If you are like me, on a budget and have very little time, then it's still possible to be healthy but you've got to be organised. As I've learnt along this new journey, having children and being tight on money doesn't have to stop you but you've just got to find ways around it.
Here are a few tips to help you...
1) Have the right ingredients in.
No I'm not saying you need to go to the nearest Holland and Barrett and stock up on everything you see. What I do for a couple of weeks ahead is choose a few key ingredients that will help me make a range of recipes. I make sure that every item will be able to get used up so its not sat in the cupboard going past its expiration date because lets face it, these items aren't exactly cheap!
For example, if you see the picture above, I spent about £35 on the above items but they are lasting me a lot longer than expected and I wanted to make sure they could be used for a range of purposes.
Coconut Oil - is now a kitchen staple. Not only do I use it in the frying pan, I use it to roast, I use it in smoothies and in certain baking recipes. You don't need a lot for it to work so a large jar will go some way. Also, if there's some left on the spoon I wipe it on my hands for moisturiser. If I could afford two jars at a time I definitely would as coconut oil is a great beauty product too.
Raw Cacao - I use this a lot! Raw cacao is a superfood that contains many vitamins and minerals which lead to lots of health benefits. I use it in my own, healthy hot chocolate, in baking and smoothies.
Flaxseeds and Chia Seeds - These are a brilliant all rounder. I chuck them in my porridge, in the nutribullet and on salads. With the chia seeds I also make an overnight soaked chia seed breakfast and a chia pudding too.
Coconut Flour - I use this in baking healthy brownies/cakes and also in breakfast pancakes. Smells delicious!
Maple Syrup - Although this is sugar, its an unrefined natural sugar. I think using in moderation as a treat or to curb those sweet cravings is fine and saves you reaching for something unhealthy.
Acai Berry Powder - I think this little pot was the most expensive item of all at £7.99 but acai berry powder is a super antioxidant. I add it to juices and I make my acai berry breakfast smoothie bowel with it.
By having the right ingredients in you can make certain recipes a couple of times a week knowing you are getting the goodness. There is no point having lots of ingredients you don't know what to do with sitting on the shelf.
2) Invest time and money
You are going to be making all your meals and snacks from scratch so you need to ask yourself if you are committed to this. I personally love cooking, I love planning my meals and snacks for the week ahead and I look forward to trying out new recipes but not everyone does. I get satisfaction out of creating hearty, healthy meals from scratch for my family.
You also need to have the right equipment. Oh, how I'd love a spiraliser and a food processor but I haven't got a money tree (or the space in my tiny kitchen for that matter!) But you need to have a few key gadgets. For example, I received a nutribullet for Christmas. Yes, I probably need a masticating juicer but for what my budget will allow the nutribullet is perfect for my needs as I can make juices and soups in it. Research around as to what equipment you need for your purposes. Once you've bought them, you've got them and they are honestly life changing when it comes to being healthy.
3) Buy local and in season
You often find that buying locally is cheaper than the supermarkets. Okay, maybe not as cheap as say, Aldi or Lidl, but I do like to support local businesses where I can afford. Sometimes they offer better deals on items too. For example, we have a great little health store on our local indoor market that rivals Holland & Barrett and she was selling a large jar of coconut oil for £5.99 which was a steal.
Also, the fruit and veg store on our market was selling fruit and veg so much cheaper than even Aldi I thought. It's good because you can buy individually how many apples/carrots/pears etc rather than a big bag that you might not get through.
4) Get the family involved
It's not easy feeding kids healthily. Believe me, I know about hiding veg in sauces and pasta bakes but when you start exploring new foods it's interesting how little people start to become inquisitive too. For instance, I made my self a juice with my nutribullet full of spinach, cucumber, berries, bananas and cashew nuts and when Benjamin came sniffing around my purple concoction I thought there was no way he'd touch it! But once he had a sip he loved it! He also helped me to make some of Deliciously Ella's sweet potato brownies and although he didn't particularly like the end result, he saw the process into making them.
Luke also now takes a nutribullet juice to work with him for breakfast which I prepare for him the night before.
5) Clean out your cupboards
It won't help you having boxes of sugary cereal or jars of nutella in the cupboard. They are just a temptation waiting to be eaten. For example, I had a 6 pack of mince pies in my cupboard from Christmas and I decided to keep them there in case I wanted a treat. And then I thought to myself, hang on, if I want a treat then a mince pie isn't the way to go. It would be a banana/almond milkshake or some raw brownies or a homemade hot chocolate. My new healthy lifestyle doesn't need mince pies in it so out they went into the bin.
Once all the bad stuff has gone you won't think about them again. Now that I don't have bad stuff around my kitchen, if I get peckish I tend to opt for a handful of nuts or a boiled egg (I boil a few and keep them in my fridge for a couple of days)
So there you have a few handy tips to help you get started!
