Need some tips to cut down on food bill....

shirefairy

I've found meal planning and being organised is essential to living on a strict food budget. Also internet shopping...for me it stops any impulse buys.

I've kept my organic fruit and veg box as that is important to me and have gone for sainsburys basics on a lot of other things (tinned toms, loo roll, fish fingers, butter, kidney beans, tomato sauce, tea bags, flour, digestives, salmon... too many to list really!) i was surprised to discover a lot of the basic range is quite ethically minded. For example to salmon fillets have the Freedom Foods label on them. The tea bags are fair trade, the fish fingers are made with sustainable sourced palm oil etc etc. Switching to basics ranges means that I can afford my veg box.

When it comes to eggs and meat I just can't bring myself to not buy organic. So we just have these less often and eat more veggie meals. I also buy cheaper cuts and stock up if they are on offer. The organic mince at sainsburys is usually 2 for £6 for example which I can make four meals out of by bulking it up with lentils or beans.

I also still buy organic milk but have relinquished organic cheese and butter. Cutting back on snack food has helped. Instead I bake our treats - which is fun to do with my toddler.

If being organic is important to you then it is possible to stick to your principles and save money.

Swans1912

shirefairy wrote: »

When it comes to eggs and meat I just can't bring myself to not buy organic. So we just have these less often and eat more veggie meals. I also buy cheaper cuts and stock up if they are on offer. The organic mince at sainsburys is usually 2 for £6 for example which I can make four meals out of by bulking it up with lentils or beans.

I also still buy organic milk but have relinquished organic cheese and butter. Cutting back on snack food has helped. Instead I bake our treats - which is fun to do with my toddler.

If being organic is important to you then it is possible to stick to your principles and save money.

Is there anything local, butcher... etc, that has what you require? A number of people on here find a local butcher far cheaper!

slummymummyof3

Aldi has certain fruit and veg every week at 69p. Things like butternut squah are significantly cheaper there. I find I need to shop in a number of different supermarkets in order to get the best deals from each. Once you are aware of the prices in the different supermarkets it makes a big difference as well.

Treacle1983

To be honest - organic really isn't all that -

I used to work for a huge seed company and when stock of organic seeds run's low - the organic association allow growers to use treated seed - they then call it organic and treat it as normal. This to me seems very wrong.......

Also how can you guarantee that nothing nasty washes on from other nearby fields when it rains???

If you buy your veg from a local grocers - it tends to be very fresh and most times local - that is probably the best bet.

stumpycat

I know that lots of people swear by menu planning - and I can understand why it works, but it depends how you like to eat.

My version (which works out cheap, but depends on a couple of factors i.e. space and willingness to try odd things! is)

1) Stockpile when cheap
2) Create meals from whatever is reduced.

So I always have staples - bulk buy rice, pasta, tins of tomatoes, chickpeas etc and then invent things depending on what's reduced. You can get some weird & wonderful cheeses for a fraction of the price they usually are! I'm very lucky that I have several supermarkets within walking distance (but unfortunately no greengrocer...) I get an organic veg box & eggs every week & wouldn't do without them.

skintas_2

ive been making meal plans and buying bogoffs that i really need, has saved me a fortune this week also by not taking kids and oh with me

gunsandbanjos

I feed 2 adults and one child for about £45 per week, give or take a tenner, depends what the offers are.

1. Meal plan
2.Write a list of what you need
3. Use www.mysupermarket.co.uk to find out which supermarket is cheapest for your list - this is a great site, saved loads of money using it
4. Only buy what is on your list unless you see an amazing bargain obviously!

gunsandbanjos

skintas wrote: »

has saved me a fortune this week also by not taking kids and oh with me

Well remembered - shop on your own! Amazing how much more expensive my shop becomes when i take OH and my daughter:rolleyes:

juliespencer

collect the coupons, (money off vouchers) use them even when u dont buy the actual item

bargainlover08

I make meal plans and think about what you can do with the leftovers. Make sure you have a day where you use up whatever is in the fridge so you dont waste much.
Use vouchers, Tesco are good at accepting vouchers when you haven't bought the item.
I normally start my shop at Aldi and then get the rest from Tesco. Morrisons is also cheap.