6 Cheap and Healthy Meal Ideas

If your budget is a bit tight these days you may have noticed your healthy eating program has started to suffer, as you attempt to conserve funds.

Eating healthy can be expensive, if you don’t pay close enough attention to the foods you’re purchasing.

One big downfall is believing the marketing hype on so-called healthy products, i.e. “You need this noni juice or your diet couldn’t possibly be healthy!” type thinking.

These products may, or may not, be healthy, but one thing that certainly isn’t healthy is their price tag.

You must always remember that most true “health” foods don’t need a fancy label to tell you they are healthy, they just are!

With the right knowledge you can cut down on your weekly food costs without having to sacrifice on nutrition.

Here are some cheap, healthy meal ideas to get your started:

#1 Oatmeal
I love oatmeal, it costs merely a few pennies per bowl, and it’s nourishing and sustaining.

A hearty bowl of oatmeal is great way to start the day.

You can add any number of things to your oats, but some of my favourites are grated fruits, such as peach or apple with a dash of cinnamon, berries (when on special!) are good too, or a tablespoon of peanut butter also works well, giving you some healthy fats, and a little protein as well.

#2 Turkey
Turkey is something we forget about, except at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but it’s one of the leanest protein sources, and it can often be purchased at a bargain.

Serve it with a small jacket potato and some steamed vegetables for a cheap, nutritious meal.

#3 Beans
Another way to save money, but still eat healthy throughout the week, is to make one of your meals vegetarian.

Brown rice purchased in bulk works out pretty cheap, then pair with some dried or canned beans (although, dried are cheaper) kidney beans, black beans or whatever your favourite is, and voila you’ll have a complete meal in no time.

Add a green salad to balance things out.

#4 Eggs
Eggs are one of the cheapest sources of protein available, and they are extremely nutritious.

An omelette is an easy lunch or dinner option. Just add whatever veg you have leftover in your fridge with a sprinkling of cheese, then serve with a salad.

Fitters and frittatas are also good, or you could add a few eggs to a wholemeal pasta dish, along with some broccoli, sweetcorn and tomatoes.

#5 Frozen fish
Frozen fish is often much cheaper than fresh fish, so don’t let the fact that it’s frozen put you off. As long as it’s plain, with no bread crumbs or sauces added, it is still a healthy option.

If you want to dress it up a bit, make your own homemade sun-dried tomato dressing, and drizzled over the top.

Fish is delicious with rice and beans, or you could make your own chunky potato wedges, for a healthy version of “fish and chips”.

#6 Yogurt
Yoghurt is normally cheaper when you buy it in larger pots, rather than individual containers. For a quick snack on the run, slice up a banana and dunk it into a small pot of natural yoghurt.

If you really want to cut costs, try what I’ve been doing lately, and make your own natural yoghurt.

It’s so easy and cheap, and I love the fact that it contains no nasties at all — especially good for my little one, and she loves it!

What are your favourite cheap healthy recipes?