DELICIOUS
SU
REDDIT
That loaf is green and it’s got to go in the bin. Chuck those mushed kiwi fruits and bananas in at the same time, and that half-full tin of beans. There’s a two-litre bottle of milk nearby with contents that have lapsed into paste, some ham that seems to have returned to life, and bag of potatoes that looks more like a forest. All money you’ve spent that might as well go in the bin as well.
Food shopping is something we all have to do, so the question remains; why do we do it so badly? Why do we not plan ahead? Why do we buy things that we clearly won’t need, and why are we so susceptible to offers that we really should resist?
The answers are laziness, lack of research, and lack of willpower, among others. So let’s take a stand, and slice the cash we spend on food like a fresh piece of chicken.
From now on, no food will be wasted. You will research what you need and when you need it.
First of all, clear the fridge of food that needs eating urgently. This might involve drastic decisions and imaginative thinking, perhaps with the help of a site such as Supercook to create menu ideas from the stray ingredients.
After that, tackle the cupboards and eat up those soups and tinned carrots that have been sitting in the darkness seemingly since the dawn of time. Eat them in date order, if necessary. If you truly don’t want to consume some of the more curious discoveries, donate them to food banks.
Then it’s time to plan for the week or fortnight ahead, using a calendar system to plan breakfasts, dinners and evening meals. No longer will you pop out to the cafe for a snack or meal costing a fiver when you can prepare much the same experience for £2 and take it with you. And if you do forget to pack any food you’ll know exactly where to go for the best meal deals, because you’ll have signed up for promotions and you’ll be utilising your points and vouchers as and when necessary. Only use BOGOF tempters for food that you know you will definitely use before it spoils, such as crisps and cereals.
Around three-quarters of UK households have access to online grocery shopping and sites will be desperate to sign them up, offering incentives to snare you; for example, Ocado gives customers £20 in their first order with a minimum spend of £80. The advantages are multiple; the service gives customers a window of time for deliveries to make sure they’re in, and of course it also saves on petrol costs.
Juggling between several sites can give you big discounts, by wringing out the full value of the sign up offers across several weeks, but freezing any food you don’t need immediately. You’d be amazed at the foods that you can actually freeze, such as rice and herbs.
These are just a few of the ways you can save money, but there’s a far more comprehensive list to be found here which also incorporates advice on bills, leisure and transport. Make 2015 the year where you will take control of your finances – starting with your fridge and cupboards.
