After being diagnosed with a medical condition known as New Daily Persistent Headache syndrome, characterised by an ongoing tension-type headache – nutritionist Danijela Unkovich overhauled her lifestyle and focused on an unprocessed diet made up of whole foods.
The foodie then took to social media to shared nutritional ideas and recipes – and created the Instagram account healthyalways.
Now, Danijela has shared with us some of her top tips for eating healthy on a budget – without compromising on taste.
Danijela Unkovich
Incorporate more wallet-friendly staples
Add chickpeas and lentils to meals, which are not only a good source of plant-based protein, but also great for bulking up dishes. If I’m making pasta for dinner, I might halve the amount of mincemeat and add 1-2 tins of brown lentils – they pick up the flavors really well and are quite neutral tasting, so you hardly notice the difference. It also works for cottage pie or lasagna.
Use frozen vegetables
Frozen veges are just as good as fresh, as they’re frozen soon after they are picked and retain a high level of nutrients. Plus they’re easy to cook, and a great option when you can’t access certain foods due to the season.
Keep your fridge and freezer clutter-free.
This makes it easier to keep tabs on what’s getting ripe and what’s nearest its expiry date, so you aren’t forever culling forgotten items from the back of the fridge. Do regular stocktakes, and label and date items before throwing them in the freezer.
You don’t need fancy ingredients to be healthy.
Good food is often just simple basics: fruits, veges, eggs, fish, meats, grains and legumes. The same goes with pricey powders and supplements – the key focus needs to be what we are eating most of the time, not some of the time. Getting the foundation right is the important part.
Minimise food waste.
After having a roast chicken, use the carcass to make a simple chicken stock, and blitz stale bread in the food processor to make breadcrumbs. If you are struggling to finish green leafy veg before it wilts, try chopping and pressing it into ice cube trays and freezing, to make an easy base for green smoothies.
