Yup we are talking all about budgets and it’s really not a dirty word. I get the feeling that anytime ‘budget’ is used it’s like asking the person involved to strip naked. Setting a budget isn’t meant to inconvenient us in any real sense. It’s meant to dispel future financial stress by ensuring we live well and in this case eating a healthy and balanced diet enjoyably packed with all the nutrients and vitamins we working ladies need to fuel our day.
This is a good one to take into 2017 ladies so read on!
Breakfast is said to be the most important food of the day, and therefore should not be missed. Here are five tips to help you eat 3 square meals well, without breaking the bank.
1. MEAL PREP
Last minute meals are usually the most expensive, because we have no time to consider multiple options. Planning your meals ahead will help ensure you keep cost low while maintaining a balanced diet. Some of my tried and tested budget friendly and quick meals include:
For Breakfast:
Ham / Egg / Tuna and Sweetcorn sandwich (11.6p) with Salad (25p) and a handful of mixed berries (15p)
For Lunch:
Fried Rice with mixed vegetable & chicken (50p) or Pasta with pesto & roasted chicken pieces (87p)
And a loose banana for (12p)
For dinner:
I try to avoid waste by using up any leftovers. This is an opportunity for you to be creative in the kitchen. You can think of it as undergoing a master chef challenge.
Otherwise, one of my favourite dinner meals is ‘Mash Potatoes, with carrots, sausages and gravy’ for 40p.
This results in roughly breakfast lunch and dinner all for under £2 per person in total.
2. DO A LIL’ RESEARCH
For those of us who may need that little bit of inspiration, there are a number of low cost recipe cookbooks such as Jack Monroe, author of ‘A Girl Called Jack: 100 Delicious Budget Recipes’
A Girl Called Jack: 100 delicious budget recipes
3.MAKE A LIST
Never go grocery shopping without a list. You will end with a trolley full of stuff most of which you may not need. Personally, my grocery list would include the essentials such as bread, butter, jam, meat slices such as ham or chicken, eggs and fruit.
4.STORE BRANDS NOT BIG BRANDS
We all love our big brands, but when on a budget buying a store brand item could mean an average of over 50% in savings. Also you will be pleased to know that various researches have shown that most people cannot tell the difference in taste between a store brand and a big brand. So what exactly are you missing out on?
5.COFFEE SHOP BOYCOTT
Coffee shop bought coffee, alcohol and cakes don’t make the essential list, sorry ladies (maybe once in a while!) . Plus they are highly overpriced. If you generally like the ambience of having coffee while chatting with friends, make your own and share a picnic in the park, weather permitting.
Like all things new, eating on a budget might seem a bit challenging at first, but the self denial should pay off when you see how much healthier your bank balance is at the end of the week or month.
Now that we’ve spoken about how to eat 3 square meals on a budget, what’s the first step you’re going to take? Do you think you’ll find anything on the list challenging?
Written by Tomi Buko
