Network January 2018

Looking after the pennies
15 ways to lower your food bill
Set a budget
Make a note of your average shopping bill, sort
out all the essentials and regular buys and work
out what your budget will be each week.
Food wastage
If you don’t cook too much food and re-use as
much leftovers as you can, you can cut your
food waste dramatically. It’s easy to over
estimate rice and pasta. It doesn’t always look
much when it’s uncooked but once it’s
absorbed the water a little can go a long way.
Invest in a pasta and rice measurer, so you
know you’re not cooking too much.
Check out the clearance items
You’ll find most superstores have a section of
items that are either close to their shelf life or
the packaging has been damaged. You may be
surprised by the bargains you can pick up.
Best before and use by dates
Using up what you have already before it goes
out of date can prevent many foods from going
in the bin. Always remember that ‘use by’ and
‘best before’ are different too. Best before is an
advisory date that food is at it’s best before the
date stated but is still safe to eat after.
Shop for seasonal fruit and vegetables
Buying local fruit and veg in season can cost
less and taste better. Farming and
transportation help keep costs down for stores,
having a knock on effect for savvy consumers,
like yourselves.
Chop your own
Time saving pre chopped fruit and vegetables
come at a price. If it’s money rather than time
you’re looking to save then best buy whole
uncut fruit and vegetables.
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