Ten tips for eating healthy on a budget


Kids are more likely to eat food they've helped cook. Chef hats optional. Photo: Getty
We recently reported on a difficulty reality for many Australians. They can’t afford the sort of foods that are key to a healthy diet.
And they’re choosing to fill up on cheap and cheerfully packaged ultra-processed foods instead. Read here, here and here why that’s very bad news indeed.
The struggle to afford healthy foods is being blamed on the post-pandemic cost-of-living crisis. Quite right.
But the reality is, most Australians have been failing to eat sufficient fruit and vegetables for decades, with a particular aversion to vegetables.
And the main reason is a long-term problem with affordability.
What can we do about it?
Dr Kate Wingrove is an accredited practising dietitian, a registered public health nutritionist, and a research fellow at Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition.
We asked Wingrove for advice on how families can eat healthier on a budget. Just as important is her advice on how to approach food. In the age of MasterChef, it’s easy to feel daunted by cooking, and how to handle food.
At heart, it’s all about planning, keeping it simple, and staging a quiet revolution in the kitchen.

Dr Kate Wingrove, public health nutritionist.
When she provided these 10 tips, she said it was important to keep in mind there were challenges in “following these kinds of tips or advice”.
They include a lack of time, lack of food-related knowledge and skills, “and lack of money particularly in this high-cost-of-living environment”.
However, Wingrove said, there are good consumer resources online, including recipes. We have linked to some of those sites at the bottom of the story.
Top 10 tips from Dr Kate Wingrove
1. Prepare meals at home as much as possible
We know that home-cooked meals tend to be healthier than takeaways, and usually cheaper.
2. Create a meal plan for the week
This includes healthy meals, but also snacks. So often if you don’t have something healthy at hand, and you’re hungry, that’s when it can be easier to reach for the chocolate bar or packet of chips.
Plan ahead of time, by including nuts, yoghurt and fruit in your shopping basket. Too expensive for every day? Half a peanut butter sandwich is a great snack.
You might ask: Who has time to make a meal plan? You actually save time overall. And the plan doesn’t have to be much different from week to week.
I remember as a kid, my mum did most of the food cooking and shopping. Every Monday we’d have the same thing, every Tuesday… and so on.
At the time, my sister and I used to make fun of it. Now, as an adult, I think it’s smart, because it reduces the mental load. And there was plenty of variety in our meals.
You don’t need to be a chef
3. Keep it simple
It’s about having the skills to make meals that are quick, tasty and healthy. These can be simple curries, soups, salads and pasta dishes.
The federal government’s Eat for Health website has some great tips:
“Use what you already have, what’s in season and what’s on special. For example, almost any vegetable can be cooked in stock and pureed to make a delicious winter soup. Just add wholegrain bread and you have a meal.”
Another genius tip from Eat for Health is:
“Buy smaller amounts of lean meat, skinless chicken and fish and extend meals by adding legumes, extra vegetables and grains.
“By adding extra vegetables to meat dishes, you will also reduce the kilojoules in the dish.”
4. Plan for leftovers
Cooking in bulk and freezing extra meals can save time and money. I personally don’t want to cook every night.
5. Create a shopping list
Only buy what you need for your meal plan, including those snacks.
6. Consider meat alternatives
Legumes such as chickpeas and lentils are often cheaper and can be just as tasty in those curries, soups, salads, and pasta dishes. Here’s an example – lentil bolognaise.
Here are three of my favourite recipes, all from the Heart Foundation:
I usually cook up a big batch and freeze the leftovers for later. This goes well with brown rice or a baked potato. I like to add a scoop of natural yoghurt on top.
And salad doesn’t have to be a side dish. Here are two of my favourites:
Lentil, carrot, and beetroot salad
And roast pumpkin, carrot and chickpea salad
To save time, I used tinned lentils, chickpeas, and beetroot.
7. Choose fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season
They’re usually cheaper and have more flavour.
Get the whole family involved
8. Consider tinned or frozen fruits and vegetables
They’re just as healthy, are often cheaper, and last longer, and so are less likely to be wasted.
9. Involve your kids in cooking
They’ll be more likely to eat something they’ve helped prepare, which means less time, food, and money is wasted. And maybe less frustration for the parents.
10. Make water your drink of choice
Save soft drinks and juices for special occasions. As a dietitian, it’s important not to tell people to avoid things at all costs. We need to be realistic.
Some great tips and resources can be found at Eat for Health, Live Lighter, Heart Foundation, Nutrition Australia, and Healthy Living.