Food Ideas & Eating Cheaply
I've decided to make a blog post which includes some of my regular main meals/snacks and how I shop to save money because frequently I've had questions about how expensive people find it to eat healthy or that they can't get hold of the expensive "super foods" that are very popular within diet culture.
I have always been frugal and my Mother has always introduced me to good healthy foods that won't burn a hole through your purse. I'm from a hearty Russian stock that believes in eating well, not wasting foods and not spending a fortune. I have never been one to cook with some strange ingredients or ones that are far too expensive beyond my means. My meals are simple in terms of ingredients and their preparation so they may be useful to some people that are low on ideas or on funds. Below is a list of the foods I will eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. As I said, they are very simple so I won't include recipes but I gladly will if people request them.
- Breakfasts
- Porridge sachets made with semi skimmed milk - topped with a selection of the following: peanut butter, organic chocolate spread, chia seeds, dark chocolate chips, cinnamon, honey, almonds, banana, raspberries, blueberries
- wholemeal toast with peanut butter, chia seeds and sliced banana
- wholemeal french toast made semi skimmed milk, agarve syrup and eggs
- wholemeal toast with 2 eggs (scrambled with semi skim, fried or poached) and chilli sauce to taste
- wholemeal pancakes with banana and peanut butter or bacon
- soft boiled eggs, wholemeal toast and avocado
- Lunches
- wholemeal bread sandwich with English mustard, smoked cheese, sliced pickles and thinly sliced ham
- cream of chicken soup with sweetcorn
- tinned tuna in sunflower oil with mayo, sweetcorn, mayonnaise, black pepper and brown pasta
- chicken pieces with mayonnaise, red pepper, wholegrain mustard, sweetcorn and brown pasta
- tinned tuna in a salad of mixed leaves, green beans, new potatoes and vinaigrette dressing
- mixed leave salad, sliced ham, red peppers, cherry tomatoes and salad cream
- chicken Vietnamese spring rolls made with noodles, red peppers, carrots, cucumber and spring onion with satay dipping sauce
- Dinners
- spiced roasted chicken thighs with sweet potato, red onions, red peppers and cherry tomato with a little red or green pesto
- chicken thighs or breasts roasted in lime, coriander and garlic served with rice and asparagus
- chicken fajitas on wholemeal raps with guacamole, salsa, lettuce, re-fried beans and red peppers
- quorn chilli made with a basic store bought chilli sauce, sweetcorn, garlic, kidney beans, a bit of BBQ sauce, red peppers and red onions served with rice
- quorn spaghetti bolognaise made with a basic store bought sauce and then red peppers, red onions, mushrooms, red wine, garlic, squirt of lemon juice and served with brown pasta
- diced chicken on skewers with red peppers and red onions roasted in the oven in a satay sauce (store bought)
- roasted chicken, lambs lettuce (or similar), shredded carrot, teryaki sauce and mixed with rice
- aubergine fried in olive oil, coriander and garlic served with salad
- steak (as a treat because it is pricey) with sweet potato mash and asparagus
- chicken kiev (store bought) served with sweet potato mash or fries and roasted red onion
- chicken sweet and sour with a basic sauce, red peppers, pineapple, water chestnuts, red onions and rice
- fish goujons with peas, sweetcorn and mash potatoes
- Snacks
- Aldi delight bites
- nakd bar - cocoa, apple pie and cashew cookie
- rice cakes - savory or rice covered
- Alrpo Soya puddings - dark chocolate or vanilla
- fruit - oranges, apples and satsumas
- popcorn
- babybel
- smoothies - made with frozen fruit, dates, spinach and water
I should not that when I fry something, I don't use oil because I bought a non-stick pan which means I can cook my eggs and meat without adding extra oils. I do use a small bit of oil when I roast my vegetables but not when I cook meats because the natural juices come out so I cover them in aluminium foil to keep them moist.
A lot of the "super foods" that are popularised in modern diet culture, such as in magazines and within social media, are quite over-hyped and over-priced but I do think that they can be accessible to most people at reasonable prices if you do still want to include them and I have found a few places (for the most popular ones) where you can get them at cut prices. I have listed more money savings tips for you:
- Aldi - pretty amazing for their selection of fresh meats and vegetables as well as the frozen selection. I buy the frozen chicken breasts which cook in 20 minutes, the packets of rice for 49p and the frozen fruit for my smoothies which works out cheaper than the fresh produce. They also have wholemeal crisps, rice cakes and snacks bars
- Costco - I buy my nakd bars, peanut butter and chia seeds here. It may seem expensive when you go to pay but it works out much cheaper in the long run. The membership is pricey so it is worth seeing if anyone you know has one.
- eBay - I recently bought coconut oil from eBay for £6 for 1 litre instead of £6 for 250ml in Tesco. I know a lot of people use it for cooking but I actually use it as a hair masque which I suggest everyone tries. You can find other things like Quest bars, chia seeds etc. on there too if you do a quick search
- Bulk cooking - if you find fresh produce reduced then it is worth cooking it or portioning it out and putting it into freezer bags to use at a later date. This is also useful when you're in a rush and really do not fancy spending time cooking.
That is all the tips and meal ideas I can come across for now so feel free to ask for more detailed recipes or ask me any questions which you would like answered.
If you would like it, then please drop me an email at simplyshrinking@gmail.com and I will send across my shopping list for you or let me know if you would appreciate it being posted here!
XOXO
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