How to be a savvy with your food shopping

January is the month to think about your annual budget and, if you need to free up a little extra cash, consider looking at cutting the cost of your food bill. You may worry that this will mean compromising on quality, but it is possible to pare back, achieve great value AND still enjoy tasty, nutritious food.

Here are some top tips by MOLLY MAID, the professional housecleaners, to help get the best out of grocery shopping.

Plan Meals:  Write down what your family will eat for the week, allowing for absences, extra guests, or occasions when you’ll need a quick meal. Plan a suitable meal for each day, ensuring that you have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. Think about what need to be used up in your freezer or fridge. Then incorporate these items into your meal plan.

Stick to your list: Don’t be tempted by additional items, and when you get to the checkout put back anything that’s miraculously slipped in. Eat before you go shopping- it’s easy to over shop when you are hungry.  If you’re easily tempted, why not try online grocery shopping and avoid succumbing altogether!

Watch the Deals: Check the maths – some savings are only worth a few pence, and some aren’t savings a tall.  Only buy ‘Buy One Get One Free’ items if you know you will use them both.  Fresh meat can be frozen for later, but will you really use the BOGOFs on fruit?

Shop Elsewhere:  Try meat from your local butcher for example. You will no doubt be impressed by the quality, and you can also buy exactly the quantity you want, saving money and waste. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are often cheaper at your local market or farm shop and, if you run out of milk mid-week, pop in to your local corner shop instead of the supermarket.  That way you’ll just buy milk and you won’t spend £20 on other items you didn’t know you needed!

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