Living expenses: Are value food brands healthy?

A government minister says shoppers should buy value items to save money

To deal with the cost-of-living crisis, a government minister has urged people to buy supermarket value brands. But, if any, will eating cheaper food have an impact on people's health?

Food prices have risen as producers pass on rising energy costs to consumers - and value items may help cut costs.

Earlier this week, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary George Eustice said that buying value brands would help shoppers "manage their household budget," which shadow Treasury minister Pat McFadden called "woefully out of touch."

Mr. Eustice asserted that UK households had the lowest food expenditure in Europe, attributed to a "very, very competitive retail market with ten big supermarkets."

And with "the 4 main ones competing very aggressively - particularly on some of the lower-cost, everyday expensive items for families, so things like spaghetti and ambient products - there's a lot of competition to keep those prices lower,"

However, he added that keeping the price of fresh chicken low would be difficult due to the cost of feeding the animals and the already extremely low profit margins involved in poultry farming.

According to the NHS(National Health Service), people should:

• consume at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day
• As a base for meals, use starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, and pasta. Include some form of dairy, or a dairy alternative, and protein such as beans, fish, eggs, or meat.
• Foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, as well as various oils and spreads, should be consumed in moderation.

However, it can be difficult to find supermarket value products that adhere to these guidelines, especially when it comes to dairy and protein.

Only one of the 24 items in one of the UK's largest supermarket's meat and fish "basics range" needs to meet NHS guidelines: a pack of pollock steaks, with other options in breadcrumbs or sauce.

Customers looking for "healthier choice" options such as lowered salt, sugar, or fat versions of their favourite foods will also find less variety in value ranges.

And less expensive ingredients are frequently used to bulk up cheaper products to achieve the same volume as more identifying a set but with less nutritional value.

One value pasta sauce includes:

• 13 percent tomatoes, 6 percent tomato puree, and the remainder water

A comparable sized jar of its more expensive branded counterpart contains:

• 74 percent tomato, 21% tomato paste, and no water

The value sauce has less sugar and salt but more herbs and spices.

Luxury supermarket ready meals frequently cost more than £5 per serving and feature a recipe list packed with fresh and organic ingredients, with many stores also offering calorie-controlled nutritionally balanced meals.

However, this is difficult to find in value sections.

An 85p minced beef hotpot meal is available in one supermarket's value range.

It has 19g (0.6oz) of protein, which is nearly 40% of the recommended daily amount for an adult, but it also has a third of the recommended amount of salt and 4.4g of saturated fat.

A healthy beef meal from the store, on the other hand, contains 23.5g of protein and 2.6g of saturated fat.

A pack of eight value burger patties costs £1.50, while standard burger patties cost £5.50.

Both have similar amounts of salt and fat, but:

• The more expensive up to 90% beef with seasoning the less expensive 64 percent beef bulked out with flour

The standard range also includes leaner, lower-fat burgers, which the value range does not.

A nutritionist's advice:-

According to nutritionist Jenna Hope, there are numerous ways to eat "a nutrient-dense diet on a budget."

"It can appear more difficult at times because it does require shoppers to be savvy with their choices and can require extra planning," she tells BBC News.

Her top recommendations are as follows:-

Stock up on legumes and pulses.

Beans and pulses are high in protein and fiber, making them an excellent addition to any meal.

They are also a less expensive way to bulk up mince-based dishes like meatballs, shepherd's pie, or burgers.

Dried beans and pulses are less expensive than canned, but they must be soaked before cooking to reduce undesirable compounds.

Shop late in the evening

Because of the shorter expiry dates, fresher produce is more likely to be in the clearance section in the evenings, and if uneaten by the use-by date, it can be stored in the freezer.

Depend on the frozen section.

It is a common misconception that frozen produce is less nutritious than fresh produce.

It can be just as nutritious, if not more, because nutrients are frequently locked in when frozen.

Fruits and vegetables are much cheaper and often sold in larger quantities in the frozen section.

Frozen vegetables are fantastic in soups, stews, and curries.

Frozen fruit can be made into a compote and served with yoghurt, or it can be blended into smoothies or porridge.

Frozen meat and fish are also options.

Prefer canned fish.

Fresh fish is more expensive, but canned fish, such as sardines, is an excellent source of omega-3, an essential nutrient for brain health and cognitive function.

Purchase wholegrains.

Wholegrains can be an excellent way to diversify your diet.

Rice (preferably brown), wholegrain bread, and oats are inexpensive and nutritious.

Pre-cooked or microwavable meals rice is more expensive.

Look for store-branded wholefoods.

Buying own-brand wholefoods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, fruit, and vegetables and cooking from scratch can often be less expensive than actually buying convenience versions.

However, when it comes to more processed foods, the less expensive brands may contain more additives and bulking agents than the more expensive brands.