Eating healthy for cheap

ID-8

Hi everyone,

I've had a busy couple of days & I am only just finding the chance to look at the responses now. I am really overwhelmed to see so much advice! Thank you. Tomorrow I am going shopping with the whole family, we all agreed it would be a good idea to cook the family meal together on Sunday.

We shall create our first family Spag Bol, I am going to have a look at some of your recommended recipes & plan our own.

In regards to 'what do I mean by healthy'. That's a great question, I don't really know exactly, it's obviously a term thrown about willy nilly but I am not that well educated myself on what is healthy and what isn't. I would welcome your suggestions again here as to what you think healthy is?

Thanks again guys. Please also do not think I am not planning to be an active member of this forum, I am just fairly busy at the mo.

Thanks!

moneyistooshorttomention

I guess this is where we all follow with our personal definition of healthy?

My own is:

wholemeal flour/brown rice/wholemeal pasta - not white

sweetening for anything being a treat and not a regular thing - and being healthy (ie not sugar then or cheapo honey). I use things like coconut sugar, genuine maple syrup, date syrup, proper honey (ie raw organic).

Enough fresh fruit and veg - ie 8 portions per day or more

Everything possible organic

Definitely no ready meals

Am working on cutting out canned food totally

Quite a bit of variety - as less likely to miss out any particular nutrient that way.

**************

Within my own family - my mother tells me at intervals she brought us up on a healthy diet. That is at odds of my memory of cakes and more cakes (sugar and white flour ones too), overcooked vegetables, not enough fresh fruit, readymade custard powder, ready made fish fingers. I'm genuinely puzzled as to why she tells me she fed us healthily.

NewShadow

ID-8 wrote: »

In regards to 'what do I mean by healthy'. That's a great question, I don't really know exactly, it's obviously a term thrown about willy nilly but I am not that well educated myself on what is healthy and what isn't. I would welcome your suggestions again here as to what you think healthy is?

I would suggest, if you ask for suggestions, you'll get a lot of blanket opinions.

What's healthy for you has to be based on:

Your family - how many of each gender at each age, women of a certain age needs more calcium for example, children have more need for fat (unless you have a family history of Alzheimers, at which point you might want to look into research regards fat for the whole family)

your activity levels/types of activity - for indicative carb/protein and calorie loads,

any dietary or medical requirements - I'm an odd bunny in that I need to ADD salt to my diet (yet I keep being told by uninformed people - not here, but in general - that's unhealthy, not for me it isn't). Family history should also be considered here - if a relative has a history of late onset diabetes or heart attacks for example.

your work life balance - how much time you have to cook from scratch vs buying the best off the shelf options

what your family actually like to eat - no point serving up rabbit food if everyone hates it

your budget - again, what's realistic at a sustainable level given other budgetary considerations

your ethical/philosophical priorities/concerns - do your research. Don't just believe anyone on here. Read for yourself (and look for peer reviewed stuff over yummy mummy or feel good articles)

And most importantly - don't demonise any food group or food type. Fat, sugar, carbs... they all have a place in a balanced diet. It's about thinking how you get them, how much of each you need, and how often.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a double chocolate melted fudge cake with caramel sauce and ice-cream - just maybe not for breakfast...

NewShadow

melanzana wrote: »

My main concern is the texture. But I can't say anything until I try it. And as you suggested, I will put some meaty stock in the hot water while reconstituting it.

Melanzana - Might I suggest, if your first attempt is less than stellar, as a second attempt you try a chilli?

My chilli recipe is (roughly):

Blitz an onion or two (at least one per two people eating) with garlic and cumin seed, then fry in a pan (with butter) until bubbling and smelling lush.

Add a handful of red lentils, stir, a handful of TVP, stir, a tin of kidney beans and a tin of 'other' (pinto or black bean - or both - for preference) beans, stir, a glug of wine, stir.

Then I add coriander, cayenne pepper (no chilli!), oregano and a tin or two of tomatoes, and a handful of grated carrots, diced red pepper and sometimes some diced mushrooms.

