Eating well on a budget

With the credit crunch, most of us as are looking to tighten our purse strings wherever possible but the good news is that choosing a healthy diet doesn’t have to be more expensive. With a little nutritional ‘know how’, careful planning and shopping you eat healthily without spending a fortune.

If you’re on a budget you’ll be pleased to hear that many of the foods that nutritionists recommend for a healthy balanced diet, like beans and pulses and starchy carbohydrates like pasta and rice, are excellent value for money as well as nutritious.

• Whenever possible choose ingredients retailers own ranges rather than branded items.
• If you start the day with a healthy breakfast such as toast or cereal you are less likely to snack during the day.
• Canned fruit and frozen fruit and vegetables are often cheaper than fresh and will count towards your 5-a-day target.
• Canned fish such as salmon or sardines contains healthy omega-3 fats and are good value for money.