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Eating healthy on a budget when you live alone

Last month we looked at eating well on a budget in a family situation; this month we look at doing the same when you live alone.

Living alone can make healthy eating seem difficult. It is too easy to grab takeaways, skip meals, or buy food that ends up wasted. But eating well does not have to cost a fortune. With a little planning, you can look after your health and your wallet at the same time.

Plan before you shop

One of the best ways to save money is to plan your meals before going to the supermarket. Write a shopping list and stick to it! This stops impulse spending, reduces food waste and also money waste. Never go shopping when you are in a hurry or hungry as both stop you thinking properly about what you are buying.

Try to plan meals that use the same ingredients. For example, a bag of carrots can be used in soups, in a stirfry, salads and lunchboxes during the week. Pulses can bulk up many meals and onions go well with practically anything.

Buy healthy and cheap food

Some of the cheapest foods are also some of the healthiest, such as

Rice
Pasta
Oats
Eggs
Frozen vegetables
Canned beans
Tuna
Seasonal fruit and vegetables

Frozen and canned foods are often at least as healthy as fresh food, and they usually last much longer.

Cook once, eat twice (at least!)

Cooking for one can feel like hard work, but leftovers can save both time and money. Make extra portions and freeze them for busy days.

Soups, casseroles, curries and pasta dishes are great for this. Having meals ready in the freezer also makes it less tempting to buy takeaways.

Use recipes for families of, say 4 or 6, then divide the food into that number of portions and freeze all but one. Buy a roast, cook it, portion it, freeze it. Think about it. A whole chicken is cheaper than buying single chicken portions and you get to have the carcass available to make lovely chicken stock from too.