Three top tips for eating on a budget...

If you are on a tight budget, you will be amazed at the kinds of dishes you can create if income is tight. With flair, creatively and a little imagination, you can create wonders and best of all? You keep costs down without compromising on quality. 

So let's have a look at the three things you can do:

1 Grow your own

If you are a budding gardener and have a garden or plot of land, then you can grow your own. This is becoming by far the most popular way people get their fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis, not to mention the fact it’s local – you can’t get more local than your own back yard! You avoid air miles, it’s cheaper and you get a good workout to boot!

Even if you haven’t got a garden you can still grow sprouts, herbs, salad leaves and salad greens on your window ledge. Any surplus can be sold to neighbours and friends, earning you some income! How is that for a win-win?

2 Buy from farmers markets

There are farmers markets all over the place nowadays. Its a great way to meet the people who grow/ produce the food as well buy freshly grown vegetables and fruit. What's great about these markets is that all  the produce is locally grown or reared. Prices compare favourably to supermarkets if not cheaper. Unlike supermarkets you can quiz the farmers about what they grow and how it’s grown. Why not take it as a chance to buy something different?

Remember, when you buy from a farmers market, the produce will be fresher (it’s normally dug up that morning or the day before) and you avoid all the extra useless packaging.

3 Get back in the kitchen!

When you prepare meals from scratch, you know exactly what has gone into it, it’s fresh and you end up spending less money. Not only that, you will improve your health in no time. 

Even if you are super busy or you can’t cook there is no excuse! You can learn to cook and you can prepare meals in bulk and freeze them in portions. Also, there are plenty of ever so delicious meals you can prepare without the need for a pot or pan!

If you are a microwave king or queen, this is probably the worse way you can cook. Use a microwave now and again if need be but do try and cook freshly prepared food. You'll have more energy and feel much better for it.

These are just three of the ways to eat healthier on a budget. So why not adopt one today and see what difference it makes to your wallet in a few months?