My blog has been inspired today by my recent food shopping trip. I was down the yoghurt aisle and was comparing prices to try and get the best deal. I came across an own brand pack of 4 low fat yoghurts for 35p!! Now with more of us in Britain needing to save money, I thought this would be the best option for me; how wrong could I be!! After working with Personal Trainers for so long, it has been built in me to check the nutritional information before purchasing any food products.....Good job I did as I was shocked to see these yoghurts had over 15g of sugar per 125g pot!! A difficult situation for me... a 9p yoghurt with 15g of sugar or my usual £1.25 (for just 1!) with 6.5g???

In the end, I had to purchase a completely different yoghurt which was in the middle for both cost and sugar; I had spent long enough looking at the options!

Whilst I appreciate it isn't always the case, the same situation can often be seen with other food products too. The cheaper food items are not always nutritionally the best! So how do we find a balance between quality and price??

I don't necessarily have the answer but what I can tell you is how I try to beat the price without compromising the quality:

*Stick with Fresh - Many convenience meals/foods can be a lot more expensive and packed with many unnecessary and/or unhealthy ingredients. Although you may be up against time, fresh meat, veg and fruit are always a better option.
*Buy Reduced - The taboo of buying reduced items seems to have died down over recent years and I always now walk past the "Reduced To Clear" meat and fresh veg sections to see what bargains I can get. Whether I am looking for my meal that day or seeing what I can freeze, I am able to get healthier products for a cheaper price.
*Buy in Bulk - Certainly when it comes to meat, if I have room in the freezer I will always buy in bulk. Often supermarkets will have promotions like "2 for £7", "3 for £10" or have larger packs of meat at a cheaper price.
*Cook and Freeze - When I first started to cook up batches and freeze individual portions, I struggled to get the hang of it but now, I wouldn't look back! Creating healthy meals in bulk, not only means you are saving on electricity; you also save on time and food wastage!
*Plan your Meals - Rather than grabbing lunch or dinner "on the go", plan your meals and take food with you if you are away from home. This will save on money, time and I am sure be healthier than a fast food outlet or motorway service station.
*Cheaper Supermarkets - I personally do find supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl cheaper than other well-known food shops however it all depends on the products you need. I cannot always find the products I want and sometimes the fresh fruit and veg doesn't last as long.

In summary , I know at times money can be extremely tough and therefore you have to buy food to match what you can afford. If there are any ways you can save money when food shopping so you don't have to sacrifice quality, I would certainly recommend trying them first so you can continue eating a good level of nutritious food.