BUDGETFRIENDLY TIPS
BUY SEASONAL fresh fruit and vegetables – they cost less and have a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals. PLAN YOUR WEEKLY EVENING MEALS in advance, and create a shopping list that can be updated on a weekly basis. An organised shopping list will stop you from buying things you don’t need.
BUY IN BULK, and prepare meals that can be frozen and eaten later. Not only is this budget friendly, it will also come in handy when you are in the last trimester and feel too tired to prepare a meal.
AVOID READYMADE MEALS. They seem a good idea at the time, but the cost adds up very quickly.
BULK UP MEAT DISHES with legumes. They cost less than meat but add a lot of volume and extra nutrients, says dietitian Claire Julsing Strydom. Legumes (such as beans, chickpeas, lentils) are a great source of protein, B-vitamins and help with pregnancy-related constipation. Add to mince to bulk up the dish without adding more fat.
SKINLESS CAN BE CHEAPER. Although it may seem economical to buy a whole chicken, it is important to take into account the cost per gram. You are often paying for the bones and other non-edible parts of the chicken. Therefore it may work out cheaper (and healthier) to go for the skinless chicken breasts, suggests dietitian Lila Bruk.
DON’T SHOP WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY. Impulse shopping leads to expensive or unhealthy options.
LOOK DOWN. Often very expensive products are situated at eye level; the cheaper versions are placed at the bottom of the shelves.
YOU DON’T NEED TO BUY ORGANIC. Research has shown that the benefit of eating enough fruits and vegetables outweighs the benefits of choosing the organic option. Therefore, you may get more benefit from having more regular fruits and vegetables than spending extra money on the organic options, explains Lila.
BUY SUSTAINABLE FISH. Choosing fish that comes from sustainable populations is better for the environment and generally cheaper. Also, the omega-3-rich fish that comes from sustainable populations (such as pilchards and sardines) have a low mercury content so are more suitable for pregnant women, Lila says. See wwfsassi.co.za for a list of sustainable fish.
BREAKFAST
• Low GI toast with poached egg and grilled tomato. Plus papaya.
• Oats made with fat free milk, 1T brown sugar and cinnamon, and an apple.
• Mielie pap with fat free milk, with 1T brown sugar, 1 boiled egg and 1 orange.
LUNCH
• Low GI bread with tuna mayonnaise and sliced tomato.
• Baked beans on low GI toast with gherkins.
• Pilchards in tomato sauce on low GI toast, with lettuce, tomato, onion and cucumber.
• Provitas with Bovril, or fat free cottage cheese and sweet chilli sauce.
SUPPER
• Lentil curry, chutney and cucumber slices.
• Fishcakes (made with sweet potato and pilchards) with gem squash and peas tossed in mint jelly.
• Durum wheat pasta with tomato, olive and garlic sauce, served with spinach and butternut.
• Beef stew made with plenty of vegetables and pearled barley.
SHOPPING LIST
• Fat free milk
• Fat free yoghurt
• Low GI bread
• Oats
• Fresh fruit: oranges, apples, pears, bananas
• Fresh vegetables: broccoli, spinach, pumpkin, carrots and butternut
• Provita
• Baked beans
• Pilchards in tomato sauce
• Tuna in salt water
• Peanut butter
• Mixed nuts (if budget allows)
• Olive oil/canola oil
• Cholesterol-lowering margarine
• Bovril
• Fish paste
• Fat free cottage cheese
• Pearled barley
• Durum wheat pasta
• Baked beans
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Tinned tomatoes
• Chicken breast fillets
• Extra lean beef mince
• Beans
• Brown rice
• Sweet potatoes
• Frozen fish or fish fingers
• Eggs (1 egg per day) ●