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Diabetes on a budget.

Thirsty

Well-Known Member
Messages
903
Location
Stockport, Cheshire
Like many, we're starting to feel the effects of the economic downturn, so I thought it might be nice if people could post recipes here that are tasty, fairly low-carb and inexpensive to prepare.

Anyone got any good ideas?
 
Hmmm Thirsty this is a difficult one mainly because things that I might find really tasty could be totally revolting to you?!

As for budgets, I used to do most of my shopping at Waitrose and M&S, now Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi are some of the cheapest stores around, Tesco have a special offer on selected meats, eg 3 chickens for £10, and steak too, have a look around the frozen food department too, and sometimes frozen vegetables are actually fresher than what is on the shelves, frozen more or less straight at source probably preserved more vitamins and minerals too.

All the best and I hope that you can eat good food and be really healthy too.

Karen
 
Fresh/ basic is usually cheapest . Don't waste money on ready chopped cabbage. The exercise in doing it yourself is good for you. :lol: Frozen meats and veggies are as good as fresh. Ready meals are not a good buy normally. A piece of fish from Lidl can cook as quick as one of those.
save a few fractions of pennies by thinking. If using frozen foods, transfer them to the fridge the day befor you mean to use them. they thaw evenly and you don't waste that bit of electricity in the microwave.
PLAN AHEAD If buying a whole chicken, know what you are going to do with the lsft overs.
DO like our grandmothers did and waste nothing.
Don't buy veggies for more than a couple of days, unless you mean to prepare and freeze them. Use the best bits of "Trimmings" to make stock.
If you are a small household( ie 1 person) do you have a friend you could shop with? You can then split bigger packs and save that way.
 
Good advice, ladies and thankyou. Another good tip is to be first in line when the supermarket opens so you can snap up the close to sell by date bargains. I'm fortunate in having a good market within walking distance and the produce is far less expensive than in the supermarkets. Also, we have a large Asian community here and buying herbs, spices, pulses etc. in bulk from their supermarkets saves a fortune compared to what you'd pay in the supermarkets (assuming they even stock what you want.) Farm shops can offer very good value as well, depending on where you live.
 
If you live in/visit the country you can forage blackberries,elderberries,chestnuts and nettles for free and buy things like eggs,fruit and veg from farms.Often people sell or even give away excess fruit/veg from their gardens,too.
 
I too am on a budget and looking around. Made a habit of popping into my local Lidls and pick up their "offers on next week" leaflet. A couple of days ago I purchased (at lidl) a 250g bag of mini spinich leafs for a mere 49p and a cucumber for 29p! And as I was there to get my Greek yogurt I saved a few pennies too!! hehehehe

Also, I found buying eggs in the larger packs in worth while too. E.g. Sainsbury basics 6 eggs are 87p but 18 eggs in the basic range are only £1.89!! Go figure!! And so it is with many items, worth doing if you can use it (as I am single large packs can be a problem, eggs not included!) - so have a look around.

And any cupons you come across - use them! I save at least £2 each week on various stuff in leaflets and news papers, or even online in adds! Oh yes - the Dove promotion e.g. Got a 50p off voucher and as Dove was on offer in Sainsbury got my deodrant for 35p!! hehehehehe All helps!


Alice
 
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