As food bills hit record heights, UK households are feeling the effects. Check out our top tips for lowering the cost of your everyday essentials and making your budget work harder
While the cost-of-living crisis is raising the price of many day-to-day essentials, rising food bills are arguably one of the most difficult to deal with. Soaring food costs are impacting everyone but having a disproportionate effect on low-income households, renters, parents with dependent children, and adults living with a disability. In fact, some UK households are being forced to make the choice between using energy or eating.
According to the Office for National Statistics, food prices increased by 16.8% in January 2023, the largest annual jump since 1977. There are many reasons for this: global supply chain issues; shipping delays; the increased cost of fuel, fertiliser, and animal feed; a shortage of farm workers and HGV drivers; rising wages; and the war in Ukraine have all contributed to escalating food costs.
These factors aren’t just affecting luxury goods; everyday essentials like bread, milk, and cheese have all drastically risen in price. In the last year, milk prices have risen by almost 50%, bread prices have increased by 20%, and sugar and pasta prices have both risen by over 25%. Kantar reported that the average UK annual shopping bill increased by £380 in 2022, going from £4,580 to £4,960, and the ONS have seen margarine costs increase by 37%, eggs rise by 8%, and jam, marmalade, and honey go up by 13%.
While these increases are putting pressure on all our budgets, the good news is that there are steps you can take to lower your food bills:
6 ways to lower your food bills
Never shop when hungry
It might sound obvious, but the old adage is true: you should never shop when you’re hungry. Not only will you be more tempted by the end-of-aisle offers and the chocolate selection, but you might also find it more difficult to stick to your meal plan. Temptation is everywhere and supermarkets are designed to attract the attention of our eyes and our stomachs while we shop.
The best way to resist adding unnecessary items to your trolley is to shop on a full stomach and when you’re in the mood to make good choices. Take advantage of that energy and willpower that arises when you decide to hit the gym or are feeling especially productive at work and bring that to your food shop. You may also find it easier to resist overspending if you shop online.
Look out for discounts
While rising costs are making almost everything that we buy more expensive, there are still cheaper options available. Making the switch from big brands to supermarket own brands could be a smart choice and you might not even notice the difference! It’s also worth keeping an eye out for special offers, but don’t be tempted to buy products you wouldn’t normally pick up just because they’re in a buy 3 for 2 or meal deal offer. If you’re not careful, these deals could end up costing you more money than the savings are worth.
Yellow sticker reductions are typically made every day on fresh produce like ready meals, baked goods, fruit, and vegetables and these can offer great savings. Find out what time of day your local supermarket starts discounting to ensure you can choose from the best selection. It’s also worth checking whether you could make additional savings by using a supermarket loyalty card or shopping online through a cashback site.
Try meat-free Mondays
While switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet won’t be the right choice for everyone, cutting down on your meat consumption could improve your health and lower your food costs. Meat is often one of the most expensive items you can buy in the supermarket and switching to meat-free alternatives just one day a week could help you save more money than you’d think. Consider making small changes like swapping your chilli mincemeat out and replacing it with red lentils, opting for a nut roast on a Sunday, or replacing your chicken alfredo with a macaroni cheese.
Set a budget and write a meal plan
Meal planning and setting a strict budget each week can help you to keep on top of your food shopping costs. When you plan what you’re going to eat each evening, you can buy ingredients that can will be used in several different meals, save money on ready meals by cooking from scratch, and avoid ending up ordering too many takeaways because there’s nothing good left in the fridge. This approach can be particularly effective when shopping online and several supermarket websites offer integrated meal planning tools that can help you buy everything you need to create nourishing, heaty meals for less. Ordering online can also help you keep an eye on your running total before clicking through to checkout.
Use leftovers
With soaring food costs, every bite counts. Leaving fresh produce to go off in the fridge or making large portions that you can’t finish is a waste of money. Meal planning can help as you’re more likely to use up the ingredients you buy when you know what you’re going to cook but making the most of your leftovers can help your shop go even further. Pack up extra portions to freeze or eat for lunch the next day, incorporate leftover vegetables into other dishes like an omelettes or chilli, and get creative by experimenting with more unusual combinations.
Shop around
We all get into habits when it comes to our food shopping, whether we’ve chosen the same supermarket chain all our lives or simply head to whichever option is closest. However, shopping around could help you find great bargains that you’d miss otherwise. Mix things up by checking out different supermarkets as well as smaller local shops and market stalls to find the best possible prices.
If you are feeling the pinch more so than ever and you would like to explore your debt management options, our friendly team of experts is here to help. Give us a call on 0161 8260 585 or send a message here.