6 Tips to Stay on Track with Your Budget & Weight Loss
•Health hacks
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As we wander through the fruit and veggie section of the supermarket it is easy to see some truth in the myth that eating healthy can be expensive, and when you see all the ingredients laid out it feels as if it would take forever to make a simple dish. It's no wonder we find ourselves looking towards fast food as the more easy and affordable option.
Well, yeah, fast food can seem easier. You don’t even have to get out of your car half the time but relying on it is simply not good for you or the wallet.
With inflation causing prices to go up, we’ve put together our six top tips to eat healthy and lose weight on a budget.
Buy fruit and veggies in season
Thankfully we no longer solely require the farmer down the road to get our veggies which means we can get anything that grows at any time of the year whenever we want. However, getting things “out of season” tends to cost more simply due to the extra effort it takes to get your strawberries in winter.
Many fruits and veggies have a seasonal sweet spot where they’re more affordable and easier to get your hands on and it packs your trolley with that natural fibre, protein, minerals and nutrients.
Here are a couple of fruits and veg suggests depending on the season:
Spring: Bananas, Artichokes, Brussel sprouts, Peas, Cauliflower, Leeks. Summer: Bananas, Grapes, Berries – blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries and blueberries, Capsicums, Carrot, Zucchini, Tomatoes. Autumn: Apples, Bananas, Grapes, Carrots, Zucchini, Tomatoes Winter: Bananas, Mandarins, Carrots, Potatoes, Spinach, Cauliflower.
Buy canned & frozen veggies
Buying fresh legumes such as beans, lentils and peas are often one of the most expensive items on a supermarket shelf, especially if they’re not in season. The tinned food isle is now your new best friend. You can pick up 400g tins of chickpeas, black beans, peas and lentils for under $2 a can. At that cost it makes it super easy to drop them into a Bolognese, curries, casseroles or other saucy recipes, tinned legumes are a fool-proof way to boost your protein and fibre. It’s no secret that frozen veggies are also a great shopping life hack, where you can buy frozen veggies in bulk for less than a cup of coffee. Often these bags have multiple varieties such as broccoli, cauliflower, beans, peas, carrots, sweet corn and potatoes. Simply defrost, steam and serve. Even easier than fast food and it feels more rewarding.
Online food shopping
Who hasn’t gone into the shops for dinner ingredients to come out with extra treats you didn’t need? By doing your weekly food shop online you can avoid wandering around the supermarket looking at temptations in the confectionery isles as well as keep an eye on your total cart cost to ensure it meets your weekly budget before getting to the checkout. Depending on where you shop you can use Click and Collect. It’s the healthier drive-thru!
Trying to get dinner together when you are knackered from a day of work is a massive contributor to bad food choices. However, if you plan ahead and prepare in advance it can be as simple as freezer to microwave or oven. We have a stack of bulk-making ready favourite Man Shake recipes on the weekend, and portioning out serves for ready-made meals to get ready quickly.
Additionally, by having them prepared in portions you can ensure you keep to your daily intake numbers/calculations helping you keep those weightloss results coming.
Pack your lunch
Your Mum was right, packing a lunch for the day is the smartest call. Packing a lunch box for yourself is an easy way to save you cash and doesn’t have to be the boring choice. Packing our lunch boxes full of delicious protein-dense snacks to munch on during the day is our favourite food prepping hack. Give these snacks a try:
Save on your daily takeaway coffee
Did you know that in 2019 the average coffee was $3.95 but as of May 2023 we are looking at $5 (depending on the size, the milk, and other add-ins). By making your coffee at home you can spend less, there is no line, and there won’t be someone mispronouncing your name as it gets passed over the counter.
A great way to level-up your morning Man Shake is to add a coffee shot, giving your favourite flavours a caffeinated buzz. Our personal favourite is a Banana Man Shake and a coffee shot.
Well, yeah, fast food can seem easier. You don’t even have to get out of your car half the time but relying on it is simply not good for you or the wallet.
With inflation causing prices to go up, we’ve put together our six top tips to eat healthy and lose weight on a budget.
Buy fruit and veggies in season
Thankfully we no longer solely require the farmer down the road to get our veggies which means we can get anything that grows at any time of the year whenever we want. However, getting things “out of season” tends to cost more simply due to the extra effort it takes to get your strawberries in winter.
Many fruits and veggies have a seasonal sweet spot where they’re more affordable and easier to get your hands on and it packs your trolley with that natural fibre, protein, minerals and nutrients.
Here are a couple of fruits and veg suggests depending on the season:
Spring: Bananas, Artichokes, Brussel sprouts, Peas, Cauliflower, Leeks. Summer: Bananas, Grapes, Berries – blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries and blueberries, Capsicums, Carrot, Zucchini, Tomatoes. Autumn: Apples, Bananas, Grapes, Carrots, Zucchini, Tomatoes Winter: Bananas, Mandarins, Carrots, Potatoes, Spinach, Cauliflower.
Buy canned & frozen veggies
Buying fresh legumes such as beans, lentils and peas are often one of the most expensive items on a supermarket shelf, especially if they’re not in season. The tinned food isle is now your new best friend. You can pick up 400g tins of chickpeas, black beans, peas and lentils for under $2 a can. At that cost it makes it super easy to drop them into a Bolognese, curries, casseroles or other saucy recipes, tinned legumes are a fool-proof way to boost your protein and fibre. It’s no secret that frozen veggies are also a great shopping life hack, where you can buy frozen veggies in bulk for less than a cup of coffee. Often these bags have multiple varieties such as broccoli, cauliflower, beans, peas, carrots, sweet corn and potatoes. Simply defrost, steam and serve. Even easier than fast food and it feels more rewarding.
Online food shopping
Who hasn’t gone into the shops for dinner ingredients to come out with extra treats you didn’t need? By doing your weekly food shop online you can avoid wandering around the supermarket looking at temptations in the confectionery isles as well as keep an eye on your total cart cost to ensure it meets your weekly budget before getting to the checkout. Depending on where you shop you can use Click and Collect. It’s the healthier drive-thru!
Be Prepared
Meal prep in bulk and freezeTrying to get dinner together when you are knackered from a day of work is a massive contributor to bad food choices. However, if you plan ahead and prepare in advance it can be as simple as freezer to microwave or oven. We have a stack of bulk-making ready favourite Man Shake recipes on the weekend, and portioning out serves for ready-made meals to get ready quickly.
Additionally, by having them prepared in portions you can ensure you keep to your daily intake numbers/calculations helping you keep those weightloss results coming.
Pack your lunch
Your Mum was right, packing a lunch for the day is the smartest call. Packing a lunch box for yourself is an easy way to save you cash and doesn’t have to be the boring choice. Packing our lunch boxes full of delicious protein-dense snacks to munch on during the day is our favourite food prepping hack. Give these snacks a try:
- 1 x Man Bar
- 1 x small handful of unsalted nuts (walnuts, cashews, macadamias, almonds etc.)
- 13-gram bag of popcorn
- 1 x small tin of tuna
- 2 x rice cakes with tomato or 1/4 avocado
- Single serve of beef jerky
- A piece of fruit
Save on your daily takeaway coffee
Did you know that in 2019 the average coffee was $3.95 but as of May 2023 we are looking at $5 (depending on the size, the milk, and other add-ins). By making your coffee at home you can spend less, there is no line, and there won’t be someone mispronouncing your name as it gets passed over the counter.
A great way to level-up your morning Man Shake is to add a coffee shot, giving your favourite flavours a caffeinated buzz. Our personal favourite is a Banana Man Shake and a coffee shot.
