Really healthy eating on a budget

[Deleted User]

JennyP wrote: »

Thank you. I didn't feel I was. I was unfavourably comparing myself to all the £1 a day people!

You don!!!8217;t need to compare yourself. I used to do the £1 a day, because I didn't mind chasing YS, but I really can't be arsed now. I would if it was something I 'needed' to do, but like others have said, it can be mostly processed & unhealthy, plus its mostly meat/dairy, which I don!!!8217;t eat.

JennyP wrote: »

I got Deliciously Ella a few years ago and bought stuff I would never normally eat then ended up wasting it when I didn't like the foods

Wow, nearly passed out looking at the ingredients for her 'tomato soup'. Sounds tasty, but I don't like to be tied to the kitchen for hours, needlessly. I make a lovely tomato soup with way less, healthier & much cheaper using pasata and red lentils.

short_bird wrote: »

I will confess to buying tinned pulses, simply because of the convenience.

lol - I love convenience myself, I would be broke in a week (not really), I use them in everything, I cook a load up and freeze in batches for convenience - I did used to buy Tesco Value 'instant mash', back in the day - (about 10p), 'cause I couldn't be bothered to peel potatoes - shhh don't tell anyone.

JennyP wrote: »

Each week, I'll need to buy a lemon, sardines, small pot of cream, fresh veg to accompany each meal, tinned tomatoes, 1 can coconut milk, milk, eggs, yoghurt, blueberries, cheese and bread for hubby. It's coming out at £15 - £20.

I guess it comes down to whether you 'need' to budget more or 'want' to. If it's want, then what you fancy is fine, if it!!!8217;s need, then you could buy a large pot of value yoghurt, about 60p for 500g and do away with the cream and the coconut, it will substitute for most things, if your flexible with your recipes. I live in London and regularly get 3 x tubs of blueberries for £1, so 33p for 1, probably another £4 for the rest of the ingredients, so about £5 or £6. I don't know the exact cost, as I'm vegan, but used to spend about £1 on milk, £2 cheese etc. I don!!!8217;t like cheapie bread, but always find the multi-seeded varieties YS for 10p !!!8211; 30p and freeze. I buy tons of fruit in season and freeze. I got 30 kiwis in the summer for £1, 6x tubs of blueberries £1 (working out 17p a carton), of which I bought 12 and froze. I would highly recommend shopping at veg stalls/markets, you get much better value. I personally find it much cheaper than frozen, but not everyone has the benefit of cheap F&V markets. Take advantage, as others have said, of offers. At Xmas most of the supermarkets were selling bags of veg for 19p. I bought tons and blanched and froze, or made into veggie (brussel) burgers, amongst some. I don!!!8217;t personally think fish is healthy, some of it is quite toxic, and it can be expensive. Hubby can get omega 3s etc from seeds (flax, chia, walnuts hemp), if he's a veggie. Good luck. PS - love the broccoli spiralizer tip - will have to try that. Sounds like you are doing amazing with your budget anyway. http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/dont-take-the-bait-fish-is-not-a-health-food

JennyP

Wow, Save Dosh. So many useful things in that message, thank you.
Am curious: where do you buy blueberries at 3 for £1? I also live in London....well, for another week or so as we're moving to Yorkshire!

doingitanyway

London to Yorkshire? quids in. Yorkshire is so beautiful and you have Betty's tea rooms too! I love the one in Ilkley

[Deleted User]

JennyP wrote: »

Wow, Save Dosh. So many useful things in that message, thank you.
Am curious: where do you buy blueberries at 3 for £1? I also live in London....well, for another week or so as we're moving to Yorkshire!

Wood Green High Road. I did January, but they are are not always that price. Haven't been there since then. It's where I get most of my veg. Good luck with the move.

PipneyJane

JennyP wrote: »

Lemon - for an otherwise cheap sardine recipe. It uses the zest unfortunately or I would use juice which we keep in the fridge. I will give it a go without the zest next time and see what the difference is.
I buy a small pot of cream and use half of it in one recipe and half in another. Also I don't think full fat dairy isn't healthy so it's fine from that point of view. But yes, I could go for a larger pot with a good best before.
I could look at frozen veg but we don't have enough freezer space on the boat.
Bread - we usually get YS bread at Morrisons. Cheese - the one I buy is almost always on special offer!
Tinned tomatoes - I don't buy the value one but the one I buy is only 5p a can more.

