Just because we're trying to save money, doesn’t mean we can’t eat healthily.
This means being extra savvy when shopping; gone are the days of throwing things into the trolley – just in case – but instead, most follow a plan.
1. Frozen vegetables
Ounce for ounce these are often better value then ‘fresh’, and contain more nutrients with no waste.
Most ‘fresh’ fruit and veg. today are picked before they are ripe and left to ripen artificially. Frozen vegetables are picked when they are just right, at peak ripeness.
2. Baked beans on toast
My go-to cheap meal is baked beans on toast. It contains fibre and protein.
I eat them on whole grain toast, but read the label and search for the low salt and sugar option.
3. Eggs and toast
Other less-expensive options are boiled eggs and soldiers, or scrambled eggs on toast.
4. Dark chocolate
Don’t forget dark chocolate has surprising benefits, and ‘a little of what you fancy….’
5. Apples
Beware shiny apples. This may be because they have been picked unripe, come halfway across the world in storage, and were sprayed with ethylene to chemically ripen them. Then sprayed with wax coating to make them look shiny and ripe.
Search for labels like ‘English Coxes’, now coming in to the shops; better still if you go to a proper greengrocer who pride themselves in buying local produce.
6. Strawberries
When strawberries are in season, a white ‘ring’ around the green hull probably means they have been picked unripe.
7. Bread
Nutritionists say to beware of the term 'high-fibre'. Officially, this only has to be 6 grams per 100 grams.
If you can, buy bread at a bakery where they bake their own (watch out for supermarkets that bake ready-frozen loaves with a dispenser that wafts out the ‘fresh baked’ smell). If you like white bread, a good baker can tell you which are healthy white loaves.
8. Watery bacon
If your bacon curls up and ‘leaks’ water when cooking, it’s all the nitrates, water and other additives leaking out. There is a theory that smoked bacon might have cancer warnings, so buy the best, unsmoked bacon you can afford.
9. Soya beans
Soya Beans are one of the best plant sources of high-quality protein and, if you like the taste, you can swap them for peas in a recipe.
They're particularly useful if you're vegan, as there are concerns over sourcing an adequate daily amount of protein. These are sometimes called Edamame Beans.
10. Spam
A recent news story said Waitrose (Waitrose!) had noticed an increase in customers buying Spam. (Yes, they do sell it).
Before you rush to copy them, remember – although Spam is convenient, it’s also very high in fat, calories and sodium and low in nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. Additionally, it’s highly processed and contains preservatives like sodium nitrite that may cause adverse health effects.
