If you’re looking to save money, then your food budget is a great place to start. Happily there are plenty of ways to cut your food costs without compromising on nutrition, quality and taste. The trick lies in planning ahead and in following a few handy tips.
How much are we spending?
According to the government’s office of national statistics families spend around £60 a week on groceries. However, of that spend, a significant proportion of food actually ends up being wasted; representing wasted money, as the pointless disposal of valuable food. In a world where food crises are the norm, many people are keen to become more efficient with their resources and minimise that waste. So what can you do?
Buy up bargains
Head to the supermarket at the end of the day, or the fresh food market before it closes and you can often find some genuine bargains. When it comes to meat and fish, these can be frozen as soon as you get home. The same applies to fruits and vegetables, and even other surprising foods such as cheese and bread. If you are prepared to ‘cook up’ some bargain foods, you can quickly and safely freeze them, and have ready-made meals at a minimal cost. Just remember to freeze these items or use them immediately.
Grow your own
Many people are also recognising the benefits of growing their own food. It’s an easy way to guarantee organic, fresh and good quality food with the added advantage that you know its provenance. Food grown without chemicals tends to be more nutritious – and you can save a great deal of money by growing your own herbs, fruits and vegetables. Easy projects to start with include window box herbs, simple salad leaves, tomatoes, carrots and even British berries such as gooseberries and raspberries. Don’t forget wild food such as blackberries, blackcurrants and even nettles which make a great soup! Again, you can freeze all of your surplus produce and keep it for up to three months without compromising on taste or quality. The Love Food Hate Waste campaign website has some other great tips for making the most of your groceries and avoiding waste. These vegetables are a great source of nutrition, and if you are looking got more or even a further alternative you could try supplements, Blue Iron sell iron supplements for example.
Learn to cook
Another very practical way to rapidly reduce your food bills is to cook from scratch. The more ready made meals you buy, the higher your bills will be. However, if you buy basic ingredients and cook batches of recipes such as soups, bolognese, curries, chillis and pies, you’ll find you can eat delicious and nutritious food for just a fraction of the cost. Why not consider having meat-free days? Vegetarian food is incredibly healthy and delicious, and it also tends to be rather cheaper to cook.
With a few creative ideas, you’ll rapidly find ways to trim those grocery bills – and possibly your family’s waistlines in the process!
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