The £1 foods that will help you lose weight

The truth is healthy foods aren’t the preserve of posh delis and farmers markets – you can find plenty in your local supermarket

As a nutritionist people often moan that ‘they’d eat much more healthily if it wasn’t so horribly expensive?’ But the truth is healthy foods aren’t the preserve of posh delis and farmers markets. There are plenty of healthy everyday foods that you can find at your local supermarket for less than a pound. 
While some of them may need a little home cooking – the effort makes sense. A study led by researchers at the University of Bergen found that life expectancy can be increased by up to 10 years by switching to a healthy, balanced diet, one that contains plenty of good fats, lean protein and fibre-rich plant foods.  
These are my favourite supermarket staples with some tips on how to cook and eat with them:
One can contains 24.9g protein, vitamins B3, D, calcium and magnesium
You can arrange the tuna chunks over lettuce leaves, cooked green beans, chopped tomato, sliced hard-boiled eggs and olives for a simple salade nicoise. Dress with olive oil and white wine vinegar. 
Alternatively, mix tuna with cold cooked pasta, diced up onion and grated carrot. Season well. Or, make simple fishcakes by pulsing together in the food processor tuna, an egg, breadcrumbs, onion and some flat-leaf parsley.
To dress:
Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl, drizzle over the olive oil and vinegar, season well and toss gently.
100g contains 5.4g protein vitamins B12, B2, calcium and phosphorus as well as gut-friendly live bacteria
Yogurt can be used as a condiment to add tang to a soup, curry or hearty casserole. It can be used in place of mayonnaise in sandwich fillings, such as tuna and egg. This works particularly well with thicker yoghurt, like Greek yoghurt.
Yogurt is also an excellent addition to a salad dressing to add extra creaminess and sharpness.
25g contains 3.1g fibre, 5g protein, vitamins E, K, magnesium, potassium and selenium. It’s also a good source of healthy fat
25g is the perfect snack-sized portion. Have alongside a square of dark chocolate for extra heart-healthy antioxidants. Chop and sprinkle over yoghurt or porridge in the morning. Grind up the nuts in a blender and add a tablespoon to your morning smoothie.
Half a can contains 6.8g fibre, 7.3g protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc
Add a tin to stews, curries, soup, a shepherd’s pie filling or Bolognese sauce. Or whizz up in a food processor with an egg, a small onion, a small carrot, 1 tsp cumin, salt and pepper to make a quick veggie burger mix. Season with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper to add to a salad.
To dress:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the tomatoes in a roasting tin and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients in a lidded jar and shake together. Place the drained lentils in a bowl with the red onion and pour over the dressing. Toss well. Add the mint leaves and then arrange the roasted tomatoes over the top, drizzling over any juices from the pan.
Half a can contains 8.4g fibre, 8.2g protein, iron, magnesium, potassium and folate
Mix with salad ingredients such as cucumber, tomatoes, grated carrot or beetroot and dress with a simple vinaigrette. You can also add a tin to chilli to replace some of the meat, which is healthier and cheaper. Or, put on top of avocado toast with a sprinkling of red chilli flakes.
10g serving contains 1g fibre, 2.7g protein, vitamin B6, calcium, copper, folate, selenium zinc. It’s also a good source of healthy fat
Add toasted seeds to vegetable side dishes like broccoli and beans for extra flavour and crunch. Ground-up seeds make a great coating for fish or chicken before frying or baking. Or Make a seedy nut topper to sprinkle over savoury dishes (see recipe below).
Mix together the oil, spices, salt and pepper in a bowl. Heat a medium-sized frying pan on a medium-hot heat. Add the nuts and seeds to the pan and toast until golden, being careful not to burn. Tip the nuts and seeds into the oil mix and stir to coat well. Store in an airtight container. Can be used to top salads, avocado or eggs on toast, or to add crunch to soup in place of croutons. 
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