Top ten tips for Living Below The Line
1. Compare food prices from different supermarkets and local shops to buy the maximum amount of ingredients with your pennies. You can compare prices here.
2. Go to your local market or greengrocers, you will be able to buy small quantities of condiments and spices for just a few pence.
3. Why not team up with friends and colleagues and share lunches - this will help add variety to your meals.
4. Oats are a healthy, slow energy-release cereal and priced at only 62 pence for 500 grams they’re a cheap and nutritious way to beat of those mid-morning munchies. Why not use some cinnamon to make it more interesting or slice up half a banana (12 pence each)
5. Buy a kilo of mixed frozen vegetables which you can find as cheaply as 65 pence from most supermarkets.
6. Canned tuna in sunflower oil is a good source of Omega-3 fats and as an added bonus; the remaining oil can be used in your cooking too.
7. Lentils or chickpeas are full of protein and are tasty both hot and cold. These are often cheaper at your local greengrocers costing around 75 pence per kilo.
8. Baked potatoes make a delicious and filling meal and a variety of different toppings keep your meal interesting from day to day – you can buy four for as little as 50 pence. Try them with coleslaw for around 20 pence or cottage cheese for about 55 pence.
9. Pasta is cheap at 18 pence per kilo and can be mixed with a variety of ingredients such as tomato puree starting at 25 pence, or frozen vegetables.
10. Baked beans are a great source of protein, fibre, iron and calcium, and are great on baked potatoes – you can get them from most leading supermarkets for around 28 pence.
Find more recipe ideas and suggested menus on the Live Below the Line website.
Photos courtesy of Andy Jackson from his 2011 Live Below The Line menu!
