h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've recently started trying to eat a more balanced diet and was discouraged as so much very processed stuff is cheap, while the healthy stuff is far dearer. So here are some of my tips for saving pennies while upping your health.

1. Decide whats worth the extra. I can't afford organic for everything, but make sure at the minimum anything we eat raw is organic.

2. B/Make your own. I've started baking my own bread, biscuits and cakes and invested in an ice-cream maker. Yes it takes more time, and the total ingredients for the bread cost more than the equivalent amount of ultra-processed loaves, but I know exactly whats gone into it. And my kids love helping. Not everyone has the time to make everything, but even if you only made one loaf a month that would be one loaf's worth fewer additives you ate. The ingredients don't come cheaper than the cheapest possible bread/biscuits/ice cream or whatever, but it does compare very well with the higher quality shop bought stuff.

3. Grow your own. I don't have the room or time to grow my own veg, but I do have herbs. Every little helps, and you only have to shell out once!

4. Look out for bargains. My freezer is well stocked with organic and high quality meat that I couldn't normally aford because I keep an eye on the reduced rack. I often buy up reduced organic veggies that are past their best to make soup. If you boil it up every day it lasts all week and ups your vegetable intake. Also don't be put off buying the more economical larger packs of things - you can always cook up a batch and freeze it.

5. Check the labels. Don't believe everything! "90% fat free" really means "10% fat", and most of the stuff thats "No added sugar" has all sorts of other processed sweetners in it. I once saw the nutritional information panels as so much incomprehensible jargon, but now I know what it means I can make a much better assessment of what I'm getting for my money.

6. Find out whats available locally. I recently went to my first Farmers Market, and would reccommend them. You can talk to the people who have produced the stuff to find out whats in it and its cheaper than the supermarket.

Thats all I can think of now - I know some of these have been mentioned elsewhere but wanted to add my agreement to those of you who mentioned them before. I hope others will be able to add to this.