The New Year brings a renewed focus on health, but eating well can be expensive.
The Sun’s Chief Consumer Reporter James Flanders shares how to have a bite on a budget.
OPT FOR FROZEN
Next time you’re at the supermarket, go for frozen rather than fresh produce.
This ensures you have convenient meals when you’re running low on fresh items.
Frozen fruit, for example, is excellent for smoothies and helps you achieve your five-a-day.
You could spend £3 on 250g of fresh raspberries at Tesco, whereas 1kg of frozen berries is £2.99.
SHOP WONKY
Most supermarkets sell misshapen fruit and veg at reduced prices.
It’s still good to eat, but may be close to its sell-by date or have imperfections that make it harder to offload.
Some shops offer boxes of wonky produce, while others sell a range of discounted produce.
For example, Lidl shoppers can bag a bargain on misshapen fruit and veg, with a 5kg box going for just £1.50.
SWAP OUT THE MEAT
It’s among the most expensive items on anyone’s grocery list, so by swapping meat out for vegetarian options such as tofu or Quorn – even for just one day a week – you could make some big savings.
Alternatives to meat can also help to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol.
Nutrition specialists at Lifesum estimate that reducing your weekly meat intake could save the average family over £350 a year.
COOK WITH AIR
Using an air fryer instead of your conventional oven is not just a cheaper way to cook, but often a healthier option, too.
This is because they use less oil to get the same result as an oven.
For example, you need just 1tbsp of oil to turn 1kg of potatoes into chips.
Cost-wise, a 2kw oven costs around 25p to run for 30 minutes, whereas a 1kw air fryer costs almost half the price.
PICK UP VOUCHERS
Parents receiving benefits, such as Universal Credit, who are expecting a baby or have a child under four years old, are eligible for Healthy Start vouchers.
These are worth £4.25 a week, which adds up to £221 a year.
If you have a child under one, you get two vouchers, totalling £8.50 a week or £442 a year.
The vouchers can be used to buy fresh fruit, vegetables, baby formula and cow’s milk.
You can also use them to get free Healthy Start vitamins, suitable from birth up to five years.
