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The sad reality is that an average family these days wastes and discards roughly £420 worth of food on an annual basis. This equates to approximately £35 each month that is essentially tossed into the garbage. Just think how that money could have been used instead. Perhaps it could be added to the holiday fund or used for a fun evening out on the town. That money could have been yours to spend had you just planned a bit better before doing your food shopping. We inquired about your very best ideas for stopping food waste and received some extremely helpful answers.
Basic Tips For Saving Money
Being more budget-conscious in your daily life does not have to be depressing. Building up your savings is a great way to feel empowered and will allow you to allocate resources to valuable experiences your whole family can enjoy. In order to get started, consider applying the concepts that follow.
Do some advance planning when it comes to your weekly meals. Though you may not be accustomed to creating a shopping list, doing so is a great way to purchase just what you need and not go overboard on unplanned items.
Cook large batches of your favourite recipes and freeze them for later. When you make your favourite pasta sauce, go ahead and double the batch and put half in the freezer. You will not have to spend any more time or effort, and you will give yourself the gift of a delicious meal that is ready to go whenever you need it. Using some terrific batch-cook recipes is a great way to create tasty meals for use at any time.
Steer clear of costly takeaway meals. If you really are in need of a no-cook, quick dinner, consider grabbing a pizza from the supermarket. The convenience is the same, but the cost is far less.
Creatively re-purposing leftovers can be much more appealing than you might initially believe. All it takes is a little imagination, and you will soon be incorporating them into new-to-you dishes that really satisfy.
More Handy Tips
Before doing your shopping, make sure to conduct a thorough survey of what you already have on hand at home. That way, you can avoid making redundant purchases of items that are already in your kitchen. Ask your kids what they would enjoy eating for the week ahead and try to plan your shopping accordingly. Snap a picture of the inside of your pantry and freezer if that will help you remember what is already available.
If your family has fallen into a menu rut, visit some of the many food blogs online, look through Instagram for ideas or page through some magazines for helpful inspiration.
Do not forget to take a look at free stuff and coupon websites that offer free food and drink and blogs that link to freebie and giveaway promotions. You will be amazed at the sorts of items you can often get for free.
Avoid top-up market trips whenever possible, because those are when the most waste tends to happen. Thus, when you head out for a grocery shopping trip, make sure to complete your snack and lunch purchases as well.
Once you have completed your shopping, try not to put everything in the refrigerator without giving thought to what should be frozen for later. Otherwise, you are likely to have a large amount of unused food that goes past its due date and must be tossed. Large packs of meat should be divided up into meal-sized portions and frozen.
Make certain to always look at the expiration dates on perishable items in your home. These are often the costliest items we purchase, so if you cannot realistically use something up before the stamped date, freeze it in instead to prevent unnecessary waste.
* Guest Post
Some really good tips here. We freeze lots and I just hate waste although we are guilty of throwing food away that we just didn't get to eat in time. I just love a bargain too so always have my eyes open for a discount.
ReplyDeleteFreezing is a great way of keeping food fresh and also by freezing in batches you have a fresh meal in the freezer at all times.
DeleteI hate waste too and have been starting to use my freezer more and more. Great tips x
ReplyDeletesome great tips I am always lokking for new ways to save money so thank you x
ReplyDeleteThese tips are so handy. I hate wasting food.
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips! I often batch cook and freeze things - much cheaper and healthier than a shop bought ready meal!
ReplyDeleteMilly / Mini Adventures
I agree Milly. Planning in advance and batch cooking is a great way to save money too.
Deletemeal planning is essential isn't it? I find frozen food greta value too, I buy big bags of kale and frozen peppers which are much cheaper than fresh x
ReplyDeleteTakeaways are my downfall! I need to cut back on them, and eating out in general - great tips!
ReplyDeleteHayley-Eszti | www.hayleyeszti.com
I know what you mean Hayley! I love going out to eat as well.
DeleteGreat tips. I've started meal planning and being more aware of what I'm buying x
ReplyDeleteThese are some awesome tips, I do sometimes check what I have, dont have, what will be expiring soon and what not to get so sometimes it helps to plan ahead
ReplyDeletePlanning ahead can help you make the best use of your food cupboard items and shop effectively and cheaply.
DeleteI hate food waste and always make the most of leftovers.
ReplyDeleteSo right about those top up shops, they are always the ones where I come back with things I really don't need.
ReplyDeleteI never make a meal from scratch and instead purchase frozen food from the supermarket. I never have the time to cook properly and find it's just as cheap to buy food already made. For frozen food I really like Iceland, as they have a good range of food, it's a good price and it tastes good too. I always find Iceland have a much better selection of food than bigger supermarkets like Tesco do. I like my frozen stuff from Iceland and stuff like biscuits and crisps from Aldi.
ReplyDeleteI agree, meal planning and creating a shopping list from this plan is the only way to shop unless you want to spend a fortune! Some sensible advice here, thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteMeal planning can save you a fortune.
Deletevery nice information. all girls should follow this.
ReplyDelete