After years of inflation hitting household budgets hard,the bad news is that food prices are set to rise again this year. If you’re concerned about this you’re not alone. Many of us don’t have any wriggle room in our budgets. But we know how many savvy shoppers there are in Brighton and Hove, people who know the tricks of the trade to save money on their shopping.
We asked our community for money-saving top tips, and you delivered.
We’ll keep updating this blog, so contact us to share your best ways to save money on food.
And if you’re very anxious about your food bill, Money Advice Plus are here to help. Their free, confidential, personalised advice can support you to get your finances back on track.
Before you go shopping:
- Use Money Helper’s budget planner to work out how much you have in your budget to spend.
- Download the Trolley.co.uk App so that you can check if branded products are cheaper elsewhere – just scan the barcode.
- Use ‘roundups’ on your banking app, so that every time you buy something, you put a little cash aside.
- Our Community Cookery Courses can help you build confidence in shopping on a budget, following recipes, batch cooking, and more. Check to see if you could be eligible for a subsidised class at our Community Kitchen in Central Brighton.
- Do you find it stressful in a busy shop? Check your local supermarket’s ‘quiet hours’ before you go. Many shops now have times when they reduce noise, dim the lights, and move stock less, helping you relax and focus on your shopping list.
At the shops:
- Are you bringing kids shopping? Plan a way to keep their focus, so that they don’t distract you from your shopping list or convince you to splurge on expensive treats. One idea is a shopping list scavenger hunt. You can use pictures of the the foods you’re looking for to create an engaging activity sheet. Many supermarkets also offer free fruit for children to eat in store, so keep your eye out for that.
- Take a good look at the labels:
- Look at the price per gram on the shelf price tags, that helps you work out which is the cheapest when quantities are different.
- Get the freshest ingredients that won’t go off by finding the latest ‘use by’ dates (often the products at the back of the shelf).
- Look out for clever marketing tricks. If you’re needing more protein in your diet, the yoghurt labelled ‘high protein’ doesn’t necessarily have more protein in the ingredients list than the other cheaper brands.
- Tinned, frozen and dried food is often just as good for you as fresh. It’s much cheaper and lasts for longer.
- Shop in the world food aisle for cheaper spices and tins.
- Dried pulses are cheaper than tinned. Most dried pulses, apart from lentils, just need soaking beforehand. For recipes and tips for pulses, take a look at the Keen for Beans page.
- Supermarkets sometimes put the more expensive items in the middle shelves.
- Mixed size eggs are often cheaper at the supermarket.
- If you’re shopping at a local market, you can try speaking to the market seller – let them know your budget and ask what the maximum is you can buy there. They are often very helpful.
In your kitchen:
- Save some tubs and store your leftovers in the freezer for a future lunch or dinner. Don’t forget to label it to help you remember what it is and when you made it.
- Get an air fryer if you have kitchen space, it can save you up to half of your energy costs.
- If you’ve got the oven on and heated up, think about what else can be baked while you’re making your pie (roasted veg for tomorrow?).
