Staying Healthy on a Budget: Part 2

Staying Healthy on a Budget – Part 2

Staying Healthy on a Budget – Part 2.

Hannah Knight – Accounts & Administration Assistant

Welcome back to the second instalment of Staying Healthy on a Budget. We hope you enjoyed the tips from the first blog. Here at X-PERT Health we are back with a few more suggestions that could help you be a savvy shopper and save money while still being healthy!

Buying food in the right season

Buying foods which are in season is a great way to save money. For example, root vegetables in winter and strawberries in summer. In the winter months you may pay more for strawberries and other types of fruit due to them being imported rather than grown in the UK.

Check out the link below to BBC Good Food, they have a great list of which foods are available throughout the year.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/seasonal-calendar

Buy frozen

There is nothing wrong with buying frozen fruit and vegetables, they have the exact same nutritional content and are often cheaper and last longer. However, do be aware of tinned fruit as they are often preserved in sugary syrup.

Fresh fish is super healthy however it does come with an expensive price tag. Did you know you can get a great range of fish frozen? Most of the family favourites including cod, haddock and salmon can all be purchased frozen and are still extremely tasty with a cheaper price tag.

Grow your own produce

This may be impossible for some, however, continue reading if you have a small patch of garden free, a community allotment in your area or even space for a few plant pots. Creating a vegetable patch at home is a great way to eat fresh and healthy food. Starting a new vegetable patch is easy to do and you can start any time of the year.

Check out the link below for a full run down on how to start a vegetable patch.

https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/starting-a-new-vegetable-patch/

If you do not have a garden but like the idea of an allotment head to your local council’s website, they own a vast number of allotments in the UK. However, do be aware that there is a high demand for allotments and often long waiting lists.

There are also lots of local allotments that are not owned by the council, so do have a look on community Facebook groups and other community groups/websites as they may be advertising allotment space. Local areas also have “seed swap” groups so you could tap into sources of seeds to start your growing project quite cheaply.

Gardening and working on an allotment are a great way to socialise, exercise, develop your horticultural skills and enjoy the fresh air.

Packed Lunches

Buying food on the go can become expensive, cutting back and bringing your own packed lunches could save you a great deal of money. Try bringing leftovers or make your lunch the evening before.

Prepping your lunch for the week is also a great option, if you decide on salad, you can easily make several portions and put them in sealed containers. Then in the morning you will only need to add your toppings e.g. cheese, ham, tuna, and your favourite dressing.

We have several salad recipes on our forum, click here to access them. We aim to regularly add recipes to our forum, so please keep checking for new content.

Budget Recipes on X-PERT Forum          

Did you know we have a selection for budget recipes on our website forum? Each recipe has been carefully selected as it falls into a budget range (cost per serving is below £1.50). They have also all been tried and tested by us at the X-PERT Health Head Office in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

These recipes are all super tasty and nutritious, recipes include Prawn & Panner Curry, Chicken & Lentil Tray Bake and Greek Salad. We aim to regularly add recipes to our forum, so please keep checking for new content.

To see the recipes on our forum, click here.

X-PERT Health Forum Recipes

Buying cheaper cuts of meat

Have you considered buying cheaper cuts of meat? Buying cheaper cuts could be a great option if you are trying to save money when doing your food shopping. Cheaper cuts are usually best cooked slowly for example in a slow cooker. Or in a casserole dish left in the oven for a few hours on a low heat.

Some examples of cheaper cuts include:

Beef – Brisket, Skirt, Flank, Shin, Oxtail, Mince (great for meatballs or spaghetti Bolognese)

Pork – Shank, Shoulder, Knuckle. Belly, Cheek (for stews), Neck (good in sausages and pies) Ham hock (great for sandwiches)

Chicken – Thighs, Legs, Whole Chicken (this could be used for several meals, including chicken soup, Sunday roast, sandwiches)

Lamb – Shank, Scrag End (taken from the top of the neck)

Offal – kidney, liver, heart, tongue

 

We hope you found some of our tips and suggestions helpful. Please send us your comments or ideas on how to save money and be healthy. Email us at admin@xperthealth.org.uk. We would love to hear from you, and may even feature your suggestions in our future blogs.

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1 year ago

Great ideas and great advice, thanks Hannah!

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