Plan to eat well while saving money
There are three easy key points that I follow to eat well on a budget:
1: Firstly, I have a simple plan for the week of what I want to eat, which is usually my favourite meals that I mix up regularly. Keeping our meals simple and planned reduces what I call 'decision fatigue' and frees up our energy.. You can write a list of 7 dinners on the fridge and shop for those so that everyone knows what is for dinner and so does the cook. The shopping list also prevents over-spending while shopping, which can happen when you don't really know what you're going to make for the week.
2: Another goodie is simply shopping less often, which reduces the risk of 'hunger buys' and impulse purchases. I buy veggies twice a week (to keep them fresh) and I buy my nuts and seeds monthly such as sunflower seeds and quinoa and other pantry foods which keep well.
3: An obvious one, but minimising food wastage is a great way of reducing food spending. Buying pantry foods only once a month means that I am more likely to use up everything I have so that food doesn't get forgotten about and wasted. When something is on special I buy extra then make it into something and freeze. Same with leftovers, I put it straight into the freezer if I don't think I'm going to eat it the next day, this keeps the food much fresher than if left in the fridge for a few days.
BELOW: A simple dish of veggies made of whatever was in the fridge before shopping day. As long as you have your condiments, any veggie side dish can be make delicious. My favourite condiments that i make sure to always have on hand are olive oil, lemons, turmeric paste and dried herbs. They taste great, are awesome for your digestion and they keep really well in the fridge. Happy eating!
