How to Create Delicious, Healthy Meals on a Budget
Grocery prices have jumped up so much in the last few years that choosing healthier options can seem well out of your budget. A small cash loan may help tide you over and keep food on the table, but delicious, healthy meals don’t have to be expensive. We’ll show you how to master prepping healthy meals on a budget so you can eat quality food on a low budget! Check out our list of tips and tricks, as well as some of our favourite recipes to help you eat better for less.
Overview
3 P’s for cheap and healthy meals
Cooking cheap and healthy meals doesn’t have to be complicated, especially when you follow the 3 P’s: plan, purchase, prepare. We’ll go into more depth for each step below, but just remembering to plan your shopping, purchase at the best price, and prepare food yourself can stretch your budget further and keep your family healthy.
1. Plan your shop
Planning a shopping list before you head to the supermarket is a great way to save money. By looking at catalogues in supermarkets, you can easily see what’s on sale and in season, and plan meals accordingly. If you have competing supermarkets close to one another, it might also be beneficial to compare options to maximise savings.
2. Purchase your items
Once you’ve got your shopping list set out, it’s time to head in store. Stick to your list and stay out of the aisles you don’t need. Even if you’ve planned ahead and looked at specials, it pays to compare prices on the shelves, since you might be able to snag a bargain or find a cheaper brand that wasn’t available online.
While you’re comparing products, use nutrition fact labels to help you choose the healthiest options. Look out for canned beans and vegetables. They might be slightly cheaper than the fresh varieties, but they’re often packed full of salt. And try to steer clear of pre-cut fruits, vegetables, and individually packaged items like yogurts and cereals. They’re convenient, but often much more expensive than the real deal that require a bit of prep time.
Click and collect options are also valuable when it comes time to purchase, as it removes the temptation to wander through the aisles and buy things you don’t need. But if you do go shopping in person, always remember to follow the golden rule: don’t go on an empty stomach.
3. Prepare your meals
Now comes the fun part: actually preparing your meals! Some meals can be pre-made ahead of time and kept in the fridge or freezer for those nights where you’re tempted to order takeaway. Portioning your meals ahead of time also helps you keep track of how much you’re eating. You can pre-cut lots of different veggies to keep, and think about ways to incorporate leftovers into different meals throughout the week. Always keep food safety in mind!
Extra tips to stay under budget
Always buy in season
With particular fruit and veg being grown at specific times of the year, it’s important to keep an eye out for what’s readily in season. These will be much cheaper as they are produced locally rather than imported. Although spending five or more dollars on one punnet of strawberries might seem like a good idea in the short term, keep in mind that five dollars can likely buy you several kilograms of other fruit and veg, particularly at local markets.
To make this even easier, plan meals around what vegetables are readily available to ensure you aren’t paying too much. Some good low-cost items available year-round include:
- Beans (kidney, cannellini, black) for protein
- Carrots, leafy greens, and potatoes to up your veg count
- Apples and bananas to increase your fruit intake
Grow your own produce
Tending to a garden is a highly rewarding experience, and all the more so when you can benefit by eating the things you grow! Supermarket herbs can be very expensive, so maintaining a small herb garden can save a lot of money in the long run. Even if you don’t have a backyard, most herbs can grow in pots anywhere as long as they get a bit of sun. Similarly, using vertical space for things like tomatoes, and ground space for whatever delicious fruits and vegetables you like to eat can mean dinner is even cheaper and more satisfying! Seeds are cheap, so there’s no risk in trying and you might be rewarded with some great organic produce.
Keep it simple
When you’re learning how to cook healthy meals on a budget, the key is simplicity. Choose 3 elements: protein, vegetables and carbs. Then dress them up in different ways! Limit each recipe to one “expensive” ingredient and cheap out on the rest. For example, if you are making a pasta bake, spend most of the money on the cheese and buy cheap pasta and veggies.
With all of this in mind, here are a few quick, easy healthy meals to get you started.
5 healthy meals on a budget
Roast and veg
Pick a cheap cut of meat, like chicken thighs or drumsticks, add in some seasoning, like a moroccan or BBQ spice mix, add in some potatoes and other veg, then throw it all in the oven to roast. Some cheap cuts of meat like chuck roasts and briskets can be tough, so opt for a slow cooker to make the meat tender. Depending on what cut of meat you choose, this one can be as cheap as $2.50 per serving.
Pasta bake
Once you cook the pasta, this healthy meal is as simple as adding in some fresh or frozen veggies, your sauce of choice, and topping with cheese before baking. This one pictured is broccoli and cheese sauce. Try tomato sauce with olives or pesto sauce with pine nuts.
Stir fry
The cost for this one can blow out if you buy pre-cut meat and veggies, so keep the costs down by cutting them yourself! If you are worried about cooking too much at once, cut your veg and bag them in individual portions. You can even freeze them with the sauce in the bag for a ready-to-fry portion. Remember the secret to a perfect stir fry is in the name: always keep stirring, and don’t crowd the pan!
Bangers and mash
This old classic is great for a quick and easy midweek meal. But to make this one healthy, you’ll need to add some colour! Add a healthy side serve of veg or a leafy green salad to boost the nutritional value.
Fried rice
This take-out favourite can be healthy with a few tweaks! Stick to brown rice (the texture and flavour is richer and you’ll stay fuller for longer). Then add lots of veg and go light on the oil. This one is great for meal prep, which means you can make a big batch and freeze it for later.
Hit by all your bills at once? Let Swoosh lend a hand!
We hope you’ve found some inspiration for creating healthy meals on a budget. As you can see, a little creativity and extra work in the kitchen go a long way! But if you’ve been hit by a few bills at once or just need a little bit of cash to get you through the weekend, a small personal loan from Swoosh can help take the pressure off. Get in touch with our team to learn more.
Healthy meals on a budget: FAQs
What is the cheapest and healthiest meal?
This would have to be the roast veggies and meat (especially if you opt for cheaper cuts of meat or meat that’s on sale). This is because you’re getting both protein and essential nutrients with the veggies.
What food can I make a lot of for cheap?
The cheapest meal to bulk make is definitely pasta bake, especially if you make it vegetarian. To make it as cheap as possible, buy homebrand pasta, use frozen veggies and bulk buy your cheese.
