Eating on a budget whilst trying to lose weight - is it possible?

[candybar]

I've been a member of Slimming World since September and have managed to lose just under 3 stone, still have around 10lbs to get to target and I am struggling, both with losing weight and the cost of it.

Although I have completely cut out all processed foods and junk I'm spending so much money on Fresh fruit, veg and meat. I switched from A Tesco online shop to Aldi and whilst I'm saving I find that i need to do a mid week Sainsbury's top up for fruit veg and salad.

We are a family of 5, 2 adults, a very fussy 12 year old and two primary school age children who will eat almost anything. Other than my husband we will all eat pasta, and jacket potatoes are a winner. I do know how to eat cheaply and we've been in a far worse position money wise, it's the losing weight aspect that I'm finding difficult as I really don't want to put all the weight I've worked so hard to lose back on.

I do get a free meal at lunchtime at work, and weekends I usually make soup or omelette's.

Any ideas? has anyone managed this?

I feel like I'm so close yet so far and I really don't want our lack of cash to stop me.

Yes I think it's definitely possible to do SW on budget. SW extra easy is based round 'nnormal' family meals so same budgeting rules if you were not following that eating plan.

Pasta and rice - Aldi's essentials are really cheap
Bulk meals out with pulses and frozen veg
Use passata instead of jar sauce
if you have slow cooker do chicken casserole with chicken thighs, tin canellini beans and veg
Salad can be expensive so use veg instead
Frozen veg normally cheaper but look out for seasonal and special offers
Cook extra rice, pasta, potatoes to make up salad dishes for lunches
Bananas 68p Bunch at Aldi
See whatever fruit is seasonal or special offer each week
For breakfast make overnight oats with frozen berries and natural yogurt or make up similar in the morning using cheap weetabix
Slimming world egg and chips
Huge packs of ' cut off' ham £1.67 again at Aldi
Just leave all the cakes and biscuits on the shelf!!

Well done Candy on loosing your weight, it's not easy to loose it and stick to SW plan. My DH has joined again 2 month ago after he put 3 stones back on he lost about 4 years ago. He likes to eat lot of fresh fruit which is definitely not cheap even if you buy seasonal fruit or only what's on offer at the store.
Do you have a farmer's market nearby or perhaps local Pick your own farm? I am waiting for a sunny day to take my kids.
Good luck and keep going. Your health is important.

My DH eats quorn (mince & pieces in traditional recipes). I was a vegetarian for years, and the only reason he eats it is because it's low fat high protein. It's also super cheap in ASDA (just buy the frozen stuff, not the chilled - you can microwave pretty quickly to defrost so doesn't really make a difference to cooking time wise).

Recipe ideas:

• Quorn spaghetti (with wholewheat pasta, and onion, chopped tomato, herb sauce, maybe with some purée and salt, sugar, pepper to taste)
• Quorn chilli (same base sauce as spaghetti with added chilli and beans), serve with wholemeal rice
• Quorn fajitas (chop onion and peppers up, fry with Quorn pieces and spices, add extra veg and serve with flour tortillas, low fat yogurt and salsa)
• pasta bake with cheese and Quorn pieces for protein hit, add veg to basic tomato sauce to make it more filling and healthy
• butter beans in basic tomato sauce, add some cinnamon, and cook, bake in oven if want them super melt in the mouth texture, serve over baked potatoes or with brown crunchy bread & a salad
• lentil Dahl made with low fat coconut milk and served with rice (add favourite curry spices)
• spinach and butternut squash curry (make with spices and onion and chopped veg and canned tomatoes), add chickpeas for low fat cheap protein, serve with low fat yogurt (to cool it down) and rice / wholewheat naan for cheap healthy curry night in

I'm not familiar with SW, but I did lose 6 stone through calorie counting a couple of years ago. I've put around a stone back on, but I'm trying to maintain where I am.

I was going to suggest Quorn, we eat loads of it. Low fat and high protein so great for losing or maintaining weight.

I use a lot of frozen veg - things like carrots, peas, broad beans, green beans, spinach, sweetcorn, peppers... I also buy frozen blueberries and raspberries to eat with my breakfast.

Eggs are a good source of protein and are cheap. I buy tins of tuna when they are on special offer.

Pulses are cheap and filling, I always keep butter beans and chickpeas in. I tend to buy tinned, but dried are even cheaper.

Apples and pears are cheap now as they are coming into season.