14 ways to eat healthy on a student budget
Think it can be hard to eat healthy on the cheap? Here are 14 ways to food goodness as a nearly broke student.
Realise fast food is expensive
Not just burgers but any sort of fast food such as ready meals or even pre-packed sandwichhes. Step 1 to budget eating is to make everything yourself.
Use butchers and meat markets
Butchers and farmer’s markets are the best places for cheap meat. Get to know your local butcher and ask for advice on the cheapest cuts and how to prepare them best.
PLAN!
You can live off less than £10 a week if you plan ahead. Sit down one night each week and work out your meals, picking dishes that share common ingredients.
Have a go at growing your own
Growing your food is pretty easy, even in our British weather, and you don’t neccesarily need a garden either. You can grow potatoes in bags and here’s the easiest veg to have a go at growing yourself.
Drink water (from the tap)
Ditch fizzy drinks, squash and even fruit juices and opt for plain ol’ water. From the tap. Not bottled water which costs twice as much as PETROL per litre.
Buy cheap spices and herbs
Plain meals can come alive with just a few spices and seasoning helps improve ANY dish. Invest in a selection of spices and herbs to turn boring into something special.
Go veggie
Meat is expensive, and according to Proteinpromo.com/myprotein, even meat substitutes are pretty costly so instead just cook with veg and other protein sources such as eggs, beans and quinoa. Pictured is a tasty vegeterian lasagna.
Learn to love your freezer
You can freeze almost anything really, certainly a lot more than you think. Keep eyes on use by dates and freeze products you won’t eat by then, such as meats, to avoid wasting them.
Waste NOTHING
Chucking out food is just chucking out money. Use the freezer (per above) to keep ingredients fresh or use any leftover food in future meals or dishes. > 16 recipe ideas for leftover food
Take advantage of special offers
Always keep an eye our for offers when shopping and check out the reduced section of supermarkets for a cheap deal. However be sure to check you’re really saving money and not just being lured by a shiny yellow sticker.
Make packed lunches
Avoid salt-laden shop brought salads and sandwiches and instead save money and eat more healthily with homemade packed lunches. > 12 cheap and easy student lunch ideas for University
Try ethnic shops and cuisines
Ethnic shops can provide a lot of cool and fresh food at cheap prices. Indian cuisine in particular often makes use of less expensive ingredients, such as the above Indian boiled egg curry.
Buy in bulk
The more stuff you buy the cheaper it is, so stock up with a week or two’s worth of grub at a time. Remember you freezer! When it comes to chicken, you can often buy a WHOLE chicken for the price of just two breasts.
Try something new
Don’t stick to the recipes and ingredients you know, search for new meal ideas and recipes (we’ve plenty!) and try something new and different that’s healthier and cheaper than what you usually eat.
More on: Guides