With the current cost of living crisis upon us, with rising energy prices and food prices spiralling out of control, many of us are looking at how we can reduce our living costs.
Here are our top tips to help cut costs:
1. Prepare your meals from scratch – better to avoid prepacked vegetables and processed
foods and prepare your meals from scratch. Doing more home cooking means you know
exactly what is going into your food. Also, it will mean that you can batch cook and freeze
any leftovers for another day and avoid wastage. Buying ready meals and processed foods
will cost you a lot more.
2. Buy frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables if you cannot afford to buy fresh all the time. They
are still packed with lots of vitamins and minerals and are just as healthy.
3. Avoid branded foods and buy the store/supermarket’s own brand, which usually works out
cheaper.
4. Choosing other protein sources has become increasingly popular over the last ten
years or so. Meat and fish can be expensive to buy, so looking at alternatives such as beans,
pulses and legumes will mean that you can still have a healthy meal and ensure you are
having all the nutrients you need in your diet.
5. Avoiding food waste and being creative in the kitchen will also reduce your food costs.
6. Get together with friends and family and have dinner parties or bring and share dishes.
This will mean that you reduce costs by eating out at restaurants and have some really
enjoyable fine dining at a fraction of the cost of eating out.
7. Start growing your own fruit and vegetables – there are many fruits and vegetables you can
grow in your own garden, even if you are short on outside space. Also, it will become a
fulfilling and enjoyable pastime and even help with mental health and well-being.
8. Shop with a list – try and be organised and take a list when you go food shopping. This will
mean you avoid impulse buys and things you really don’t need!