Short on time & money? Here's how to eat well on a budget
Whether you’re renting or have a mortgage, there are many ways to eat healthy while staying within your budget, it’s all in the planning. You should be able to do this and balance your budget at the same time.
So, here are five ways to get you started on eating well and saving money & time.
- First, and possibly most obvious, is plan your meals at the start of each week. Depending on your work hours and the number of people in your household, pick a day for planning that suits everyone. Sit down and work out how many meals need to be made; how many members of the household are going to be there to eat them, and who’s going to cook them.
Write it all down on a calendar and make a list of any ingredients you don’t have. A good way of saving money and time is to base your meal plan around what you already have in the cupboards or in the garden if you grow your own. Once you’ve made your food plan, stick to it as closely as possible.
- Buying in bulk not only saves you money, it also saves you time, as you’re not always popping out to the shops for ingredients. Do a bit of research and find out where your closest bulk buy supermarket or wholefoods co-operative is. Plan a monthly or six-weekly shop for all the things you use the most. If you’ve got storage space, buy slabs of tins of beans, tomatoes, chickpeas etc., and buy things like rice and oats in 10kg sacks. Local markets are great for sourcing these sorts of food stuffs in bulk – such as the Queen Vic Market or Costco in Melbourne or Central Market in Adelaide. You’ll find it’s significantly cheaper to shop this way – generally, the more you buy of something, the less it costs.
- Another way to eat well and save money is to spend one day a week or fortnight cooking in bulk and freezing what you don’t eat in appropriate serving sized containers. There is nothing better than getting home of a weeknight and not having to think about what’s for dinner or arguing over who’s going to cook. It’s also an excellent way of taking advantage of the volumes of seasonal produce. When tomatoes are in season (therefore cheaper), cook up a big batch of tomato sauce and freeze it so you always have the makings for a great pasta dish on hand.
Investing in a small chest freezer specifically for meals makes great sense, as good quality models can be sourced second hand or from a wholesale warehouse. Over time, the money you save on cooking in bulk and eating seasonally will more than pay for the cost of purchasing and running the freezer. It’s amazing just how many foods can be frozen with no reduction in their nutritional value or taste. For more information on how best to freeze food, visit Taste.com.au.
- Building on the savings and practicalities of cooking in bulk, pack your lunch for work or university, if you’re studying. Not only can you utilise some of your frozen meals, you’ll be saving at least $50 a week, which quickly adds up over the year. You’ll be eating better and you won’t be faced with the inevitable quandary about what to buy for lunch. Grab some fruit for snacks and decide what you’re going to treat yourself to, whether it is a daily or weekly treat. Factor this into your budget. If you’re spending nothing extra on food while at work or university, then spending a few extra dollars each week is probably manageable.
- One of the best ways to save money on food is to grow your own, even if it’s just some pots of herbs or leafy greens. We previously ran an article on how to grow a garden at your rental home, which had some really good hints on establishing a garden without spending too much money or time. There’s no doubt that growing your own food is a wonderful way to save money and improve the quality of your meals. A bunch of herbs can cost up to $4 whereas a punnet of parsley or basil costs around the same for a long-term supply. We all know that most of a bunch of store-bought parsley or basil goes to waste.
Similarly, why buy a whole lettuce when you can pick the leaves you need when you need them, with the added advantage of home-grown goodness. If you’re a serious gardener, why stop at herbs and leafy greens. Grow tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchinis and you’ll have the fundamentals for multiple meals for months to come.
Looking to save on your energy bills? Switch to Lumo Energy for great rates, packages & discounts on electricity and gas.So, make the switch today and see how Lumo can help you save.
Date:
31 January 2017
Category:
Lumo Community
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Living Sustainably
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Lumo Energy
