat, and spices. But… Wait just a minute! There is another way that you can spice up your meals without it absolutely breaking the bank.
There are actually a whole load of different herbs and spices that you can use which will instantly take your food to the very next level. From Nando’s sauce (no, really) to dark chocolate, there are these extra special ingredients that will make all the difference. Check out our post right now!
Read: How to improve the taste of your food here
5. Be sure to organise your cupboards
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Do you actually know what you have in your cupboards? Most of us tend to overspend when it comes to food simply because we can’t remember whether we already have things or not. That means that we actually end up wasting a whole load of food for no good reason! If you want to avoid this money-wasting problem, there’s something that you seriously need to do.
Organising your food cupboards might not sound like the most fun thing in the world (because it’s really not!) but it could save you a whole load of money when it comes to cooking. It’s well worth investing in some organising boxes and the like and then checking out what you have and what you don’t. That way, you won’t end up buying the same spices, jars, and the like again and again.
Buy cupboard organisers on Amazon
6. Eat healthy (and cheap) protein sources
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Okay, we all need protein as part of a healthy, balanced diet. One of the major mistakes that people make, though, is thinking that the only form of protein is meat. That is just not the case. There are many cheap and cheerful protein sources that are also seriously healthy for you to eat on a regular basis. For example, pulses, lentils, and beans are all very good for you. Once you learn how to spice these ingredients up a bit, you will find that a whole new world of food is open to you. Give it a go!
7. Freeze all your leftovers!
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Are you wasteful when it comes to food? You might not think that you are, but throwing out leftovers is one of the worst mistakes that you can make. When you cook a large meal, you need to make sure that you save as much as you can after it’s done. Chucking the scraps on your plate into the bin may come as second nature to you, but that doesn’t mean that it’s okay. Not by a long shot!
Instead, you should scrape that stuff into a decent Tupperware box and pop it in the freezer. Most things will keep for a matter of weeks or even longer. Then, you have a snack ready for you the next time you feel peckish. This trick will stop you heading to the shop and will save you a whole load of money. You’re welcome!
8. Cut down your portion sizes
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If you’re guilty of piling the food way up high on your plate, things need to change. Most of us have absolutely no idea how much food we ought to be eating on a daily basis. What’s more, when we’re feeling hungry, we tend to overpack our plates because our eyes are way bigger than our bellies. If that sounds familiar to you, this point is one that you must not skip!
Controlling the portion size when it come to your meals is an excellent way to make sure that you save money and stay as healthy as possible. It should come as no major surprise that most of us tend to overeat in the modern world. You can actually get ‘portion control’ plates which help you figure out how much food you need as opposed to how much you want. It might be irritating at first, but this small change will improve your lifestyle no end.
Read tricks companies play here
9. Try growing your own stuff
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Here’s a novel idea that many of you may not have thought of before now. If you’re lucky enough to have a large garden, you may want to dedicate some of the space in it to growing your own fruit and vegetables. When you buy these things from the supermarket, you have no idea where they’ve come from. However, if you choose to get them from your own garden, you know that they are 100% fresh and healthy.
Read How your garden can save your money here
10. Buy food when it’s in season
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Spoiler: Food is way cheaper when it’s in season! If you want to get the best deals, you should buy things like fruit and vegetables when they are fresh. Don’t worry if you don’t need the things right away. You can always freeze them and use them at a later date. It’s worth keeping up to date with what’s in season and where you can get it! Shopping at farmer’s markets will save you a load of cash too and you’ll get only the freshest stuff. Bonus!