Mix well, bring to a simmer, turn down the heat and stick a lid on and cook for at least 1.5 hours, the more the better and the slower the better.

Serve with big floury tortillas, sour cream and Guac.

Get's you away to your five-a-day!

determined_new_ms

i recently started adding thyme and bacon to spaghetti (along with a dollop of red wine) and honestly it is divine! I only use 2 or 3 rashers of smoked bacon. Better than any spag I've eaten anywhere. I might also throw in a bit of basil...

adding chocolate to chilli also gives it a certain depth to the favour.

I often browse the grocery challenge thread for recipes - most I have found to be winners. There's a link to monikers orange honey chicken which imo is delish and healthy. Some chicken pieces, some honey and a few tablespoons of orange juice. Let it marinade for a while (you could even prepare this tonight, leave in the fridge then tomorrow when you get in from work bung it in the oven) then bake, served with any carbs you fancy and some veg. Find out what veg you guys like makes a big difference! Don't be afraid of frozen veg. For years I would always buy fresh and then it would languish in the fridge and get thrown out. That doesn't happen now as we've turned into veg freaks but for a while I switched to frozen just to stop this happening.

PasturesNew

Don't become too overwhelmed by "lifestyle choices"....

e.g.
A jacket potato is a meal. You can buy a spud and bake it.

An organically grown, GM free, Heritage potato, rubbed with extra virgin oil and freshly-harvested sea salt, cooked using a Le Creuset ovenware dish lined with recycling-friendly parchment, then served with fresh organic chives, hand churned butter and a dollop of cream .... is a lifestyle choice

First: instantly achievable
Second: overwhelming, complex, hard to source ... and offputting.

Start with the easy way ... and, over time, develop your own "way of doing it that suits you".

[Deleted User]

PasturesNew wrote: »

Don't become too overwhelmed by "lifestyle choices"....

e.g.
A jacket potato is a meal. You can buy a spud and bake it.

An organically grown, GM free, Heritage potato, rubbed with extra virgin oil and freshly-harvested sea salt, cooked using a Le Creuset ovenware dish lined with recycling-friendly parchment, then served with fresh organic chives, hand churned butter and a dollop of cream .... is a lifestyle choice

First: instantly achievable
Second: overwhelming, complex, hard to source ... and offputting.

Start with the easy way ... and, over time, develop your own "way of doing it that suits you".

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

10/10 PN

moneyistooshorttomention

:rotfl:First thought - Pastures has been looking in my kitchen:rotfl:.

Well - quick refresher to its an organically grown spud (probably from T*sco though and there is a choice of precisely one:( probably). Rub with the organic extra virgin olive oil and seasalt (errm...don't know how fresh it is:rotfl:), add the chives (from own garden) and organic butter (T*sco own brand organic). Forget the cream (calories and it's impossible to find organic cream locally).

To which - I would add a generous grating of cheese (organic cheddar - as it's the only organic cheese local T*sco stocks:mad:) and serve with generous helping of salad (right now - that might mean assorted lettuce from my garden, tomatoes from my garden, organic peppers and/or carrots from T*sco, perhaps a sprinkling of toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds with dash of organic soya sauce on them). Follow that with some fruit from my garden.

***********

What OP could adapt from that is that I do notice many people commenting about having had omelette (but no salad with it:eek:) or pizza (but no salad with it:eek:). At which point it starts to become obvious why so few British people even manage to achieve the old "5 a day".

For starters - to me it's an obvious thing to do to:

- have some fruit of some description with my morning cereal at breakfast (fresh and/or frozen and/or dried). Personally - I'll probably add one or two other things too (eg a bit of freshly-ground flaxseed - for the essential oils).
- always have some vegetables of some description (cooked or as salad) at both lunchtime and dinnertime
- always have at least a couple of other fruits at some point during the day.

There is no reason not to have both cooked and salad vegetables at dinnertime. I've certainly watched a European I used to know well do both at every single dinner time. They would put a large helping of salad on their plate AND have a big bowl of cooked vegetables with the "main item" (eg chicken and pasta).

