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Lose Weight On A Budget
By PW Nutritionist Steph Evans
A regular question we often get asked is how to lose weight on a tight budget. It’s a common misbelief that eating healthy is expensive and all cheap foods come with an unhealthy price tag! In fact, this is far from true and with a little planning, a shopping list and some healthy cheap meals in mind, your diet will not break the bank! Follow these simple tips and you will be losing weight and saving money in no time!
Make yourself a Weekly Meal Plan
First of all, it’s time to make yourself a weekly meal plan. This step is great to ensure you know what foods you need on your shopping list and can-do wonders to prevent food waste and make healthier food choices. Staples such as rice, pasta and lentils are great choices to make some healthy cheap meals as not only do they range from 25p a bag but will last for longer than one dinner!
We would suggest by starting with making a list of dinners you want to have during the week, they don’t have to be fancy but try to avoid the temptation of ready-made frozen items! Instead, you could opt for a bag of potatoes and make your own chips – not only are they healthier and cheaper but they will also go a lot further than a bag bought from the freezer! If you aren’t much of a chef this is a great chance to get some inspiration online! We have loads of delicious dinner inspiration onsite but we do have a few favourites!
PW top healthy cheap meals:
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Beans are a great cheap protein source which are low in fat and calories and packed full of fibre to help keep you fuller for longer!
Chicken and turkey are some of the best meats you can find at a cheap price. If you have a roast chicken joint on a Sunday, you could always use leftovers to make the curry with instead of buying chicken breasts to avoid food waste!
Homemade soups are great to use up leftover veg and get the most from your weekly shopping list. Not only that but red lentils are a classic staple for anyone on a budget. They can be added to soups, stews, curries and salads – the possibilities are endless! Buying dried lentils come at around £1.50 a bag but will last for more than one meal!
Not only do you want to plan your dinner, but when making your weekly meal plan you may also think about what else you eat during the day. Be prepared to think ahead, research some healthy snack ideas, otherwise if you get hungry when out and about you are going to be more tempted to buy a cake with your next coffee during the week. Not only does this mean spending more money, but choices of eating out are often a lot less healthy than if you bought something from home. Some of the best cheap foods and healthy snack ideas you can buy are apples and bananas so make sure to add these to your shopping list as they are also easy, convenient healthy snacks to have on the go!
Breakfast is the easiest meal to make cheap and healthy! Porridge is a popular choice of breakfast items and not only is it full of fibre, slow-release energy and low in fat – oats are also a really cheap food! A bowl of porridge topped with some frozen berries is a great way to start your day to tide you over until lunchtime. I would suggest buying frozen berries over fresh if you are looking to save money. They are no less healthy than the fresh choice, but you can get more in a bag, they last longer and can be added to so many healthy cheap meals such as smoothies and yoghurts!
Alternatively, if you live alone, or are on the go a lot, then The Slender Plan is suited to you. This Plan includes your breakfasts, shakes, snacks and a full weight loss guide to cover 30 day’s worth of food – all you need to do is purchase ingredients for dinner (but we provide the recipes too in our weekly meal plan alongside healthy snack ideas!). It includes The Slender Blend (our best-selling weight loss shake) and we even offer a subscription service which would allow you to get this monthly package at a discounted price! Don’t fancy the full plan? Opt for a collection instead! Our Slender and Vegan Collections, the Breakfast Collection and our capsule range is all included in the subscription service and means you have to think very little about food shops! Result!
Need tailored advice? We’d love to help, get in touch! Simply email: advice@proteinworld.com
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