As price increases hit budgets, many people are cutting back on their weekly food purchases.
In addition to buying less, people are looking for ways to make their money go further. The BBC spoke to money bloggers for their tried-and-true tips.
1. Choose the right supermarket
Rosie Forshaw manages the Money Saving Rosie Instagram account. To see also : Go fishing: Danish scientists work on fungus-based seafood substitute. She says trying to find the cheapest store isn’t always simple.
There are a few apps you can download that compare prices on individual items, she says, but prices change all the time depending on what you’re after.
Lynn Beattie of Mrs Mummypenny blog says that not everyone has the time to constantly check comparison apps or go to lots of different stores to get the cheapest deals.
“I just think people want to go somewhere and shop and get the best deals all in one place,” she says.
Both suggest choosing a supermarket that is generally inexpensive and keeping an eye out for local deals. Consumer group Which? has a monthly price comparison tracker, and local social media groups and bloggers — and larger sites like MoneySavingExpert — often highlight good deals.
2. Know what you already have
Rosie suggests taking a good look at your closets before every purchase. “We all know the value of making a list, but if you’re adding to what you already have in your closets, you’re going to spend money on things you don’t need,” she says.
“It’s no use buying more jars of pasta sauce if you already have five of them in your cupboard. To see also : Hot Industrial Real Estate Developer in Cold Storage Warehouse.”
Rosie Forshaw reduced her food store to £40 a week
She keeps a list of what’s in her closets in a notebook, so she always knows what she already has when she goes shopping. She says this has helped reduce her weekly food store for herself, her husband and one-year-old son to around £40.
3. Head for the reduced section first
Lynn recommends changing the way you shop when entering a store and going straight to the reduced section. Read also : The food bank encourages donations as inflation creates tensions in the Valley. “If you find something on your list, you can bookmark it and you’ve already saved some money,” she says.
She then suggests heading straight to the frozen section and then the canned aisle.
“Frozen meat, fish and vegetables will almost always be cheaper than the fresh option,” she says. “If you can get what you need from there before you hit the fresh produce aisles, you’ll likely make significant savings.”
4. Make better use of your freezer
According to the sustainability organization Wrap, the average family wastes around £700 a year throwing away food. Lynn says making better use of her freezer has helped her dramatically reduce waste.
“If things are getting close to their expiration date, you should always try to freeze them,” she says. “You can also buy things cheaper in supermarkets that are close to their expiration date. Things like milk and cheese, even fruits and vegetables, can be frozen and kept for when you need them.”
Kate Hall says freezing food can last
More information on freezing basics can be found on the Food Standards Agency website.
Kate Hall, who runs The Full Freezer website, uses her freezer as a pause button rather than a long-term storage solution. She says that while almost any food can be frozen, you need to change the way you use it.
“You can’t defrost a banana or a salad and expect it to look like it did in the freezer,” she explains. “But if you think about how you can use it in puddings, soups or casseroles, you’ll save a lot of money.”
5. Understand packaging
Rosie says a lot of what we buy at the supermarket is packaged for their convenience rather than ours. “How often have you bought a tray of mushrooms covered in plastic wrap just to have them in the package? They’re wrapped like this for easy transport,” she explains.
She puts hers in a paper bag when she takes them home, but says just taking the plastic wrap off will help them last longer.
Helen White of Wrap, who runs the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, says there are little things we can do to make food last longer, especially fresh vegetables and salads – the UK’s most wasted food group.
“Placing a piece of kitchen paper in an open salad bag to absorb moisture will help it last longer,” she says.
Keeping the fruit in the fridge will help it last longer, but she suggests checking that the temperature is below 5°C. “We think millions of UK refrigerators are at least two degrees warmer,” she says. “This is bad news for milk and other foods kept in the fridge, which can explode [faster] when not stored at the right temperature.”
6. Make use of experts
Rosie tries to use local and smaller retailers a lot to leverage her years of experience.
“Butchers are a great resource and someone we shouldn’t be afraid to talk to about saving money,” she says. “If you go to your local butcher and tell them you only have £8 for your meat for the week, they can tell you how to stretch your money by buying the cheapest cuts.
“They are the best people to advise on how to cook them and how to make them go further.”
What have you been doing to save money at your food store? Share your top tips with us. Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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