25 Jan 2018

Ways To Save Money On Food And Eat Well

Having a healthy balanced diet sounds all good until you actually attempt it. Not only does it seem to break the bank, but it also takes a lot of effort and is kinda difficult. That chocolate cake sat over there would taste way better than this dull apple. Healthy eating ruined. However, there are ways to treat yourself, and your bank account will also thank you. This is how. 

Stop Wasting Food 

It's easy to chuck the end of something away or think 'well there's hardly anything left, so no use for it now'. Tonnes of food is thrown away per year, and it's time to make a change. Broccoli stalks? Would be great in that salad. Bit of chicken left? Chuck it in a curry. Not only will you be more creative with your dishes but you can be less wasteful, so dollar saved!

What's in this season?

Gookie Dough is always in season, but I guess you can't live on that forever! Seasonal produce is cheaper, healthier and at its prime time which means you get the best taste. January is the citrus season so avoid the berries and go all out on the pomegranates, oranges and lemons. 

Planning 

Meal planning is my downfall, it's darn right boring, and sometimes, when it comes to the day, you really don't fancy the meal that you've prepared for. Sucks, right? However, this is the way you don't spend loads of money on takeaways. Think about backup options if you don't fancy the dish you've planned. 

Cooking Ahead 

A slow cooker is a chef's best friend when it comes to preparing. Making a big batch of soup, stews and other delights not only uses up those leftovers but also keeps you eating for three to 4 days. If not, you can freeze the rest! Get creative, vary the toppings on soups and switch up your sides on that pulled pork. And guess what? You can even make dessert in a slow cooker. Bliss. 

Don't be lazy 

It's easy to fall into the trap of buying products that are already prepared for you. For example, chopped apples, peppers etc. Please don't. When looking at the price differences, you may be paying 50% more just because someone has taken a knife to it and saved you a job that would take 5 minutes. Buy whole, not only does this give you more product but you can also use ziplock bags if you don't want to eat everything in one go! More money and less plastic waste, yay!

Coupon Apps 

It may seem a bit extreme, but you want to save money, yeah? By checking out apps such as Checkout51 or looking at deals within papers, you can grab coupons and save a bit of dough (Gookie).  See what I did there? However, don't fall into the trap of splashing out and using every coupon just because you're saving. This can lead you to buy things you don't need at all! 

So, now you know how to save money and still eat those fruit and veggies! Got any tips for us?