With the cost of living rising and bills going up, it may feel as though, looking after your gut health is impossible- especially with food prices going up so much too. However, there are still ways you can heal/ improve your gut. You can do this by making the right food and lifestyle choices. If money is tight and you are thinking, you can’t heal your gut because you can’t afford supplements and vitamins- do not worry- because you can still get all the essential nutrients your gut needs from the right foods and of course other lifestyle changes such as, getting a good night sleep, managing stress and exercise.
In this post, I will share practical tips on:
- Food shopping habits
- How to plan meals in the week
- Batch cooking meal ideas
- Eating habits
Food shopping
I actually quite enjoy food shopping (a little alone time!). Some mums prefer to shop online to save time and feel it gives them more control on budget as you see how much you are spending in the basket. Online food shopping is great if you have no time or if there are good deals- such as £20 off a £60 spend but, if you shop around (physically going to the stores), you can definitely save more money. I do my food shopping weekly and have found, out of all the major supermarkets out there, the cheapest one is Aldi. I do my big shopping there, getting all my weekly essentials and then, get the rest of certain branded staples we prefer in Asda or Morrisons. Meat in Aldi is by far the cheapest compared to other supermarkets for the same quality. Of course you may not all have an Aldi nearby, however, find the supermarket that is cheapest near you and shop around, finding what shop offers you best price for your dinner staples.
Gut health on a budget shopping tips:
- Buy reduced items (yellow sticker items!)
Another thing you can do is buy reduced items. Most supermarkets do this and tend to reduce them later towards the end of the day. They can be a bit hit and miss but definitely worth a browse. You can pick up fish and meat that you know you will use in recipes regularly and freeze them on the day- they will keep for a while in the freezer! You usually pay half the price or less for them too. If freezer space is an issue, take them out of the packaging and put them in freezer bags- absolute space saver!
- Bulk buy meats
If budget allows, buy meat in larger packs. If you look at the price per weight, it gets cheaper the larger the pack. I like to buy large trays of chicken fillet, separate them in bags, and pop them in the freezer to use for later. Costco is pretty good for this too- I get the pork shoulder and chicken wing packs and meats that are on offer that I know I will use.
- Write a food shopping list
Best thing to do, if you don’t want to waste food (and money!) is write a list and stick to it because you know that they are the things you need and this will make sure you don’t buy any unnecessary items and over spend.
Tip: throughout the week whenever I use the last bit of anything, I write it down straight away on a post-it note, so I don’t forget (as we usually do!) when I go to write my weekly shopping list.
How to plan meals in the week
This is by far the best thing you can do as a busy mum to make sure you are eating the right foods for your gut health. This also helps you to write your food-shopping list, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Planning in this way really helps take the stress away, not only from having to decide daily-what to eat for dinner and work- but most importantly it ensures you all eat healthy, you save money and you work towards improving/maintaining your gut health.
- Plan your meals for the week (family dinners)
Write down the 7 days of the week and then beside each day, write down the meal you will cook for that day. Doing this really helps take away the stress about what to cook at dinner times and planning in this way helps you write that shopping list.
- Plan your lunches for work
Keep it simple. Just make sure your meal has protein, fibre and carbs. Here is an example of what I have and prepare for my work breakfast and lunches:
To maintain my gut health, I meal prep my breakfast and work lunch on the Sunday. I keep it very simple. I have just 2 boiled eggs and sometimes a piece of fruit (which I eat in the car when taking my kids to school) and a coffee in the morning. My lunch is usually, a source of protein (chicken or tofu), some veg (courgettes, green beans or broccoli) and some carbs like rice or potatoes. I batch cook these and store them in tupperware and keep them in the fridge. I generally eat the same lunches, I just rotate the meals- 1 week chicken fillets and then the next, maybe tofu. This has helped me maintain healthy eating and be consistent with looking after my gut health.
Batch cooking and meal ideas
We all have busy routines during the week and I find myself planning meals around my kid’s schedule (sometimes it could be an after school club, parents evening or achievement assembly). However, to make sure I am looking after my gut and the family’s, I plan ahead and batch cook so we don’t end up eating take out and still get a healthy dinner. Try to keep meals as simple as possible- it doesn’t always have to be fancy! So long as meals are nutritious and serve our body well, that is the most important thing. Simple ingredients and simple meals can do, just that.
- Cook meals that you can make in large portions
On the days you know you won’t be home on time to cook a meal, for example, you have to attend parents evening on Tuesday- cook something in bulk on the Monday- so you can have it for the following day too. Great way to also save you from cooking every day.
- Batch cook on the weekends
Put aside a couple of hours to batch cook some of your favourite easy meals and freeze them. This works great for those weeks you know, will be extra busy. Saves you time and money too because what do we do when we have no food prepared at home? We get take out!
- Marinate your favourite proteins and freeze
This way, you can take it out and defrost in the morning or overnight in the fridge, and just heat it up when you get home. This makes coming home from work and having to cook so easy. All you would have to do is make a side dish of rice or potatoes and some vegetables to go with it. Marinated, chicken wings or chicken fillets are great freezer foods.
Tip: to save time and stress, create a list of 14 family favourite dinners, and rotate them in the month.
Here are some simple dinner ideas that you can batch cook:
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Thai green curry
- Thai beef mince
- Beef stew
- Soups
Eating Habits (not just your food choices)
These habits have an impact on the gut health:
- Eating in a rush– not only does it cause bloating, but also when you eat too quickly, you end up over eating too!
- Eating massive portions– causes bloating and gas.
- Eating and drinking at the same time- liquids can dilute stomach acid digestive enzymes leading to slower digestion, causing bloating.
- Eating too close to bed time- digestive system is working overtime, causing bloating, indigestion and disrupts sleep.
Here are some simple habits that you can start, to help your gut feel better:
- Slow down when eating– chew your food properly. Savour each mouthful and enjoy the meal.
- Eat without any electronics around!- we are all guilty of this but focusing on your meal will help you slow down and eat mindfully.
- Set a time to stop eating– set a time of 2-3 hours before you go to bed, this way your body is not working all night long to digest food. This can help you have better sleep too.
I hope that some of these tips are useful to you. Do not think that you have to change everything at once (that almost never helps) as we become so overwhelmed and that makes it harder for us to stick to new habits- allow yourself time to adjust. Take one-step at a time. When I was going through the process of healing my gut, it did not happen in a week, not even months, it took me a while to get to where I am today, but one small change you make is one small step closer to better gut health. You won’t see results straight away, but just remember, what you do consistently over time, is what will make the biggest difference.