Many people feel that it is tough to eat clean and healthy while on a tight budget. They feel deprived of nutritious meals that actively contributes to their well-being, as good food has a reputation for being much more expensive than unhealthy food.
Photo Credit: Hedi Hearts
But it doesn't have to be this way. Everyone deserves to have a clean diet based on healthy foods. And this rarely means eating highly complex meals that feature tons of expensive ingredients.
Photo Credit: Hedi Hearts
It is possible to have nutritious meals for a few pounds by keeping things simple. You will then be avoiding meals that contain lots of artificial additives, chemicals or are heavily processed.
There are at least 10 ingredients that can create 10 meals for less than £10, and which only take a few minutes to prepare.
10 ingredients that you can find at your local Aldi store:
1. Chicken thighs - £1.69 for 750 g
2. Broccoli - 45p for one head - great healthy option as a snack and works as a side dish you after boiling
3. Kale - 79p - whether you eat it fresh or part of a stir fry, it is one of the best choices
4. Eggs - 89p for six large free range eggs
5. Frozen Vegetable Medley - 89p per kg for a mix of cauliflower, carrots and broccoli
6. Wild Pink Salmon Fillets - £3.39 (about 500g) tasty and superior individually-packed salmon
7. Charlotte Potatoes -89p per kg - Taste great boiled, mashed , excellent hot or cold in salads or make great omelets
8. Specially Selected Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil £2.99 (500ml) - a better alternative than sunflower oil and safe for frying
9. Bananas - 68p per kg - highly nutritious both as a snack or part of smoothies
10. Frozen summer berries - £1.49 per 500g - frozen berries allow us to enjoy the sweet taste of summer all year round, so always have some ready in your freezer.
Using these ingredients, you can create at least 10 simple meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks:
1. Cream of Vegetable Soup
Heat some frozen vegetables, season and then use the blender to smash them into a puree.
2. Broth
Use the chicken and the vegetables to create a tasty broth. Just add water with a bit of salt and pepper.
3. Smoothie
A vitamin-rich smoothie is welcome whether you have one at breakfast, as a snack or anytime during the day. Just blend bananas, kale, frozen berries and a bit of extra water.
Image Credit: Hedi Hearts
4. Fish with Vegetables
Put fillets of salmon with frozen vegetables in the oven, along with a few drops of olive oil and seasoning, to create a healthy and tasty dinner.
5. Chicken Thighs with Boiled Broccoli
Roast or grill the chicken thighs and boil broccoli in slightly salted water. If you have some kale left, pop it in the oven with some oil olive and salt for tasty kale crisps.
6.Baked Potatoes with Chicken
If you have a bit of extra time, you can place both the poultry and the potatoes in the oven. This ensures a much more delicious meal. Have a kale salad with it too. Chop it finely and add some olive oil and seasoning.
7. Stir-Fry with Leftovers
If you have leftovers from the previous meals, just get a wok or your regular frying pan and stir-fry them. Still, Stick to chicken as salmon is not a great choice for this.
8. Egg Omelet
Beat two eggs in a bowl, and then put them in a frying pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. You can add chicken leftovers too and serve it along simple kale salad.
9. Veggie Scrambled Eggs
Beat together 2 eggs. Heat olive oil in a pan and add broccoli, kale or some vegetable medley. Stir them for a few minutes until they are cooked and then pour in the egg mix.
10. Banana Pancakes
Mash one banana and add two whisked eggs. Then drop two tablespoons in the pan and cook until lightly browned on each side.
Tip:
If you want to eat low cost and healthily, forget about eating out and cook at home. It is much more fun too!
Talking of cheap budget meals here some more for your inspiration:
Egg Muffinshttp://hedihearts.com/egg-muffins/
Photo credit : Hedi Hearts
Egg Fried Cauliflower Ricehttp://hedihearts.com/egg-fried-cauliflower-rice/
Photo credit: Hedi Hearts
Chocolate Granolahttp://hedihearts.com/clean-chocolate-granola/
Photo Credit: Hedi Hearts