Is slimming world diet possible to do on a budget?

[gamerwidow]

I've been collecting the Slimming World meal plans from The Mirror over the last couple of days and think that the plan looks like something I could follow quite easily in terms of what you are allowed to eat. However it looks very expensive to follow if you need to buy the volumes of fresh fruit, veg and meat/fish that are included in the meal plans.

Has anyone managed to follow the slimming world diet while on a budget or have you found the meal plans too expensive? Anyone got any tips on how to stick to the plan at minimum cost?

[OlympicEater]

Slimming world menu is what people who are eating normally and healthily should be eating, so shouldn't be massively expensive.

Fruit and veg cheap on the market.

You'll save money by not buying / eating crap like cakes, biscuits, crisps etc

[gamerwidow]

I don't actually buy cakes, biscuits and crisps but I do have things like cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch and then snack on fruit so I could have 7 days worth of breakfast or lunch for the cost of a loaf of bread, some eggs, some ham and a box of cereal plus some apples and oranges.
Looking at the meal plans it seems that I would be using up too many healthy extras doing this and most of the breakfasts seem to be either cooked or fruit salad with yoghurt. I think that to buy this much fruit plus that for snacking would end up being much more expensive. Have I misunderstood? Are their cheaper breakfasts and lunches?

[foreverondiet]

I found the following quite cheap:

• frozen white fish
  
• tesco value frozen veg - broccoli, cauliflower and mixed veg.
  
• tesco value chopped tomatoes (adds volume to each meal!)
  

Save more money by only drinking water.

[cardibach]

They have budget ideas on their internet site, but I think you have to pay to be a member to access it. I also can't find it just now to give you the lowdown . If it reappears I'll post about it. It is a fab diet.

[GlaikitFizzog]

For breakfast on SW I owuld have some cereal (raisin wheats) using B option and some of my milk from an A option. Or Alpen light bars (you used to get 2 for a B option) with some fruit. Scrambled eggs on slice of toast or crispbread maybe with a bit of bacon if I felt frivalous!

I think on a budget it is very doable. Especially the green days. Lots of pulses and filling veg, pasta is cheap as is rice. TBH the books say to use brown pasta and rice, but I never did. I would make soup for lunches or baked potatoes.

It's the only diet that I have been able to stick to.

[MrsWembley]

How is fresh fruit and veg expensive? Sorry, but I find that's the cheapest part of the diet and the easiest to organise. Make sure you're buying from the market or your local grocers, not the supermarket. I'm guessing that's why you think it would be pricey.

[gamerwidow]

So it looks like investigating prices at the grocers rather than the supermarket and checking out frozen options is the way forward then. Thanks all.

[GlaikitFizzog]

Aldi and Lidl fruit and veg are reasonably priced and usually local to where you are.

[loubielou31]

It's really not an expensive way to lose weight because the basic ingredients like pasta, rice, fruit and veg are pretty cheap and it is easiest to stick to if you cook for yourself. Preprepared ingredients are usually high in syns and eating out really takes planning to stay within your syns allowance and continur to lose weight. Since those are the things that cost the most money you should be able to stick to the plan and a budget really easily. It's also food that the whole family can eat so you won't be cooking twice.

[Mslarsn1888]

Never read so much rubbish in my life from all the know it alls. IT IS EXPENSIVE LOVE your right to think that BULK FRUIT AND VEG is expensive. Pasta and potatoes are quite cheap however all the little extras you need like qyark low fat cottage cheese etc all the spices etc kill you. I.have a large family and I follow Slimming World and the truth of the matter is its very expensive. Very effective but still expensive. Driving me mad just now trying to find less pricey options... My advice would probs be farmfoods 3 for 10 pound on chicken gammon etc loads of baked potatoes and frozen VEG. Of course if you are just eating these things you will get bored and reach for thevCHEAP GOODIES. I know I gave in the pass. As a single WORKING mum also the cooking is a killer too so now Mon to Friday I buy Slimming World ready meals and bags of VEG and cook at weekend. I hope this helps and my deepest apologies for those who straight away assume your killing yourself with crisps and biscuits because your trying to loose weight. Small minds!!!!!!