EAT WELL, SPEND LESS. Plan your way to culinary calm & get creative with leftovers!!

Is it a Myth that we can still Eat well and Spend less? ...... read on to see what's possible.

The 5 golden rules of eating well for less.

1. How much are you spending?

Be honest about your spending and shopping habits. How much is spent eating out? How much on your food shopping? Set an actual budget. What will you do with the money you save?

2. Plan your planning

Imagine if you know exactly what you were going to eat for the whole week, then you went to a shop and bought only those things…

3. Audit what you already have

What do you already have in the freezer, fridge and cupboard. What would need to add to these to have them be a whole meal? Eat what’s in the freezer. Prepare for interesting ‘use up’ meals’.

4. Failing to plan?

‘Not having time’ to make breakfast or lunch is a false economy. If you plan your shopping and actually make time for making breakfast and lunch, you will save a fortune. Less waste; better choices.

5. Getting started

Plan the main meal first, then move to the others. What do you have already? Write a shopping list.

Now, shop your plan! We often tend to buy what's not on the list, impulse shopping is so easy to do. Shopping on an empty stomach is another NO,NO. Buy online or shop AFTER lunch!!. This will help with resisting temptation.

A shocking statistic ….. If you are like the average person in the SA, you will throw away 19% of the food you buy – R1,000.00 per month wasted per household or R12,000.00 a year!

Avoiding waste - Learn how to plan healthy, balanced meals at affordable prices. Get ideas for inexpensive, nutritious meals and snacks. For my Free Recipe book visit my website www.nicikirchmann.com/

Divide up large packets of meat, fruit and veg into portions – some for the fridge, some for the freezer. Check portion sizes. Use the Love Food, Hate Waste portion calculator. https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/foods-and-recipes/food-portion-calculator-your-guide-perfect-portion-sizes

Use by dates

Meat, fish + ready meals = the most expensive things we buy so check use by dates regularly. Best by dates – when the food is at its best. Use by – safety implications.

Freezer tips

Fresh poultry = 1 year (whole), 9 months (pieces). Other meat = 4-6 months Soups + stews = 3 months Leftovers = 2-3 months Hamburgers/ mince = 2-3 months

Buying protein

Cheapest sources of protein are veggie sources – beans, chickpeas, lentils. Consider going meat free a few times a week. Buy eggs in mixed sizes.

Buying veg

Go to the greengrocer. Buy offers – example: Woollies double deals. Love wonky veg! Don’t dismiss frozen.

Don't fill up on carbs

Many people bulk up meals with starch, especially on a budget. Your body will love you instead for bulking meals up with veg. Eating large portions of starchy foods will have you craving more food than if you had more modest portions.

Ideas for leftovers

Resources: Love Food Hate Waste. Ultimate Health Recipe Book. Ideas: stir fries, pies, sandwiches, pasta bake. Be prepared for some so called “Bubble & Squeak” meals. This is real life not Instagram! They may not look too glam!

My Ultimate Health Co. programmes can support you in getting started with prioritising your health and at the same time teach you how to shop wisely, eat healthily AND save money.

Don’t delay, start your new year by saving!