On many occasions when doing my weekly shop the aisles are bombarded with special offers and buy-1-get-1-free promotions on unhealthy, processed and sugar laden food.  These high prices discourage many people to follow a healthy lifestyle of eating green and nutritious foods, because they simply cannot afford them.

The idea that fresh produce is more expensive is very much alive in many people’s minds and is only heightened by the supermarkets insistance in making unhealthy foods appear cheaper.  Obviously I am not ignoring the fact that poverty exists and the food bill does take up a huge portion of the monthly household budget, but it is possible to buy healthy clean foods with some change left over…

Eat only what is in season…

Food that is not in season is usually imported from various different countries, which makes them more expensive compared to home grown seasonal produce.  So forget those juicy looking Spanish strawberries, select seasonal produce that is more affordable.  In the U.K right now kale, corgettes and butternut squash are in season, and thus at their best. 

Stock up on frozen fruit and veg…

Frozen fruit and vegetables are frozen as soon as they have been harvested, which means they retain their nutrients and are a much better option than the tinned variety as they contain no salt and sugar.

Change the way you cook…

Making stews and casseroles are a great way to make a little go a long way and to pack lot of vegetables in to your meal.  They also store well in the freezer, which is good way to avoid waste and make a quick and easy meal on a busy week day.

Cut back on the meat…

This is a simple solution when trying to eat more green food on a tight budget.  Good quailty meat is an expensive addition to anybody’s shopping list.  By reducing your servings of meat per week it means that you have extra cash spare to spend on fresh vegetables and fruit and healthy wholegrains.

Avoid buying breakfast cereal…

A lot of big brands of breakfast cereal are loaded with lots of refined sugar and salt.  Hhealthier and cheaper options are oats, yoghurt, homemade granola and even pancakes.  These can all be bought in bulk and are very versatile- there’s just so much you can do with a bowl of oats!

Do you practice any of these tricks whilst shopping on a budget?  Do you have any advice to offer for those who want to eat healthy but are scared of the cost?

*Please leave your comments below…