Total Pageviews

Wednesday 18 August 2021

How to cut your food bill by up to a third


"If you're feeling the pinch, there are easy ways to keep more pounds in your pocket next time you head to the shops. With just a few changes to your buying and cooking habits, you can cut down your costs without cutting the flavour and nutritional value of your food.

Learn tricks to cooking on a budget
Cooking filling and tasty inexpensive meals is easy if you learn these five simple tricks.
  • Try to buy store cupboard ingredients when they are on offer, and have an arsenal of recipes to make from the larder when time and money are tight, like this pasta puttanesca made from tinned and bottled foods. Tins, and dried foods such as pasta, rice, noodles and oats should feature heavily on your shelves.
  • Replace fresh fish, veg and fruit with frozen. Choosing frozen salmon rather than fresh, as in these salmon and pesto parcels, can save you over 55 percent. You can buy frozen fruit and vegetables, or chop up fresh ones and freeze them yourself, to cook or use straight from frozen. This tip is especially relevant to those who find themselves throwing away mouldy produce. Stopping food waste is one part of saving money too.
  • Bulk out small amounts of meat with less expensive proteins, as in this chorizo and chickpea stew, which contains less than 50g/2oz chorizo per person.
  • Transform small amounts of leftovers into a filling meal, such as this easy chicken and pea risotto, which uses just 250g/9oz cooked chicken to serve four.
  • Make the most of cheaper cuts of meat. Choosing chicken legs rather than breasts, as in this pulled chicken dish, can save you over 50 percent. Remember, meat prices can be subject to seasonal fluctuations.

Make fresh food last longer
In the UK we throw away almost 20 percent of the food we buy. It's believed that in the average household this adds up to £50 worth of food waste per month, or £600 per year. Follow our simple tips for keeping popular foods fresh for longer.

Fruit and veg
About 39 percent of household food waste is fruit and veg. Keep potatoes and onions in a cool, dark place rather than in the fridge, but do not store them together as they produce gases that can damage each other. They can be wrapped in paper, but not in plastic bags. Keep other veg in the fridge – ideally not at the bottom as most fridges get colder the lower you go – stored in plastic bags if you wish as long as they have holes punched in them. Keep herbs in a glass of water in a cool place.

Avoid fridge chaos
A disorganised fridge can wreak havoc with your food's longevity, flavour and nutritional value. The bottom shelf is the coldest, and ideal for raw meat, fish and poultry. Store eggs on the middle shelf as they shouldn’t get too cold. The top shelf is the warmest and has the most consistent temperature, and therefore is good for dairy and pre-prepared foods that don't need cooking. The doors are the warmest place in the fridge and best for foods containing preservatives. Wrap cheese in a resealable bag and store it in a plastic tub to prevent it from drying out.

Organising your cupboards and fridge will ensure that you know what you already own, hopefully stopping you buying duplicates and ending up with five jars of the same thing. It’s a good idea to keep an up-to-date list of what is in your freezer, as leftovers can often get pushed to the back and forgotten about. You’re not saving money if you don’t eat the food!"
Words and recipes above from a BBC article here

Related Post
Low Carb and Keto meals on a budget - see here

Dear reader, this blog brings a variety of articles and recipe ideas, and it is important to note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

33 comments:

Lorrie said...

As food prices continue to rise, these are great tips for saving on grocery bills.

Christine said...

Good tips thank you!

Elephant's Child said...

Thank you. Left overs are a tasty (and economical) staple here.

At Home In New Zealand said...

Some great tips here. I confess to being guilty of buying something that I already have lurking in the back of the cupboard :)

Victor S E Moubarak said...

This is a lot of good advice. I am surprised by the amount of food people waste. As best we can we cook from fresh and just enough for each meal.

God bless.

Tom said...

...food waste is a serious problem and expecting picture perfect food is another problem.

My name is Erika. said...

Fridge chaos is the standard in my house. My hubby and I have very different organizational styles and when it get organized, it doesn't seem to last. Oh well. But this was an interesting read and lots of good points.

DVArtist said...

Great post. I am one of those people that throws almost nothing away. Everything gets used and left overs, if we have any, get eaten the next day.

J.P. Alexander said...

Yo siempre hago un menú de lo que voy a comer y algunos de tus consejos tambien los sigo. Genial entrada.

Margaret D said...

Good advice.

Valerie-Jael said...

Tips to save money are always good, things are getting more expensive here in Germany. Valerie

Jo said...

Some good tips.

eileeninmd said...

Great tips! The food prices have been going up.
Take care, have a great day.

Jenn Jilks said...

Excellent tips.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

I enjoy all your low carb recipes Jan. Most of your tips here I already use, it must be my Scottish blood but I really don't like wasting food 😉

Creations By Cindy said...

Such wonderful advice. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Divers and Sundry said...

Helpful suggestions, thanks.

happyone said...

Sounds like good advice!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Great tips, Jan. I try very hard to not throw away food!

Snowbird said...

Some great ideas there.xxx

Crafty Green Poet said...

good advice here. We're lucky to live near to a couple of good shops for food so we buy little and often to avoid food going off in the fridge.

Ananka said...

I don't like wasting food. I always think of the money going into the bin!

J C said...

good advice. I can say nothng goes to waste in this household. Instead, it heads to the freezer. Many things can be done with frozen leftovers!

Mary Kirkland said...

I agree with most of this. I buy the cheaper meats and just cook the tougher cuts in the oven.

William Kendall said...

Good suggestions.

Pam said...

I never know these days what I want to purchase for meals when I go to the store. I hate buying up lots of fruits and veggies that might, probably, okay....they will go to waste and get thrown out. If you have not figured, I don't like cooking. And what I do purchase to cook I might find later in the week that I jsut don't have the hump to give to it so things go to waste....BUT BAKING, now I love to bake. haha

Ygraine said...

Fantastic tips here, thank you so much...and that dish looks so delicious. I love vegetarian and vegan food, so can't wait to try this!😊😊

Have a lovely day!

Hugs xxx

baili said...

some great pieces of advise dear Jan :)

must rethink about my ways to save the day
blessings!

Debbie said...

this is great information!! i use home delivery service for my food and for home chef for meal kits. i overpay for the ease and convenience!!

Conniecrafter said...

great tips!!

Jeanie said...

The tips are great. The question to consider is quality v. price. I would rather spend more for fresh fish which is never quite so good when sold packaged and frozen, and have a better meal. But frozen shrimp seem to do the trick -- maybe NOT as good as fresh, but negligible. It's the same with fresh veg v. canned (which are mostly pretty bad) or frozen (which aren't as bad as canned but not as good as fresh! The fridge cleaning tip is a great one and one I need to take to heart!

Teresa said...

Muy buenos consejos. Un beso.

Magic Love Crow said...

Good tips! Thank you! Big Hugs!