With the falling value of the pound, the prices of many foods are rising. Is it time to look at our food bill and try to trim them a little? There are more prices rises in the pipeline and so even if we aren’t feeling the pinch now, we soon will be. As always, we should be looking for value for money.
Eating out
To save money we should look at the whole of our food bill, including eating out and those occasional snacks we buy while on the move. Can we cut the cost without cutting our standard of living? We often buy extras with our takeaway food so could we do the extras ourselves? Instead of chicken and chips from a shop, could we cook some chicken pieces in the oven and then buy chips to go with them? Perhaps we could fry eggs and buy the chips to go with them? Instead of a restaurant, we could look at a night out with a pub meal which often works out less expensive.
Discounters
The obvious way to cut our food bill is to shop at discounters like Aldi and Lidl and take advantage of special offers. Try not to buy more than you need too and cut food waste to a minimum.
Cooking
We often don’t feel like cooking or we want something that is quick to prepare. Old favourites like bacon and eggs have gone out of fashion because it seems fattening and high in cholesterol but are the things we have replaced our bacon and eggs with any better? Many diets are now stuffed with starch and sugar and we don’t get enough protein and so feel hungry between meals. We make the most of ‘flavour enhancers’ too. A little brown sauce or ketchup can make a dull meal taste great and I always have salad cream in the fridge and smooth Branston. Try to be inventive with salads and add unusual ingredients like peas. I have chips or French fries on my salad. Try to make your own rather than buying foods ready-made. In autumn and winter, homemade soups are delicious and fairly easy to make. You don’t have to follow some fancy recipe that includes sun-dried tomatoes. Just do a chicken stock, add some herbs and maybe a stock cube and lots of chopped vegetables. Cooking your own food is an excellent way to cut your food bill!
Hacking your food bill
Hacking your food bill and checking every penny you spend can save you pounds. Look at those lunches at work. Could you take a flask of soup and a sandwich some days? Think about those burgers and hot dogs you buy when you’re out. Is there a cheaper alternative? Soft drinks are simply fizzy water with flavouring. Is there an alternative? Often the cheapest lemonade mixed with a flavouring can work out to be a cheaper and tastier cocktail than expensive drinks like Coca Cola. Try fruit juice mixed with cheap lemonade. I like a drop of port with my lemonade!
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