Enjoy food

How to eat well on a budget
When money’s tight, it can seem
hard to think of ways to trim
your food bill and still provide
healthy meals for the family.
But it is possible – here’s how.
MAKE A PLAN
Write a menu plan for the week
ahead, including breakfast, lunch
and dinner. If planning seven
days seems too daunting, do one
that covers Monday to Friday and
be flexible at weekends. Get the
whole family involved and make
sure their favourite (healthy) meals
are included.
Shop for more fruit, vegetables,
wholegrains and pulses. Then add
other protein – such as chicken,
fish or tofu – and dairy. Beans and
pulses are an excellent and cheap
way to make meals go further. Add
them to lean mince for bolognese
or to chicken for curry. Don’t forget
your spices.
Write down the meals for the week
on a meal planner (download one
from our website at www.diabetes.
org.uk/meal-planning) and stick
it to your fridge, or somewhere the
whole family can see it, to remind
you what you’re eating that week.
MAKE A LIST
The shopping list is your most
important tool when sticking to a
budget. If you know what you need
before you head to the shops,
you’re less likely to buy extra food.
Try not to go shopping when
you’re hungry, as you may choose
unhealthier foods. Use your menu
plan to create a shopping list for the
week, then check what you have
already in the store cupboard (see
page 25), in the fridge that needs
using up and in the freezer. Check
use-by and best-before dates.
• Use-by dates mean the food
must be eaten by that date for
food safety.
• Best-before dates simply mean
the food may not be quite as
flavourful after that date. This
applies to many canned foods
and dried ones, such as pasta,
so use them up before
you buy more.
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www.diabetes.org.uk/enjoyfood