Dietician shares tips for eating well on a budget

The cost-of-living crisis is worrying for a lot of us and with even the most basic of essentials sky-rocketing in price, it’s important to save where you can.

But slashing the budget on your weekly shop, doesn’t mean you have to live off pasta and beans.

We spoke to registered dietician and nutritionist Reema Patel who works for a private clinic, Dietician Fit & Co, who says you can still eat well for less.

Buy frozen

Reema’s first food shopping tip was to buy frozen fruit and vegetables, which are frozen soon after picking, so they can be more nutritious.

Frozen fruit and veg is almost always a quarter of the price of fresh produce and it can be cooked quickly in the microwave or on the stove.

Reema told Metro.co.uk: ‘Frozen fruits are fantastic value for money. I personally love adding frozen berries to my morning oats and have used frozen mango and pineapple in smoothies before, which are delicious and very sweet.’

Loose fruit and veg is also often far cheaper than packaged produce, especially for items like onions, garlic or apples. Reema recommends using the supermarket scales to help with a cost comparison.

Stock up on the basics

It’s great to keep a healthy stock of tinned foods in your cupboard, particularly tinned beans and lentils, which help to get in a source of protein, complex carbohydrates and fibre.

These are also already cooked which makes whipping up a meal far quicker. Buying large bags or dried beans or lentils is the least expensive form of these products but be warned – they require soaking and long cooking times.

Reema said: ‘Making fajitas? Swap some of the chicken out for tinned kidney beans, or if you like a curry, try a chickpea curry.’

Reduce your food waste

Reema says: ‘Use leftover chicken, lamb or beef for stir frys or pasta bakes.

‘Leftover mince would work nicely too.

‘And with leftover vegetables, my go-to is an omelette, which is a quick and easy budget-friendly dish.’

Try different cuts of meat

Trying out different cuts of meat is also a good way to save some cash. For example, chicken thighs are cheaper than chicken breast or you can buy a whole chicken and use every part of the bird for different meals.

Even the bones of the chicken can be used for a tasty stock for soup. Stewing steak, brisket and flank steak is also cheaper than the premium leaner cuts of meat. Slow cooking these cuts makes them beautifully tender.

Reema also says that supermarket brands should be favoured over premium food brands, since they’re usually identical in taste and nutrition.

In some cases, they even contain less salt, sugars or fats than branded items.

Reema said: ‘My go-to choices are supermarket own baked beans, pasta, rice and jarred sauces. Give some of these products a try during your next shop, they may surprise you!’

Plan ahead

Each week, plan your meals in advance and whether you shop online or grab a trolley and go in person, always take a shopping list.

Planning ensures you only buy what you need – and won’t be sucked in by deals or just picking up what you fancy because you’re feeling a bit peckish.

And before you go shopping, check your cupboards, fridge and freezer in case you already have the products you need. There’s nothing worse than spending money on food you already have at home.

Reema’s meal ideas:

Breakfast:

Porridge is a staple breakfast for me – take some supermarket branded oats, top up with milk of your choice and microwave until hot. Then top with some seeds (I love pumpkin seeds) and enjoy.

You can add frozen fruit here if you want, I usually add it with the oats and milk, so that the fruit defrosts in the microwave.

If you fancy something lighter, defrost some frozen berries in the microwave until softened, then top with Greek yoghurt. Delicious and high protein to keep you full throughout the morning.

Price of items from Tesco: Grower’s Harvest Porridge Oats 1kg (70p), Tesco own brand frozen fruit (£2.30), Tesco Semi Skimmed Milk 2 pints (£1.15), Tesco Pumpkin Seeds 150g (£1.15), Tesco 0% Fat Greek Style Yoghurt 500g (95p). 6.25

Lunch:

Boil some pasta on the stove – in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, add in some mixed frozen vegetables. Then drain once cooked. Stir through some jarred pasta sauce to heat through, and for a boost of protein, add some chickpeas.

This would taste great hot or cold like a pasta salad, so it’s one to make for leftovers to have another day too!

If you don’t fancy pasta, how about a warming bowl of soup? Add all the vegetables you want to a large saucepan and cover with stock. Simmer until cooked and then blend.

You can use a mix of frozen and fresh vegetables here – my choice would be fresh potato, leek and carrots, then frozen broccoli, cauliflower and peas.

Enjoy with some wholemeal bread and some cottage cheese for a boost of protein. Soups freeze really well too!

Price of items from Tesco: Hearty Food Co. Penne Pasta 500g (32p), Growers Harvest Mixed Vegetables 1kg (79p), Hearty Food Co. Tomato & Herb Pasta Sauce 440g (57p), Tesco Chickpeas In Water 400g (60p), H W Nevill’s Wholemeal Bread 800g (36p), Creamfields Cottage Cheese Low Fat 300g (85p), Tesco Chicken Stockpot 4 pack 112g (£0.95). 10.69

Dinner:

Slow cooker beef shin or skirt steak, cooked on low for 6-8 hours. Add in carrots, celery, onion, (all can be from frozen), then potatoes and parsnips, plus stock and any other flavourings, to create a warming stew, perfect for winter. Again, this a great one to freeze for another day!

A quick and cheap meal I often make is a stir fry, and it’s super versatile. I usually add in sliced cabbage, frozen peas and peppers, mushrooms and tinned corn, and mix that together with some noodles and some soy sauce, garlic and ginger.

You can use strips of turkey for a cheaper meat option or go vegetarian with tofu.

Price of items from Tesco: Tesco Beef Medallion Steak 227g (£2.75), Growers Harvest Mixed Vegetables 1kg (79p), Tesco 10 Beef Stock Cubes 100g (75p), Tesco Large Potatoes Loose (83p/kg) OR Tesco Egg Noodles 300g (87p), Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce 150ml (£1.35), Tesco Closed Cup Mushrooms 300g (90p), Growers Harvest Sweetcorn 325g (45p), Growers Harvest Mixed Vegetables 1kg (79p), Tesco Loose Garlic (35p), Ginger Root Loose (53p), Tesco Sweet Heart Cabbage (55p).

The total cost of all food listed is £21.60. Please note some items like frozen veg are repeated and one bag would suffice.

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