How to eat well on a budget

Healthy Diet

When it comes to saving on your food shopping bill, there are lots of ways you can get the most for your money

Plan ahead
  • Create a shopping list and stick to it. Prepare meals that use the same ingredients to reduce the size of your list
  • Avoid shopping on an empty stomach as you are more likely to buy more
  • Consider supermarket 'own brands'
  • Supermarket ‘own-brands’ often taste the same as their branded counterpart, but are cheaper
Buy in bulk if you can
  • Buying foods in bulk can help you save money
  • Stock up on tinned and dried foods that have a long shelf-life when on special offer
Reduce convenience foods
  • Buying foods in their ‘original’ state will save you money
  • Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself
  • Peel and chop vegetables and fruit yourself
Reduce waste
  • Plan out your meals so all your ingredients get used. Freeze any leftovers in freezer bags or plastic containers
  • Use foods that go off quicker such as fresh fish and meat earlier in the week
  • Gather all leftover vegetables at the end of the week and transform it into a tasty soup. Add the vegetables and some stock to a pan (cook until tender if using raw veg), then blend in a food processor until smooth
  • Always check the use-by-date to get the product that will stay fresh the longest
Go veggie
  • Have a meat-free day once or twice a week. Replace meat with beans, peas or lentils. These are cheap to buy and are very nutritious
  • Add beans, peas or lentils in place of meat in dishes such as curries and casseroles
Cook from scratch
  • Eating out is often more expensive. Bring a packed lunch to school or work
  • Avoid takeaways: cooking at home is cheaper and you get to control what goes into your meal
Beware of offers
  • Special discounts such as 'half price' or 'buy one get one free' can offer good value but always take a second look. It is only good value if you actually need the item
Shop later in the day
  • Fresh foods are often reduced in price in the supermarket later in the day

Healthy Diet Useful Resources

Use this calculator to check your body mass index (BMI) and find out if you are a healthy weight. Or, use it to check your child's BMI centile.