16th June 2020 / Prue Fletcher: A Healthy Meal Plan: Save Time and Spend Less

A HealthY Meal Plan: Save Time and Spend Less

• Monday: Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables (Harvested from my Budding Kitchen Garden)
• Tuesday: Salmon, Brown Rice & Asian Greens
• Wednesday: Uber Delivery (Now on a First-Name Basis with the Driver)
• Thursday: Cereal, with Two-Day Old Milk
• Friday: Don't Even Ask. I'm broke!

HELP!

It's a common misconception that to eat a healthy diet you have to spend a small fortune. It's no wonder when we're constantly faced with the hefty price tags as we roam the organic produce sections of most major supermarkets.

As the economic climate constantly shifts and we all tighten our belts to stay focused on that great Australian dream; owning property, we could all do with a little help and some smart planning ideas to help keep us all on track!

So, here are 5 money-saving tips to have you dishing up both nutritious and thrifty quinoa dishes in no time.

Buy the Ugly Ducklings: "Ugly" is the term used for cosmetically imperfect produce such as odd shaped potatoes, bendy carrots and blemished apples. We're not being judgy and can confirm that these ugly fruits and veggies are similarly just as packed full of nutrients and vitamins as their insta-famous cousins, they're just affordable. You'll find a number of supermarkets, grocers and market stalls sell ugly produce at very attractive prices, snap them up!

Spend a Little More Time Preparing: Preparing your weekly snacks in advance, is both a time and money saver! Buying cut up carrots and cucumbers from a grocery store just means you're paying for the packaging on top of the produce. So spend a little more time and wash, cut and sort everything from your fruit to veggies, nuts & cheeses.

Think about a little less meat: If you're partial to a superior cut of meat, eating a plant based diet can become more cost effective. Consider switching out a premium cut of mean for some plant protein such as tofu, legumes or whole grains like freekah, which are cheaper and have a much greater shelf. Or, as an alternative, consider trying a meat-free Monday.

Consider swapping fresh for frozen: If you often find yourself throwing out untouched produce at the end of the week, why not try out some frozen options. There are so many benefits of opting for frozen produce, some which include; eating produce at their peak ripeness, frozen fruit and vegetables are also found to have retained peak nutritional value and by thawing only the portions you will use you will therefore limit your weekly wastage. Frozen varieties will remain fresh for months and you will find are significantly more affordable.

Prepare your lunch, not just your dinner: Preparing food for you to enjoy at work during the day will not only save you money — a morning coffee, lunch and afternoon snack bought can equate to $20 a day in Melbourne, that's $5,200 a year! — it will also encourage you to make more nutritional food choices and limit your food wastage as you have to plan your week ahead. Try giving it ago for a few days a week, always allowing some wriggle room or you won't stick to it, and we promise you it will amount to some significant savings over time!