For lunch, offer a tuna fish sandwich prepared with reduced-fat mayonnaise and served on whole-wheat bread. Round out the meal with raw carrot sticks, apple slices and a glass of milk. For lunchtime, plan on a slice of whole-grain vegetable pizza prepared with shredded reduced-fat cheese and paired with a salad of mixed greens topped with grated carrots. At dinner, serve whole-wheat spaghetti noodles healthy meal plans a low-sodium marinara sauce containing browned lean ground beef.
Offer steamed broccoli on the side. Lunch might consist of a whole-wheat turkey sandwich, low-sodium tomato soup made with nonfat milk and raw celery sticks. Try baked salmon served with whole-wheat couscous and roasted asparagus for dinner. Stir in some blueberries and offer the oatmeal with a hard-boiled egg and juice. Tuck pieces of low-fat cheese into a whole-wheat pita along with sliced vegetables and serve the sandwich with raw vegetable sticks and hummus for lunch. At dinner, have a bean and cheese burrito baked in a whole-wheat tortilla along with salad and fresh cherries.
Offer the pasta dish with steamed peas. Dinner could be oven-fried fish strips paired with oven-roasted potato wedges, corn on the cob and low-fat coleslaw. At lunch, serve macaroni and cheese prepared with low-fat cheese and whole-wheat pasta. Mix in thinly sliced baby spinach and diced tomatoes and serve the pasta with fresh grapes.
Dinner could consist of roasted pork tenderloin, mashed sweet potatoes and steamed green beans. Offer a bran muffin and unsweetened yogurt mixed with fruit as snacks. Michelle Kerns writes for a variety of print and online publications and specializes in literature and science topics. She has served as a book columnist since 2008 and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Kerns studied English literature and neurology at UC Davis. Feeding your family on a budget is easier than you think.
30 with our five-day dinner plan. They’re also kind to your pocket, making them winners all round. This is a very quick, healthy and tasty meal. Tuna is a great source of lean protein, which increases satiety, keeping hunger at bay.
Packed with vegetables and low in saturated fat, this is the perfect dish for everyone, especially those with a heart condition. The harissa paste is a flavoursome addition to the dressing and works extremely well with the dish. You may want to reduce the harissa paste slightly in the children’s portion as it could be a little too hot. Perfect for making in advance and defrosting at the start of a busy week, the lean mince is rich in iron and a great source of protein. Keeping the skin on the potatoes increases the fibre, and the vegetables provide your family with key vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health. The dish is also low in salt, which is really important as most of us eat too much it. This is a fantastic way to get your kids to eat more vegetables and if you chop them really finely, they won’t even notice them.
Depending on the size of your vegetables, you’ll get two or maybe even three of your ‘five-a-day’ with this dish. You can make it even healthier by choosing brown pasta shells, which will increase the daily fibre intake, keeping your family fuller for longer. You can also choose to omit the caster sugar. This is a wonderful winter warmer that you can prepare in no time with minimal effort. The lentils and chickpeas are full of soluble fibre, which we know reduces high cholesterol levels. High in protein too, this dish will keep you satisfied.
You may want to reduce the amount of chilli if your kids aren’t used to spicy food. Add it to your own before serving, if you like a kick. Ideal for a Friday evenings, this soup is quick to prepare and very satisfying. Not only is it low in salt and good for those with high blood pressure, it’s also low in saturated fat so a heart healthy dish all round. Serve it with basmati rice, which is low-GI and better for blood glucose control if you have diabetes. After more inspiration for feeding your family without breaking the bank? Check out our recipe collection and guides below.
Have you tried this healthy budget meal plan? Or do you have any top tips for cooking on a budget? We would love to hear from you. This website is published by Immediate Media Company Limited under licence from BBC Studios Distribution. 471 0 0 0 16 9.