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Low income diet

A

alaneaston73

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone

I've had type one diabetes for about 5 years ñow and it's still not under control as I've not had any help at all with it I have recently lost a testicle and nearly lost a foot, I am currently in hospital and been promised a diabetic team which apparently every type 1 diabetic should have but in the meantime I need some advice on diet if you haven't got much money. I only get universal credit and after my bills are paid I'm left with about £50 for the month to buy food and i get the occasional food bank if I'm lucky so I cannot afford these expensive recipes I also live in a shared house so cooking from scratch is not always possible. Is there anyone else here who has the same problem and how do you manage or don't you?
 
Welcome @alaneaston73 🙂 Sorry to hear you’re in hospital. I think the first thing you should do is check that you’re getting all the benefits which you’re entitled to. As you say, £50 for food for a month is very hard.

Cheap ingredients are things like lentils and pulses, and carbs like pasta, rice, barley, etc, and some veg. A tin of tuna can also be stretched to two meals. You could also time your shopping for when they sell off the running out of date food. You can save a lot on healthy veg and fruit then. Cooking double or quadruple portions then freezing them saves money and time too.

This is an example of a student diet for £10pw. It’s a bit more expensive now but it gives you the idea:

www.savethestudent.org

Live on £10 for a week challenge

£10, seven days, (almost) 21 meals.
www.savethestudent.org www.savethestudent.org

I also suggest you browse through cookbooks aimed at students in your local library. I remember using quite a few tins eg tuna, tomatoes, veg, chickpeas, etc, to stretch my money.

Are you carb counting and adjusting your mealtime insulin appropriately for the carbs you’re about to eat? What insulins do you take?

Here is a link to check your benefits, but it’s also worth asking your JCP and maybe Citizens Advice too:

www.entitledto.co.uk

Benefits Calculator - entitledto - independent | accurate | reliable | www.entitledto.co.uk

Check what benefit entitlement you are entitled to. The entitledto benefits calculator will check which means-tested benefits you may be entitled to e.g. tax credits, universal credit, housing benefit …
www.entitledto.co.uk www.entitledto.co.uk

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@alaneaston73 welcome to the forum. Living on universal credit with a health condition must be difficult. As a student I was fond of spaghetti sardines [ tinned] onion and tomato. I'm a type 2 so not a great choice for me now. Are you time poor as well ie working but topped up by benefits? Do you have access to a freezer? Yellow stickered food that can be frozen is good.
Soup is always good. I like Nigella Lawson. She has a recipe a day and is on bluesky. I also use bbc Saturday kitchen. I used to make Allegra Mcevedy Norwegian pie on the BBC site.
I assume the diabetes hospital teams have dieticians. There must be lots of people in hospital who through lack of money or knowledge are not eating well. Ask to see one. Diabetes UK has advisers who may be able to help and CAB if you are missing out on benefits or discounts.
 
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And just to add that if some of your bills are debts you’re repaying eg credit card, etc, then there are organisations that can help you reduce the amount you have to pay. Your bills sound quite high. Do you pay a set amount or split the utility bills? Is there any way they can be reduced or maybe change suppliers to save a little?
 
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