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Avoid processed foods.
It may seem like a cheap and easy way to eat but much of the processed food on our supermarket shelves is not just unhealthy, it’s also not as good value for money as it may seem. Items like chicken nuggets may be less than 50 percent meat and you can’t be sure where on the chicken it has come from. You can produce much healthier chicken bites with chopped up chicken breast, lightly coated in flour and quickly fried in a light sunflower seed oil for example.
Replace novelty cheese with a good portion of mature cheddar; this way you get lots of flavour for your money and don’t need to use as much.
It may be worth considering a bread maker. While this will cost you around £45 it will save money in the long run and you can enjoy fresh bread whenever you wish. You can also use a bread maker to create your own pizza bases. Try using wholemeal flour and interesting toppings. The children will love making them with you and will be far more likely to clear their plate.
Avoid waste
If you make a meal like pasta, pie or casserole don’t be tempted to use it all up in one sitting. People can always ask for a second helping if required and what’s leftover could make a great lunch for you the next day. Invest in some handy containers so that you can be prepared to store in the fridge for up to two days.
This does not apply to fish dishes and please remember that you may only reheat other foods once, being sure that it is piping hot throughout before serving. Some pasta and rice dishes however, can be enjoyed cold. Similarly if you find you have extra boiled potatoes why not make a small potato salad?
Look for reduced products
It can pay to check out the reduced items shelf every time you visit your local supermarket. Most items will be there as they are close to their sell by dates but often they are freezable so grab them and stock up.
Plan ahead
Planning your meals can really help to keep down the cost, so consider what you could buy for the week i.e. you could buy double the meat for less if you plan a cottage pie and a Spaghetti Bolognese for the same week.
Grow your own
Potatoes, salad items, herbs and fruit are just some of the items that you can grow yourself to cut the cost. For some of these items you don’t even need a garden and they will be full of nutrition if you can eat them fresh from the plant.
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