Food, glorious food! From energizing breakfasts to sweet treats, and indulgent weekend dinners, sometimes it might be all you think about.
Yet it’s unlikely to be the only thing you need to save money for. Have your eyes become bigger than your wallet?
If your food bill keeps creeping up, it might be time to go on a diet. Thankfully, cutting back doesn’t have to mean forgoing your favorite meals.
There are plenty of simple ways to reduce your spending while possibly eating better than you’ve ever done before. Try the four below for starters.
Plan your meals
Meal planning – that old chestnut. You might have been advised to try it before but planning out your menu for the week really can help. You’ll save time thinking about what to eat every night, spend less on ingredients you don’t need, and eat a more balanced diet too.
The time-consuming part is choosing your recipes, but it gets easier over time as you collect new favorites.
RELATED: Meal Planning for Working Moms
Cook in batches
Doubling or tripling recipes to cook in batches is another easy way to save time and money. Buy ingredients in bulk, make extra, and freeze what you have spare to use another time.
Stews, sauces, and soups are all classic freezer meals that can still be packed full of goodness. If you need new cooking equipment or storage space first, you may want to spread this initial cost on a credit card, as long as you make sure you can afford the repayments.
RELATED: Bulk Cooking: How to Cook Ground Beef
Don’t be a slave to brands
It’s easy to become attached to a particular brand or product line. Perhaps you have a go-to cereal, or only ever buy premium condiments. But you may struggle to notice the difference between some cheaper ranges – especially basics like flour, rice, and sugar.
The same can be said of cleaning and hygiene products. Try swapping a few items here and there and see if you’d be willing to make a permanent switch.
Eat out less
Eating out less may be one of the most obvious ways to cut your costs – but you might simply not realize how your habits are adding up. From takeout lunches to mid-morning snacks, take a closer look at your spending to see where you’re overdoing it.
Brits are expected to spend over £4bn on coffee from high-street shops this year alone. If your caffeine addiction is costing too much, can you start brewing at home?
There’s no doubt that it’s getting more expensive to eat. Food prices in the UK are at their highest rate of inflation in almost six years. Try one or all of the tips above to see if you can buck the trend and lower your food bill.