You don't have to compromise your health to reduce your food bill. Here are some tips to help you buy low fat and nutritious food without paying top dollar:
Shop from a list Make a meal plan at the start of each week and decide what you need to purchase to make your meals. If you can be organised at the beginning of the week you won't need to shop at smaller, more expensive food stores. And if you have a weekly menu plan and ingredients to hand, you will be less likely to eat out at restaurants or buy take away foods on the way home from work.
Shop at fresh fruit and vegetable markets Fresh fruit and vegetables from specialty markets last longer (and taste better) than items purchased at large supermarket chains. Purchase fruit and vegetables that are in season (see the seasonal availability of fruits and vegetables).
Don't shop when you are hungry If you are hungry when you shop, you are more likely to buy items you don't 'need'.
Buy in bulk Buy non perishable items such as cereal and pasta in bulk at large supermarkets.
Shop online You'll be less likely to make impulse purchases if you shop online. And if you shop online from home you can check what is in your fridge and pantry to save doubling up! Woolworths and Coles have shops online.
Prepare meals yourself Buy fresh ingredients and prepare meals yourself rather than buying takeaway foods or pre-prepared items. By preparing your own food you can save calories - and dollars. Take a look at the following items that become more expensive as the amount of processing increases:
Potatoes (150g)
Potatoes 25c
Frozen chips 50c
150g potato crisps $2.99
Oats (40g)
Rolled oats 10c
Corn Flakes25c
Breakfast bar 95c
Chicken (100g)
Frozen whole chicken 35c
Raw whole chicken 50c
BBQ chicken 70c
Pre-made chicken kebabs $1.80
Apple (100g)
Apple 40c
Packet of sultanas 90c
Fruit bar $3.20
There are lots of online resources for quick and healthy recipes, including the National Heart Foundation Recipe Guide.
So it's no more expensive to eat healthy food - it just takes a bit of preparation and planning.
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Preparing Meals. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Preparing Meals. Tampilkan semua postingan
Selasa, 16 Februari 2010
Minggu, 03 Mei 2009
Healthy Snack Ideas
If you are trying to lose weight you should eat a snack for morning tea and afternoon tea. Snacking means you’ll be less likely to overeat at lunch and dinner, and as an added bonus it boosts your metabolism.
It's advisable to plan your snacks in advance so you have healthy options available. We've listed some ideas below:
Savoury Snacks
- Vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, capsicum and snow peas) with low fat dip such as hummus
- A toasted pita pocket cut into triangles with 2 Tbsp low fat tomato salsa dip
- 3 Ryvita, 4 x 9-Grain Vita-Weats, 2 rice cakes or 5 corn thins topped with 1-2 Tbsp cottage cheese and a slice of low fat cheese or vegemite
- A mini can of baked beans
- A small handful of unsalted raw nuts (30g)
- A small low fat savoury muffin
- Up to 20 rice crackers (plain or flavoured)
- A sushi roll
- An English muffin topped with fresh tomato slices and low fat cheese
- Celery boats filled with cottage cheese, low fat peanut butter or low fat hummus
- Continental Cup of Soup
- 2 cups of cooked microwave popcorn (plain or low fat with flavouring)
- 1/2 – 1 cup salt reduced pretzels
- A snack packet of low fat corn chips (1 snack packet)
- Dried cereal - ¾ cup Mini Wheats or ¼ cup natural muesli
Sweet Snacks
- Two low fat biscuits (Weston Oatmeal, Weight Watchers or Arnott’s Snack Right Full o’Fruit biscuits)
- A slice of raisin toast or multigrain bread
- A piece of fresh or frozen fruit (banana, apple, orange or pineapple)
- A cup of fruit salad (tinned or fresh)
- 200g tub of low fat or diet fruit yoghurt or a 150g tub of Fruche Light
- A pikelet, crumpet or English muffin topped with 100% fruit jam or red gum honey
- A low fat sweet muffin
- An Uncle Toby’s Real Fruit bar
- 200g low fat custard, or half a cup of custard with a piece of fruit or a cup of fruit salad
- Half a scone (fruit or plain, topped with 100% fruit jam)
- A breakfast bar such as Kellogg’s K-Time
- A muesli bar such as Nature’s Own with nuts and seeds
A healthy snack should fill you up for at least two hours, so next time you’re tempted to reach for the biscuit jar at work ask yourself, “Will this fill me up for at least two hours?”. If the answer is no, try some of the options above.
It's advisable to plan your snacks in advance so you have healthy options available. We've listed some ideas below:
Savoury Snacks
- Vegetable sticks (carrot, celery, capsicum and snow peas) with low fat dip such as hummus
- A toasted pita pocket cut into triangles with 2 Tbsp low fat tomato salsa dip
- 3 Ryvita, 4 x 9-Grain Vita-Weats, 2 rice cakes or 5 corn thins topped with 1-2 Tbsp cottage cheese and a slice of low fat cheese or vegemite
- A mini can of baked beans
- A small handful of unsalted raw nuts (30g)
- A small low fat savoury muffin
- Up to 20 rice crackers (plain or flavoured)
- A sushi roll
- An English muffin topped with fresh tomato slices and low fat cheese
- Celery boats filled with cottage cheese, low fat peanut butter or low fat hummus
- Continental Cup of Soup
- 2 cups of cooked microwave popcorn (plain or low fat with flavouring)
- 1/2 – 1 cup salt reduced pretzels
- A snack packet of low fat corn chips (1 snack packet)
- Dried cereal - ¾ cup Mini Wheats or ¼ cup natural muesli
Sweet Snacks
- Two low fat biscuits (Weston Oatmeal, Weight Watchers or Arnott’s Snack Right Full o’Fruit biscuits)
- A slice of raisin toast or multigrain bread
- A piece of fresh or frozen fruit (banana, apple, orange or pineapple)
- A cup of fruit salad (tinned or fresh)
- 200g tub of low fat or diet fruit yoghurt or a 150g tub of Fruche Light
- A pikelet, crumpet or English muffin topped with 100% fruit jam or red gum honey
- A low fat sweet muffin
- An Uncle Toby’s Real Fruit bar
- 200g low fat custard, or half a cup of custard with a piece of fruit or a cup of fruit salad
- Half a scone (fruit or plain, topped with 100% fruit jam)
- A breakfast bar such as Kellogg’s K-Time
- A muesli bar such as Nature’s Own with nuts and seeds
A healthy snack should fill you up for at least two hours, so next time you’re tempted to reach for the biscuit jar at work ask yourself, “Will this fill me up for at least two hours?”. If the answer is no, try some of the options above.
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