How to shop for healthy meals?!
How to shop for healthy meals?
Me and hubby have lived like students since we moved in together 7 yrs ago, buying processed ready made meals and take aways.We now have a baby and want to eat better as we feel tired, lethargic and grouchy a lot.
The problem is if we do a weekly shop we have no clue what to buy and end up wasting any salad or veg we buy.
What do you put on your shopping list to make a decent meal every night of the week? also on a budget and we don't like bland food, so any suggestions would be great.
Answers:
Get a couple of good cook books (or try buying a cooking magazine each month). Before your weekly shop, look through and pick out enough meals to last the whole week. Write a shopping list with everything you need and then just buy that.
You will find that you'll have some stuff left over (i.e. if you buy a bag of rocket, you may only use half), so try to pick recipes which use some of the same things in a week, or for the next week (does that make sense?).
Also, at the beginning you might end up spending a bit more as you build up your storecupboard (things like spices, herbs, vinegars and sauces that are in the recipes), but soon enough you will have a cupboard full of things you can use to add flavour to your food.
And if you arent really wanting to cook every night of the week, then just make extra and have it two night running, or make some stuff that you can put in the freezer and take out when you dont want to cook!
well i dont know about telling you meals. I usually get lowfat things. and to my meals i always add some kind of cooked vegetables, like steamed brocolli with cheese on it. I guess mainly low calorie, lowfat items. im not a calorie counter but i compare my items to the ones that says low in calories and what not. organic food is good for you too. all things like that taste the same to me compared to regular foods.
Hiya
Its taken me YEARS to perfect this! lol
I buy meats like chicken breast, mince, lamb, pork loin steaks, and chicken steaks and i also buy frozen veg as well!! least that way it doesnt go off! jacket potatoes are also a favourite of mine!! you can have all sorts with them!
im also on a budget so i know how hard it can be to shop!
plenty of water, fruit and veg should help you on your way, i find buying fruit at my local greengrocers is cheaper than supermarket!
you could try looking on the web for some recipes that may take your fancy! and include the ingridiants on your shopping list!
ALL THE VEG YOU CAN BUY AND RED AND WHITE MEAT AND READY MADE GRAVIES THAT WILL GIVE YOU A CHANGE FROM READY MADE VERY UNHEALTHY EATING
1. Do a weekly shop for meat/ fish only and use your freezer. I suggest salmon, turkey steaks, low-fat pork, fish, home-made soups.
2. Buy your veg and salad on a daily basis (I assume one or both of you work close to a greengrocer, or there is one near where you live).
3. Plan your meals for the week so that you know what veg etc you will need.
Daily shopping for veg/ salad works out much cheaper than going to the supermarket as you do not fall prey to the impulse purchases which are a feature of most peoples' supermarket experience.
With a decent store cupboard of spices etc, we eat a varied and healthy diet for less than a fiver a day for the two of us. That includes porridge for breakfast, packed lunches and a main evening meal comprising protein and a good selkection of fresh veg.
For recipe ideas, there are a number of good web sites where you can type in up to five ingredients and they will suggest meals.
We buy alot of herb plants and keep them going in a pot in the garden. Fresh herbs can breath life into a bland meal, basil on a tomato salad and that sort of thing. I also got a Rosemary Conley cook book a few years ago and we use that loads even now. She's great at low fat versions of everday dishes. As for baby Annabel Karmel writes great books with varied recipes in that can also be adapted for us grown ups. Happy eating ;-)