Show Notes

With food prices rising and cost of living pressure mounting, there's a lot of talk about growing your own vegetables — and while I love a veggie garden, this episode is about what the conversation is missing. As a nutritionist and weight loss coach, I want to make sure you're planning ahead with the nutrients your body actually needs to thrive: protein and healthy fats.

I share my practical, budget-friendly guide to stocking a low-carb pantry for food security — without panic buying — so you can keep eating well, manage your weight, and feel in control no matter what happens with food prices.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why vegetables alone won't keep you full, nourished, or at a healthy weight
• Why protein and healthy fats are the real foundation of a weight loss diet for women
• The best high-protein, budget-friendly foods to stock up on (tinned, frozen, and pantry)
• Which tinned fish is lowest in mercury and best for your weekly meal plan
• The healthy fats with the longest shelf life — including one you don't need to refrigerate
• A free, zero-waste tip for making nutrient-dense bone broth at home
  
  

KEY MOMENTS

Vegetables aren't enough on their own. They provide fibre, vitamins, and minerals — but no significant protein or fat. Without those, you won't feel satisfied, your blood sugar will be unstable, and your low-carb diet won't hold.

Protein is non-negotiable for women's weight loss. It stabilises blood sugar, preserves muscle mass, supports immune function, and keeps you full between meals — which means you spend less on food overall.

Fat is your friend, not the enemy. You need dietary fat to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K, support hormone production, and stay satisfied. It's also what makes eating low-carb sustainable long-term.

The best budget proteins to stock now: tinned sardines, tuna, salmon, mackerel, oysters, mussels, whole frozen chickens, chicken thighs, cheaper cuts of red meat (great in a slow cooker), whey protein powder, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt.

Healthy fats with long shelf lives: olive oil, coconut oil, ghee (no refrigeration needed), tinned coconut cream, and nut butters.

Bone broth costs nothing extra. Save your chicken carcass and simmer it down — you'll get collagen, minerals, and a nourishing base for soups. Exactly what our grandparents did, and it's more relevant than ever.

YOUR ONE ACTION TO START NOW
Open your pantry and ask yourself: if food prices spiked this week, how many days of protein could you sustain? Then pick just one thing to add on your next shop — a couple of tins of sardines, a jar of peanut butter, a bag of protein powder. You don't need a bunker. Just one small step toward feeling prepared and in control.

If you're ready for support on your low-cbelow - including my free 5-day low-carb meal plan and 5 dinner recipes, and my 4-week Foundations of Fat Loss programme for women over 35.

Remember: the only thing that will stop you reaching your goal is if you quit. Never, ever give up.