eating unique on a budget

                          

How to eat well on a budget

It's all very well & good being given advice about the latest & greatest in skincare, make-up, gyms, clothes & diet......but....who can afford all that? Especially as the latest & greatest can, & does, regularly change.

I found an interesting article about substituting healthy foods for foods which give similar effects, but also cost less. Which I rather like the idea of. So here are some ideas, some of which are my own tricks:

Trail Mix/snack

• small baggies of dry cereal (use plastic snack bags)
• another is about 8 walnut halves & a small box of raisins (kids snack size)
• or combine the above two, add extra cereal & make up a few baggies

Protein drink                 

• use milk, add 1/4 cup skim milk powder for about double the protein of the milk
• whizz it in the blender, add a dash of vanilla & you have a smoothie.

Muesli                          

• porridge 
• or 2 breakfast biscuits
• or 2 weetbix

Porridge with chia seeds  

• chia seeds bulk up the protein but especially add fibre & healthy fats
• use oatbran instead, Homebrand make a good & really cheap oatbran
• you can also cook porridge in milk or milk powder to increase the protein
• add yoghurt/milk after.

LSA                              

• buy linseeds from the bulk bins, whizz them up in your coffee grinder, and store in the freezer
• add about 1 tsp to porridge for extra healthy fats.

Salmon                         

• tin of sardines

Blueberries                   

• dried prunes, great for the bowels & lots of anti-oxidants

High grain "healthy" bread  

• mixed grain crackers like vitawheat

Broccoli, sometimes mega cheap, if not, try

• peas
• or grow silverbeet

Capsicum 

• these are nightshades which don't agree with me, so I have carrot

Nuts, instead have a small serve of: 

• oil with a meal
• peanut butter

Chicken                        

• kidney beans
• tofu. Really cheap in Asian supermarkets

Designer soups             

• make your own!!! so yummy & cheap
• lentil & tomato, pumpkin, leek &  potato, pea & spinach........

Fruit/vege juice/smoothies

•  eat the whole fruit/vege instead
• & have a glass of water with them.

Protein bars                  

• muesli bar
• better still, make your own.

Yoghurt                        

• Gopals yoghurt is cheap & yummy
• yoghurt is also easy to make, amp up the protein by adding skim milk powder

Chai                              

• Choose: some cardamon, cinnamon, ginger, dash of vanilla
• add to a teabag or 1 tsp of tea
• brew, add some milk....yummy
• it's ok to just use  powdered spices

Meat                             

• when you cook mince, use less meat & add some lentils to the dish

Wraps                           

• make thin pancakes, or crepes which are more eggy
• makes smaller wraps but are still filling & delicious

It's very empowering to make your own food, cheaper & more hygenic. You can eat well when the budget is not so big.