One of the common excuses for not beginning a pregnancy weight loss plan is that people have the misconception that healthy eating means expensive grocery shopping.
Today we have seven great tips that will show you how to save money on your healthy shop, without having to miss out on the things that you love.

Go meat-free twice per week

As a nation we tend to eat more than the recommended guidelines for meat consumption.
Going vegetarian for one or two meals per week is a great place to begin saving money at the butcher.
Try some of our favourite vegetarian dishes such as this Spinach, Basil and Ricotta Lasagne or these Vegetarian Burritos.

Add more legumes to your meals

A great way to cut down on your meat spend (without cutting meat out completely) is to bulk up your meals with legumes.
So for instance if you were making a Bolognese where you would normally use 500g of mince, try using 300g of mince and adding a tin of lentils and a tin of kidney beans.
The legumes will blend well with the meat, without overpowering it in terms of flavour, and you are getting the quality protein from two sources instead of one.

Go rogue on recipes

If a recipe calls for something that you don’t have, isn’t in season or is just expensive at the moment, consider switching it for something else.
For instance if it asks you to use a leek and they are $3 each, use some shallots instead, or a white onion and some parsley.
If sweet potato is on special but your recipe calls for pumpkin, it can easily be switched without compromising on flavour or nutrition.
If you’re out of eggs for baking, you can use a chia seed egg replacement instead. Simply soak 2 tbsp chia seeds in 4 tbsp water for 5 minutes, then use as you would an egg in something like muffins or cakes.
Here are some more tips for some easy swaps when it comes to reading a recipe.

Use what you have on hand

Instead of heading out to the shops when you run out of an ingredient, try to make do with what you have at home already.
This saves you on petrol as well as the other impulse buys that tend to occur when we pop out for ‘just one thing.’
It also means that you are less likely to have to throw away old veggies that have gone bad in the crisper.
For instance instead of making mashed potato, you can easily make steamed cauliflower mash, mushy peas, or pureed carrots instead (recipes here). And p.s. all of these are much lower in calories, so it’s a double win!

Make your own snack packs

Instead of buying snacks for yourself or your kids such as sultanas in boxes, or popcorn in individual packs, why not make your own.
All you need are some small plastic containers to pack at home before you go, and then you can just fill from a 1kg bag of sultanas, make your own Healthy Trail Mix, or air pop your own popcorn.
If timing is the issue, pack a load of snack boxes at the beginning of the week so that you can grab and go.

Freeze meals to eat instead of take away

Instead of ordering a take away, get into the habit of eating from your freezer instead. Whenever you make a Bolognese or a curry, make double and freeze a batch for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking.
Here are 3 easy dinner recipes to try here.

Keep frozen fruit and vegetables on hand

So that you are never caught short without fruit for your Healthy Mummy Smoothie, try to always keep some frozen berries on hand. They are much cheaper than fresh, and add a nice thickness to the smoothie too.
Always keep frozen peas in the house too, as they are a great way to bulk out a casserole or serve as a healthy side dish when the crisper is empty.
If you see corn on the cob on sale, peel them, cut in half, and freeze so that you can boil up straight from the freezer for a quick and easy side dish.

Budget meal plan

Join our online 28 Day Challenges for just over $1 a day. This includes customisable meal plans and is great for budget focussed mums – see more information here

Join our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge 

• 28 Days of family friendly healthy meals
• Personalised weekly shopping lists and customisable meal plans
• Access to the exclusive challenge 1000+ recipe hub
• 28 days of effective at home exercises to fit into your busy day
• Expert advice and support from the team and 1000’s of other mums on the challenge
• See all the details and join here

Results from mums on the 28 Day Challenge

Mums lose an average of 4-6kg (8-13 pounds) on our 28 Day Challenge and below are some of the amazing results from mums JUST LIKE YOU who are already using the 28 Day Challenge and losing tummy fat – make the change and join them today too!
You can see lots of results and you can join here too
Erin Loses a MASSIVE 44.7kgs on our 28 Day Challenges

Erin says: “I love the 28 day challenge! 
It takes all the guess work of “what do I have for dinner” and fumbling around the fridge looking for ingredients before deciding on something “easy” (and usually not healthy!) 
The best thing is, after doing my weekly shop once the shopping list comes out I have everything I need to make something HEALTHY AND EASY!”
DON’T delay!
Join today and become healthier and fitter this Winter. Join 1000’s of other mums on the same journey and be supported every step of the way.
You won’t regret it!