Personally I certainly bear in mind that the average British person seems to expect to have chronic ill health from around 60 or so onwards - and then I look at what the average British person eats and think "Well - I guess that's understandable in that context".....

Gwendolyn

NewShadow wrote: »

I would suggest, if you ask for suggestions, you'll get a lot of blanket opinions.

What's healthy for you has to be based on:

Your family - how many of each gender at each age, women of a certain age needs more calcium for example, children have more need for fat (unless you have a family history of Alzheimers, at which point you might want to look into research regards fat for the whole family)

your activity levels/types of activity - for indicative carb/protein and calorie loads,

any dietary or medical requirements - I'm an odd bunny in that I need to ADD salt to my diet (yet I keep being told by uninformed people - not here, but in general - that's unhealthy, not for me it isn't). Family history should also be considered here - if a relative has a history of late onset diabetes or heart attacks for example.

your work life balance - how much time you have to cook from scratch vs buying the best off the shelf options

what your family actually like to eat - no point serving up rabbit food if everyone hates it

your budget - again, what's realistic at a sustainable level given other budgetary considerations

your ethical/philosophical priorities/concerns - do your research. Don't just believe anyone on here. Read for yourself (and look for peer reviewed stuff over yummy mummy or feel good articles)

And most importantly - don't demonise any food group or food type. Fat, sugar, carbs... they all have a place in a balanced diet. It's about thinking how you get them, how much of each you need, and how often.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a double chocolate melted fudge cake with caramel sauce and ice-cream - just maybe not for breakfast...

This is one of the best posts I have ever read on the definition of healthy.
I am sick to death of people advocating that "Their way" - whatever that may be such as no carb or no red meat, is the only way.
In reality "healthy" is a different thing for all of us. We all not only have a specific calorie requirement, but also a different balance of food. That can also vary on a daily basis dependent on activity and other things.
My small daughter swims for a club and therefore gets through a lot of food including things like milkshakes on the days she has training sessions.


I think the place to start is eating "healthier" overall. Make small gradual changes and that way the things you learn are likely to be lasting. It may be you start with one big family batch cook at weekends like the spag bog today and decide not have takeaways.


There are lots of meals that you cook in the oven which are like long cook ready meals - ie you bung them in the oven with no real preparation! Such as salmon - wrap in foil and brush on a little oil, bay leaf and pull out when cooked. You can serve with veg and new potatoes. Frozen veg is good quality and there's no prep.
Then you've got jacket potato - with tuna for example.

moneyistooshorttomention

Gwendolyn wrote: »

There are lots of meals that you cook in the oven which are like long cook ready meals - ie you bung them in the oven with no real preparation! Such as salmon - wrap in foil and brush on a little oil, bay leaf and pull out when cooked. You can serve with veg and new potatoes. Frozen veg is good quality and there's no prep.
Then you've got jacket potato - with tuna for example.

That is certainly a useful concept I employ and have noticeably often done that exact meal. It's thrown a spanner in the works recently - wondering whether I'd have a side flavouring of plastic microbeads with my fish and I'm really not quite sure whether the fact that fish eat it would mean I'd be eating it too if I ate them (humans as the top of the food chain).

I dont use aluminium foil myself. So I would substitute parchment paper for that or, in my case, more often than not I've got a noticeable amount of sorrel leaves there on the common sorrel plant there in my garden (as it seems to have at least some leaves throughout the year). So I choose some particularly large leaves - and put some on the bottom of the casserole dish and some on top of the food. That way - the moisture is retained in a healthy way and the sorrel leaves add a very slight lemon-y touch to it and maybe a few of them are still okay for actually eating it too (ie as a sorta sauce to the food item). With common sorrel being a perennial plant and so useful - I regard it as a basic one to grow in my garden.

Another reason for that plant being I'm very partial to a cheese and sorrel omelette (imo feta and sorrel omelette is luscious).