Let me start with by levelling with you…I’m not claiming to be a Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson in the kitchen! But, I am a mum (now AKA teacher, chef, waitress, cleaner and entertainer).
As a nutritionist I spend most of my days either talking about food or researching new healthy food trends. But, as circumstances changed, like many of you, for the last few months I found myself scratching my brains trying to plan and find time to cook up an additional 5 meals a week, oh the joy!
I was delighted to hear that the Welsh Government extended the £19.50 school meal scheme for the duration of the summer holidays, and also about the success of Marcus Rashford in convincing the UK Government to do the same. I am sure this comes as a great relief for many parents.
But two questions came to mind…
1) How far could you stretch the £19.50 over a week?
2) Is it possible to reach the recommended nutritional guidance on that budget?
It got me thinking…could I put my knowledge as a nutritionist to good use? I came to the conclusion that there was only one way to find out the answers to my questions. So…I decided to put it to the test and to share my journey with you in the hope that this will also help to relieve some of the pressure of planning nutritious meals for your families on a budget. Here goes:
Week 1
What I learnt this week...Planning is key!
Firstly, to see how far I could stretch the budget, I decided to use a £20 budget to create a meal plan for 7 days and covering breakfast, lunch and dinner (I also threw in some sweet treats). The government has based the £19.50 on breakfast and lunch for 5 days, so we have already shown how this can be stretched further.
Dietary guidelines are all well and good, but they must be able to be put into practise in the real world. It is important that though the day you eat a mixture if protein, carbohydrate and fats. Each of these ‘macronutrients’ have essential roles in maintaining health, aiding growth and providing energy for your body and brain.
I knew the first step would be planning my meals for the week, ensuring a balance diet but also making sure that I maximise the use of all the items on the list.
Here is the meal plan for the week:
And here is the shopping list. But don’t be afraid to swap ingredients or experiment – the main thing is to have a go and get creative. (Just to add a disclaimer, prices vary by supermarket and overtime so may fluctuate from the prices advertised).
Download the Week One Pack which contains the meal plan, shopping list and recipes here:
Get Creative
There's only one thing left for you to do! Have a go, get creative, and get sharing your ideas, recipes and meals with us by using #HealthyKidsfor£20 on social media!
Until next week, happy cooking , and happy eating!