How to give your kids healthy meals on a limited budget

 

We all know the importance of giving your kids healthy

...meals that are part of a greater nutrient-rich well-balanced diet. As many a parenting manual and nutritionist will attest, a good diet is essential for physical and cognitive development and healthy immune systems. Instilling good dietary habits from a young age also means that your kids are more likely to have a healthy attitude towards food in adult life.


This is all well and good but eating well is not necessarily conducive to spending little. Supermarkets don't make things easy as junk food, fatty snacks and pre-packaged ready meals are all markedly cheaper than say, organic fruit and vegetables.

Plus, what child would really choose to eat salad with their meal as opposed to fries, without putting up a fight? Certainly not my child! Convincing kids to eat healthy meals is a hard task for any parent so even if you've pulled off a healthy weekly shop within budget, it doesn't necessarily mean your kids will go for it.

There are a few things you can do though. Here's a few tips for getting your kids to eat healthy meals without breaking the bank.

Healthy Meal Planning

• It may seem obvious but the first rule for a good food budget is planning. If possible, evaluate what you spend on food on average on a weekly basis so you're able to work out what you can cut down on or exchange for a healthier option. Then, work on planning each meal including lunches so you only buy the necessary ingredients.
• Check the weekend newspapers for supermarket discount coupons. Always check out the special offers sections in stores as well, though be careful not to get carried away (as I often have) and end up overspending. Buy supermarket own brands wherever possible.
• If you're kids are fussy about eating fruit and vegetables, don't be afraid to use trickery and disguise them! Blended soups, pasta sauces and fruit smoothies are all effective ways to get those nutrients into them.
• Find out what fruits and vegetables are in season for your area and choose healthy meal recipes accordingly. If you're feeling super-organised, start a family recipe book with recipes grouped by season so you have a ready-made cookery guide for next year.
• Invest in some good sturdy storage containers and buy certain foods (e.g. pasta, oats, rice, cereals) in bulk. This will work out much cheaper in the long term.
• Consider growing your own vegetables. If you have the time cultivating a vegetable patch can be rewarding both for your wallet, the environment and your kids who will learn about nature in the process.
• Then sometimes when all this virtue gets too much work, I think it is more important to have quality dinner time with the kids rather than running around soaking chickpeas! Ordering in can really save the day, I use this chance for the kids to try something different like Vietnamese or Japanese: both of which are reasonably priced and have plenty of healthy options.

By Kate Bloomsbury from Delivery Hero

Source: Single Mum