Food is one of the few big household costs you can change this week. Rent and council tax are set, but what ends up in your trolley comes down to choices you make before and during the shop. Because you repeat those choices every week, small changes soon add up.
Below is a simple step-by-step routine. You do not need to do it all at once. Pick two or three steps, try them for a month and let your receipts tell you what is working.
Step 1: Find out what your food shop really costs
You need a starting point before you can cut back. Go through the last four weeks of your bank statements or banking app and add up every grocery payment, including quick trips to the corner shop for milk and bread. Lots of people are surprised by how much those little extra visits come to.
Then set a weekly food budget that is realistic rather than wishful. Start a little below what you spend now and lower it again once the new habits stick. If you want a framework for the rest of your spending too, have a look at our guide to budgeting methods that actually work.
Step 2: Plan your meals around what you already have
Meal planning is the habit that makes every other saving easier. Open the fridge, freezer and cupboards first, then build the week around what needs using up.
- Plan five or six evening meals and keep one night free for leftovers.
- Choose recipes that share ingredients, so half a bag of spinach or an open tub of cream does not go in the bin.
- Cook double portions of dishes that freeze well, such as chilli, curry or soup, and label each tub with the date.
- Think about lunches and snacks as well, because that is where unplanned spending tends to creep in.
Step 3: Write a shopping list and stick to it
Your list turns the meal plan into a shop. Group items by section, such as fruit and veg, chilled and tins, so you get round quickly. The less time you spend browsing, the less you tend to buy. A shared note on your phone lets everyone at home add things as they run out.
Once you are in the shop, treat offers with a bit of suspicion. A multibuy only saves you money if you would have bought the extra anyway and will use it before it goes off. Compare the price per kilo or per 100g on the shelf label, not the price of the pack, as bigger packs are not always better value.
Try not to shop when you are hungry, tired or in a rush. It sounds obvious, but it is when most of us reach for things that were never on the list.
Step 4: Shop smarter in store
- Look out for yellow stickers. Supermarkets reduce food that is close to its use-by date, often later in the day. Timings vary from store to store, so it is worth noticing the pattern at your local branch. Only buy reduced items you will eat or freeze straight away.
- Give a discount supermarket a go. Discounters carry fewer brands and product lines, which helps keep prices down. You could do your main shop there and pick up the few things they do not stock elsewhere.
- Use loyalty prices carefully. Many supermarkets offer lower prices to members of their loyalty scheme. They can be worth having, but compare the member price with what the item costs in other shops, and do not buy something just because it has a member discount.
- Check the top and bottom shelves. Big brands usually sit at eye level. Own-brand versions are often higher up or lower down, and many taste much the same.
For more ideas, see our list of cheaper food swaps that do not feel like a sacrifice.
Step 5: Make online shopping and delivery slots work for you
Shopping online can help if impulse buys are your weak spot. You only see what you search for, and your running total is on screen the whole time. A few things keep the cost down:
- Compare delivery charges. Midweek and quieter slots are usually cheaper than evenings and weekends.
- Check the minimum spend so you are not padding your basket just to reach it.
- Click and collect is often free or cheaper than home delivery.
- If you are thinking about a delivery pass, work out how many orders you would need to place before it pays for itself, and note whether it renews automatically.
- Check substitutions when your order arrives and hand back any you do not want.
When your food budget will not stretch
If you have trimmed all you can and the weekly shop still does not fit, the pressure may be coming from somewhere else, such as debts or bills. You can get free, confidential help from MoneyHelper, StepChange and Citizens Advice. If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, are pregnant or have a child under four, and get certain benefits, the NHS Healthy Start scheme may help you pay for milk, fruit and vegetables.