Does the sardine recipe need the zest from the whole lemon or just part? Grated lemon zest freezes quite well - you might want to grate the zest off first and freeze half, using the other half in your recipe. (I use a recycled hummus container and top it up whenever we use a fresh lemon.) Also, lemons keep for weeks in a cool place - or the fridge - so even if you make this recipe every week, buying a net of lemons might work out cheaper.

Keep an eye out for 4-for-£1 offers on tins of chopped tomatoes. Mr T has them every 3 months or so and I’ll buy an entire tray’s worth (12) at a time. There is no difference between the brands, so why pay more?

- Pip

JennyP

PipneyJane wrote: »

Does the sardine recipe need the zest from the whole lemon or just part? Grated lemon zest freezes quite well - you might want to grate the zest off first and freeze half, using the other half in your recipe. (I use a recycled hummus container and top it up whenever we use a fresh lemon.) Also, lemons keep for weeks in a cool place - or the fridge - so even if you make this recipe every week, buying a net of lemons might work out cheaper.

Keep an eye out for 4-for-£1 offers on tins of chopped tomatoes. Mr T has them every 3 months or so and I’ll buy an entire tray’s worth (12) at a time. There is no difference between the brands, so why pay more?

- Pip

It needs the lemon zest of a whole lemon but I do wonder if we'd notice if I left it out. I'm going to this week - see if hubby spots it's missing!

I will look out for the 4 for £1 tomatoes though we don't normally shop there as a) it's a car ride away and b) we live near Mr M's which is cheaper on most things.

When we move we'll only be near a small co-op but Mr M's will be 4 miles away and I think there's a Lidl too!

System

Just found this thread and been reading through. Finding it very interesting as I am just starting to go GF, in an effort to help my .....so called....IBS. GP says I am not gluten intolerant but I definitely feel a lot better since cutting out the cakes and using GF bread (which I only have 2 slices a day anyway, so leave it in the freezer so it lasts longer). I am trying not to buy lots of so called GF foods as have always eaten quite healthily but always found it hard to give up cakes.....:rotfl:. However I am doing really well and certainly feeling a lot better so far. I did buy some GF cookies but limited myself to 1 per day as they are so expensive. Will probably try making my own cakes with GF flour and see how that goes. Haven't baked in ages so will be an experience. Also use GF pasta.
Mainly I am eating lots of fish, fruit and veg. tinned sardines, beans etc. I do eat meat but not a lot.
Am also looking for ways to save money on food bills and definitely thinking of starting to buy in bulk and freeze more etc.
I did consider a small freezer in addition to our fridge/freezer, as that is always full. But OH thinks the excess electricity cost would outweigh the cost of any savings on the food. Any thoughts on that?

JennyP

I think it depends on what you're freezing to know whether it's worth it. We currently live on a boat. Have a tiny two shelf freezer that was £99 on Amazon. No idea of running costs though.

In two weeks I'll be in a house with a normal sized freezer!!! Bliss.

For treats we make Michael Mosley brownies from an aubergine with ground almonds. Or nairns ginger or chocolate biscuits made with oats. Or I make oat flapjacks. I don't worry about gluten free in the strict way a coeliac would.

Glad

Jenny have you looked in the World Foods section, Mr Ms have quite a good one, herbs, spices, tins of toms and beans all much cheaper
eg I get large tins of coconut milk for 47p, Mr Ms own is on the next aisle for 97p!

there's an article about it on the main site

Find HIDDEN supermarket discounts in the world foods section; up to 80% off herbs, spices, sauces & more

JennyP

Glad wrote: »

Jenny have you looked in the World Foods section, Mr Ms have quite a good one, herbs, spices, tins of toms and beans all much cheaper
eg I get large tins of coconut milk for 47p, Mr Ms own is on the next aisle for 97p!

there's an article about it on the main site

Find HIDDEN supermarket discounts in the !!!8216;world foods!!!8217; section !!!8211; up to 80% off herbs, spices, sauces & more

Yes, always do that. There's lots of Asian shops in west Yorkshire where we're moving to and they have great bargains!