Diet on a budget??

[Hai1988]

Hi i am looking to loose some weight but i never have anything in to make home cooked healthy meals for myself.

Convenience foods are obviously the cheapest option but not the healthiest.

How do you diet on a budget?

Hai - you might find this forum helpful :)

Its much cheaper to cook your own food from scratch. Slimming World is good.

Make a shopping list for 7 days of meals. Write down all the ingredients you need and stick to your shopping list. At first it might cost a bit more because you need to get spices and stuff, but the next time you go to cook that meal, you will already have the spices in so it will be a cheap meal. Does that make sense?

convenience foods aren't the cheapest.

I suggest you get things in to cook healthy meals.

do it in big batches and freeze in portions.

otoh, you could just try cutting out something (eg biscuits) and doing more exercise, but otherwise eating the same. also eating more slowly and not necessarily finishing the food on your plate if you're full

Absolutely, convenience foods are an a expensive rip-off.

The lowest calorie foods are also very cheap.... green vegetables, salads, tomatoes, seasonal fruit, for example. Things like rice, potatoes and pasta are incredibly cheap... and because you're trying to lose weight, you're only going to eat them in small amounts. (Weigh out these portions rather than guessing) Regard meat and cheese as 'flavourings' rather than foods in their own right. Use things like pulses (lentils, chickpeas) in modest amounts as a cheap but highly nutritious source of protein. Invest in a bottle of olive oil but use it incredibly sparingly... a teaspoon in each dish and a bottle of oil lasts for months. If you want an expensive treat from time to time indulge in some fresh fish. At breakfast, cheap, healthy options include porridge oats, eggs, wholemeal toast.

If you cut out the truly expensive stuff like snacks, alcohol and soft drinks and replace it with fruit, teas and water you'll save £££s. And, of course, exercise is essential. If you have a pair of shoes you can go for a brisk walk every day completely for free!

^^ Great advice I think

Sample menu:

B: 50g porridge oats, 200ml semiskimmed milk made into porridge - 300 calories

L: 2 slices wholemeal bread (try baking your own if you have time!), with homemade vegetable soup (pack in loadds of veg that you've got lurking in your fridge and a can of chickpeas/some red lentils, you don't really need oil to fry the veg, just use a bit of stock to stop it sticking, make up with stock and doctor with spices) and 25g cheese - will come to about 400 cals

D: Grilled mackerel - pretty cheap, with 3 boiled new potatoes, and as much steamed veg as you like and some lemon juice(can use frozen, it's great value usually) - about 500 calories

Three snacks: each could be a small piece of fruit in season (eg: apples)/1oz of unsalted nuts/ a portion of plain yoghurt from a tub/ a glass of milk/a cup of veg soup/ 3 pieces of dried fruit - so basically about 50-100 cals each.

This would add up to a day of about 1500 calories although I'm not sure if you need more, but the point is, those are (albeit basic) VERY healthy, substantial foods which don't cost much expecially preparing it all yourself. Lots of protein and fibre in there too, as well as brilliant healthy fats from the nuts and fish which will keep you feeling satisfied. Water and low sugar squash, as well as good old tea, will also help alot between meals.

Hth!