QC on a Budget

QC your breakfast

Chocolate hoop cereal and whole milk

Wheat biscuits and semi-skimmed

milk

In today’s economic climate, more and more of us are having to

manage our finances more carefully.

With this in mind, we have put together ‘QC on a budget’* – a few

budget friendly suggestions to QC some food and drink choices,

and help get more of the nutrients we need (like vitamins,

minerals and fibre) and limit the amount of those that many of us

should be cutting back on (free sugars, salt and saturated fat).

Pain au chocolate Wholemeal toast

with peanut butter

15p 15p

ADD FRUIT:

…helping to meet your 5 a day!

Frozen berries are often

cheaper than fresh ones!

Canned fruit (in juice, not

syrup) like peaches, pineapple

chunks, mandarin segments

and pears can be stirred into

yogurt/added to cereal!

Why not include some banana

– the average one costs 8p!

48p 11p

↑ fibre & B-vitamins

↓ free sugars

*All prices in this resource are per person and were

calculated using averages from major retailers in December

2018. Higher QC examples are the same or lower cost.

↑ fibre

QC your soup & sandwich

Cream of chicken soup (canned)

Vegetable soup (canned)

...with white bread or a white roll

...with wholemeal bread or a

wholemeal roll

↑ folate

6-10p

↓ saturated fat

ADD VEGETABLES:

…you can add extra veg to most

things whether it’s soup or an

omelette!

Try using frozen spinach, peas

and green beans in recipes;

less cost, less waste!

Onion and carrots are great

versatile low cost vegetables!

Buy seasonally and look for

bargains in your local market!

Ham and cheese sandwich (white bread), crisps and sugary fizzy orange drink

Tuna, low fat mayo, sweetcorn and lettuce in a wholemeal wrap, an apple and semi-

skimmed milk £1.05

Creamy bacon pasta with white spaghetti (homemade)

Bean bolognaise with wholewheat spaghetti

(homemade)

QC your dinner (whether you are making from scratch or using pre-made)

Beef burger, oven chips and tomato ketchup

Fish fingers, baked potato, mixed veg

(frozen)

98p

↑ pulses & iron

ADD PULSES:

… to make the base of a meal like

chilli, curry, stew or bolognaise!

Try using canned beans,

chickpeas or lentils, plus canned

tomatoes, carrots or even

mushrooms too!

Another healthy, cheap protein

source is canned fish - try

making sardine/mackerel

bolognaise (it really works)!

AND use leftovers – extra

cooked veg/pulses make a

great bubble and squeak!

58p 53p

74p 52p

↑ iodine & folate

↑ fish & fibre

↑fibre & wholegrains

6-10p

22p 22p

QC your snack

Tortilla chips with sour cream and chive dip (full fat)

Wholemeal pitta bread, houmous and carrot sticks

Split pot yogurt with chocolate side

Greek yogurt and berries (frozen)

Chewy fruit flavoured sweets

Banana

QC your drink

Sugary fizzy orange drink Fresh orange juice

with sparkling water

Sugary energy drink Semi-skimmed

milk

ADD FIBRE:

…we should be trying to get 30g

of fibre each day!

Try overnight oats to eat at

any time the next day; combine

oats, milk, yogurt and then add

your choice of fruit topping–

apple, raisins and cinnamon

works well!

Add a tablespoon of peanut

butter to some fruit sticks or

chunks!

Have you tried oatcakes –

average cost 3p each!

WATER IS BEST:

Stay hydrated at no extra cost!

Tap water is a great choice of

drink - it hydrates without

providing extra calories or

harming teeth. Try to use a

reusable bottle!

It’s a good idea to get

children drinking water

from an early age too!

50p 10p

46p 13p

8p 11p

48p 55p

41p 41p

↑ calcium & protein

↑ vit C

↑ potassium & fibre

↑ fruit & vit C

↑ veg & vit A

↓ free sugars

↓ saturated fat

↓ free sugars